When teams move, new employees join, and workspace layouts change at the same time, workplace operations can become difficult to manage. MAC exists to bring structure to that complexity.
For example, a 200-person engineering team may be reorganized into new squads while new hires are starting and part of the office is shifting to shared seating. That is a typical MAC event, and without a coordinated process, it can quickly create operational friction.
Definition
MAC stands for Moves, Adds, and Changes. It is the process workplace teams use to manage employee relocations, onboard new occupants into physical spaces, and update workspace configurations as teams, layouts, and business needs change.It helps HR, IT, and facilities stay aligned as the workplace evolves.
The Three Components
- Moves: Relocating employees or teams within a workspace
- Adds: Introducing new employees into physical space and systems
- Changes: Updating layouts, assignments, or configurations over time
Together, these components help keep workplace operations and workplace data accurate.
MAC vs. IMAC
|
Term |
Scope |
Primary Domain |
|
MAC
|
People and workspaces: employee seating, teams, space configurations
|
Workplace operations and facility management
|
|
IMAC
|
Hardware and software: Install, Move, Add, Change for IT assets
|
IT asset management and data center operations
|
Why MAC Matters
MAC processes help workplace systems stay aligned. When moves, adds, or changes are not properly tracked, gaps can form between HR, IT, facilities, and space data, leading to inefficiencies.
Questions People Ask About MAC
Q: What does MAC stand for in facility management?
A: MAC stands for Moves, Adds, and Changes. It is the structured process of relocating employees, onboarding new occupants, and updating workspace configurations.
Q: How is MAC different from IMAC?
A: MAC focuses on people and physical workspaces, while IMAC focuses on IT hardware and software.
Q: Can MAC workflows be automated?
A: Yes. Workplace platforms can connect HR, IT, and space systems so that a single request triggers updates across multiple systems.
Stack planning provides a high-level view of how space is allocated and used across floors, buildings, or campuses. It helps leaders understand where teams sit, how occupancy compares with capacity, and which parts of the portfolio may need to change.
Definition
Stack planning is the process of visualizing how floors, buildings, and campuses within a real estate portfolio are allocated across departments, teams, and functions. A stack plan gives leaders a portfolio-level view of occupancy, capacity, lease exposure, and space distribution.
What a Stack Plan Reveals
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Layer |
What It Shows |
Decision It Informs |
|
Building overview
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All floors in a vertical stack, color-coded by department
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Executive-level view of portfolio allocation
|
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Occupancy vs. capacity
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Headcount and utilization per floor
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Identifies underused space for consolidation or subletting
|
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Department mapping
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Which teams and functions sit on which floors
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Supports adjacency and collaboration planning
|
|
Lease overlay
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Lease expiration dates and break clauses per floor
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Supports renewal, exit, or renegotiation decisions
|
|
Growth projections
|
Forecast headcount layered onto current allocation
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Connects workforce planning to real estate strategy
|
Why Stack Planning Matters
A stack plan is most useful when it reflects how space is actually being used, not just how it is assigned on paper. In hybrid workplaces, that means combining headcount with utilization data such as booking activity, badge data, or occupancy signals. This gives leaders a stronger basis for decisions about consolidation, reconfiguration, and lease strategy.
Getting Started
For teams creating a stack plan for the first time, a simple starting point is often enough: map buildings, floors, and department allocations, then add headcount and any available utilization data. The goal is to create a reliable planning baseline that can be refined over time.
Questions People Ask About Stack Planning
Q: What is stack planning in facility management?
A: Stack planning maps how floors and buildings are allocated across departments and functions, helping leaders understand capacity, utilization, and portfolio fit.
Q: What is the difference between a stack plan and a floor plan?
A: A floor plan shows the layout of a single floor. A stack plan shows how multiple floors or buildings are allocated across a wider portfolio.
Q: How often should a stack plan be updated?
A: The right cadence depends on how quickly the workplace changes. In hybrid environments, more frequent updates are often useful, while more stable office settings may only need periodic review.
Scenario planning helps workplace and real estate teams evaluate different future space options before making a decision. It models the likely impact of choices such as lease renewal, consolidation, or policy changes so leaders can compare cost, capacity, and employee experience before committing.
