Across the country, the landscape of death care is shifting. For the first time in history, cremation has surpassed traditional burial as the preferred choice for families. According to the Cremation Association of North America, roughly 60% of people are now being cremated, and that number continues to rise each year. This trend represents both a challenge and an opportunity for cemeteries: if your cemetery doesn’t offer a dignified space for cremated remains, families may choose to store urns at home—or worse, your cemetery could lose their business altogether.

The CIMS User Group Conference is back on October 16, 2025, at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. This is your chance to learn more about CIMS and connect with other cemeterians. Our team will be on site, ready to answer any specific questions you may have about how to get the most out of CIMS at your cemetery.

 MADISON, WI — As Ramaker and Associates, Inc., moves its headquarters to Madison, Wisconsin, CIMS—the cemetery management software developed by Ramaker—is joining the transition. After more than 20 years in Sauk City, this transition marks a new chapter for CIMS and reinforces its commitment to serving cemeteries across the country with accessible, responsive support. 

As interest in environmentally conscious living grows, so too does interest in environmentally conscious end-of-life practices. Natural burials and green cemeteries are an increasingly popular choice for individuals seeking a final resting place that honors the earth as much as the individual.

Cemeteries are more than places of rest; they’re vital community spaces where families gather, honor legacies, and make meaningful decisions about the future. With Burial Search, cemeteries can elevate how they serve their communities by offering a powerful, intuitive, and modern experience for those visiting loved ones and those considering future interments.

For many cemeteries, going paperless can feel like a daunting task. Decades’ worth of paper records, handwritten ledgers, and physical maps may feel like they’ll never make it into a digital system. With CIMS, transitioning to a paperless workflow is easy, and all your records and documents are accessible at any time, from any device with an internet connection.

CIMS (Cemetery Information Management System) was created in 1998 with a simple goal: to help cemeteries manage their records and maps more efficiently. The idea originated when Ramaker, a 25-person engineering firm at the time, responded to a request for proposal from the City of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. That project revealed a broader need for intuitive, digital cemetery management solutions—and CIMS was born.

Managing cemetery records often involves working with stacks of old paper documents, maps, and handwritten notes. Transitioning from physical records to a digital system can seem overwhelming, but with the right tools, it becomes a seamless process. One of the most effective tools for this transition is a document camera—a device that makes it easy to digitize records and integrate them directly into CIMS Cloud.

When investing in CIMS cemetery software, you receive a comprehensive annual maintenance plan designed to keep your cemetery records secure, up-to-date, and easily accessible. We know that budget considerations are important. That’s why we strive to keep our maintenance plan costs reasonable while delivering high-quality support and services that help cemeteries operate smoothly and efficiently. Here’s what’s included in your CIMS support plan:

Not all cemetery maps are created equal. Many cemetery management platforms offer basic mapping capabilities, but CIMS Platinum takes it to the next level with its advanced GIS-powered maps. Unlike other software programs, CIMS Platinum doesn’t just mark grave locations—it builds a true-to-life model of the cemetery, incorporating burial shapes, custom markers, and real-time updates.