CMMS vendor demos follow a script: the sales engineer shows the cleanest work order workflow, the most polished dashboard, and the features most likely to impress. What they do not show is how the system behaves at the edges — when connectivity drops, when data quality is inconsistent, when a technician makes a mistake, when you need to run a report across 12 sites. A CMMS evaluation that accepts the vendor demo script without deviation is evaluating marketing, not software. The goal of your demo is to stress-test the system in conditions that reflect your actual operating environment. The 30 tests below are divided into five categories: mobile and offline capability, data management and import, reporting and multi-site visibility, integration and API, and implementation and support quality. Allocate 90 minutes for the demo and run the tests yourself — do not watch the sales engineer run them. Every system looks smooth when operated by someone who built it.
Mobile and offline (6 tests): disable WiFi and create a work order — does the app work? Complete a PM checklist offline — does it sync automatically when connectivity restores? Have a non-technical person create their first work order without guidance — how long does it take? Scan an asset QR code and view maintenance history — is the mobile asset view complete? Attach a photo to a completed work order from a mobile device. Submit a work request as an operator-level user — is the process under 60 seconds? Data management (6 tests): import a CSV of 500 assets with inconsistent naming — how does the system handle duplicates? Show the data validation rules for work order completion. Demonstrate bulk PM schedule creation for 50 assets from a template. Show what happens when a required field is left blank on work order completion. Export all work order history for the last 12 months in CSV format. Show the audit trail for a modified asset record. Reporting (6 tests): generate PM compliance by site for six sites simultaneously. Show reactive versus planned work ratio trend for the last 90 days. Build a custom report without vendor assistance in under 10 minutes. Show maintenance cost by asset for the top 20 most expensive assets. Schedule an automated report delivery to an email address. Show MTBF trend for a specific asset class over 12 months.
Integration and API (6 tests): request the full API documentation — is it publicly available or requires NDA? Create a work order via API call during the demo session. Show the ERP integration connector for your specific ERP and demonstrate a purchase order flowing both ways. Show SSO configuration with Azure AD or Okta. Demonstrate what data is available in the API versus what requires database access. Show the webhook configuration for real-time event notifications. Implementation and support (6 tests): call the support line during the demo — what is the actual hold time? Request three reference customers in your industry who went live in the last 18 months and call at least one before signing. Ask the sales engineer to show you the onboarding timeline for a company of your size — is it a generic template or customized to your specifics? Request the contract for review — specifically clause 12 (termination), clause 15 (data portability), and the pricing escalation section. Ask what happens to your data if the company is acquired. Request the SOC 2 Type II report and the date of the most recent penetration test. Vendors that pass all 30 tests earn the right to be on your shortlist. Vendors that fail three or more tests in any single category are disqualified regardless of price or brand recognition.
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