Definition
In facility management, scenario planning is the practice of modeling different future workplace options to understand how each one may affect cost, capacity, and space use. It helps leaders compare outcomes using data rather than assumptions.
What Scenario Planning Helps Answer
Scenario planning is most useful when it helps leaders answer a small number of high-value planning questions.
1. Should we consolidate?
Compare current usage, projected headcount, and peak-day demand to assess whether space can be reduced without creating future capacity issues.
2. Can we absorb growth without new leases?
Test whether existing buildings have enough usable capacity to support hiring, reorganizations, or acquisitions.
3. What happens if we change hybrid policy?
Model how changes in office attendance may affect demand, layouts, scheduling, and capacity.
4. When should we act on expiring leases?
Review lease timing alongside utilization and future demand to decide whether space should be renewed, reduced, or exited.
What Data It Uses
Scenario planning is only as useful as the inputs behind it. Stronger models usually combine workforce data with real space-use data, such as:
- desk-booking data
- occupancy or badge data
- HRIS headcount and hiring plans
- lease terms and renewal windows
Questions People Ask About Scenario Planning
Q: What is scenario planning in facility management?
A: Scenario planning models multiple future workplace options so leaders can compare likely outcomes before making a decision.
Q: What data does scenario planning need?
A: At a minimum, it usually requires workforce data, space-use data, and lease information. The more accurately those inputs reflect real workplace behavior, the more useful the model becomes.
Q: How is scenario planning different from space planning?
A: Scenario planning helps decide which spaces should be kept, reduced, or exited at the portfolio level. Space planning focuses on how a specific floor or building should be laid out.
An Integrated Workplace Management System, or IWMS, is a category of enterprise software used to manage corporate real estate, facilities, and workplace data in one platform. It is typically associated with functions such as lease management, space planning, maintenance, capital projects, and sustainability reporting.
Definition
An IWMS is an enterprise software platform designed to manage the lifecycle of corporate real estate and workplace assets within a single system. It is commonly used to bring together lease administration, space management, maintenance, capital projects, and sustainability reporting.
The Five Modules
|
Module |
What It Manages |
Typical Focus |
|
Real estate & leases
|
Leases, obligations, expirations, portfolio costs
|
Portfolio and lease management
|
|
Space management
|
Desk and room allocations across buildings
|
Space planning and allocation
|
|
Maintenance
|
Preventive and reactive work orders
|
Preventive and reactive work orders
|
|
Capital projects
|
Construction and renovation planning
|
Capital projects
|
|
Sustainability
|
Energy, emissions, and reporting
|
Compliance and environmental tracking
|
How IWMS Is Changing
Traditional IWMS platforms were designed for workplaces with more fixed allocations, predictable attendance, and longer planning cycles. In more dynamic and hybrid environments, organizations often need tools that can respond more directly to changing occupancy patterns, flexible seating, and real-time workplace data.
IWMS vs. Modern Workplace Platforms
|
Dimension |
Legacy IWMS |
Modern Workplace Platform |
|
Architecture
|
Monolithic suite
|
More modular and API-based
|
|
Data model
|
Static allocations and fixed headcount
|
More dynamic workplace and utilization data
|
|
Primary users
|
Facilities and real estate teams
|
Broader workplace, operations, and leadership teams
|
|
Planning approach
|
Periodic planning cycles
|
More continuous planning and scenario modeling
|
|
Hybrid support
|
Hybrid support
|
More directly built around flexible workplace use
|
Common Questions About IWMS
Q: What does IWMS stand for?
A: IWMS stands for Integrated Workplace Management System. It refers to software that brings together several workplace and real estate functions in one system.
Q: Is IWMS still relevant?
A: Yes. IWMS remains a widely used category, especially for large organizations managing real estate, maintenance, and facilities functions at scale. However, some organizations also compare it with newer workplace platforms built for more dynamic environments.
Q: Who are the main IWMS vendors?
A: Established vendors in the IWMS category include providers such as Planon, Eptura, FM:Systems, and Trimble. Organizations may also compare these with newer workplace platforms depending on their needs.
