What it is (plain English)
The system for managing work that requires someone to physically show up — installations, repairs, inspections, maintenance. It schedules and dispatches the right technician (with the right skills, parts, and location), guides them through the job on a mobile app, and tracks parts and time.
Problems it solves
- Dispatchers juggling technician schedules on whiteboards and phone calls.
- Technicians arriving without the right parts, skills, or information.
- No live visibility into where field staff are or how jobs are progressing.
- Parts and inventory that don't reconcile with the work performed.
What must exist first
Platform Core Setup, and CMDB Foundation/asset data for the equipment being serviced. FSM is frequently triggered by CSM Case Management (a customer case that needs a site visit).
What the customer needs to provide
- Your field workforce: technicians, their skills, territories, and working hours.
- The assets/equipment they service and where those live.
- Parts and inventory data, and how stock is replenished.
- Scheduling rules: travel time, priorities, SLAs for on-site response.
- Mobile/connectivity reality for technicians (often working offline in the field).
Where it can go next
Work Order Management structures the job lifecycle; Workforce Optimization forecasts demand and optimizes schedules; asset and inventory management keep parts accurate. Ties back to CSM Case Management for end-to-end customer resolution.