Less than 2 in 5 FM professionals have 100% accurate asset registers

According to a recent survey, by SFG20, the industry standard for building maintenance, 38 per cent of facility maintenance professionals do not update their asset registers or do not know how frequently they are updated. Although the number of FM professionals with 100 per cent accurate registers (15 per cent) has seen a six per cent uptick from last year, nearly one in 10 organisations do not have any asset register at all.

As part of its State of Facilities Management 2026 Report, SFG20, surveyed nearly 200 professionals from various roles in the built environment sector to assess challenges and priorities regarding facility management. The survey reveals that while the industry faces high cost and compliance pressures, asset management and maintenance were identified as the leading three-year investment priority, with 72 per cent of respondents selecting it.

The FM industry’s biggest obstacles to effective asset management are as follows:

• Half of FM organisations still store part of their asset registers in spreadsheets

The report reveals that 50 per cent of respondents still store at least part of their asset register in spreadsheet format, with only 58 per cent using dedicated software solutions such as CAFM. Four per cent of FM organisations even use paper-based records to manage their asset register.

Organisations using software solutions reported higher asset register accuracy – around 70 per cent on average, compared with around 60 per cent for those relying on spreadsheets or paper.

Davy Clark, Senior Implementation Consultant at SFG20, said: “The continued reliance on spreadsheets— often alongside systems—highlights fragmentation in how asset information is managed. Spreadsheets can be effective for smaller estates, but they introduce well-known challenges around version control, governance, and consistent updates across teams and suppliers. Respondents using software solutions report materially higher accuracy, indicating that systematisation and control can support better data quality when implemented well.”

• Over a third of FMs still do not update their asset registers or do not know how often they are updated 

The 2026 survey spotlighted that the number of FM organisations that update their asset registers on a monthly basis has dropped from 22 per cent to 13 per cent, while yearly updates have seen a slight uptick from 28 per cent to 32 per cent. That said, compared to 34 per cent in 2025, 38 per cent of FM organisations do not update their registers or do not know how often they are reviewed and refreshed.

This mixed picture suggests that while reported accuracy may be improving for some organisations, the regularity and knowledge of asset register updates may be declining.

Clark, commented: “One of the most common issues we encounter in asset register projects is the lack of consistency and specificity in asset descriptions. Too often, assets are recorded with vague descriptions like ‘boiler’ or ‘pump’, making it incredibly difficult to map them to the correct maintenance tasks. This leads to inefficiencies, increased risk, and compliance challenges. Ensuring asset data is consistently structured, complete, and digitally maintained in a single source of truth is essential — not only for effective planned maintenance but also for long-term cost savings and compliance.”

Kirsty Cogan, Managing Director at SFG20, commented: “FM has to become more data driven. The days of reactive maintenance and intuition-based decision-making are numbered. Facilities managers need access to real-time asset data, not only to meet compliance demands but also to optimise maintenance strategies, improve efficiency, and unlock cost savings. Yet, many organisations still lack the digital infrastructure to make this a reality. 

“The past year has shown that while there is an undeniable commitment to raising standards across the industry, the road to compliance, cost efficiency, and sustainability remains a tough one to navigate. Conversations with FM professionals across different sectors highlight the same recurring theme: progress is being made, but not at the speed or scale needed to meet the growing challenges ahead.”

The full report alongside SFG20’s complete list of recommendations for each covered challenge can be found here.