The quick answer
Go to Advanced Manufacturing > Administration / Setup > Downtime Reasons and click New AM Downtime Reason. Choose a Downtime Category (the field isn't marked required, but it is what links the reason to a category), enter a Downtime Reason (required), a description and a scanner code, and click Save. The new reason appears in the AM Downtime Reason list under its category.
The screenshots show sample data. Person and company names are fictional. Use your own categories, reasons and codes when following the steps.
This guide creates a downtime reason only. It doesn't record downtime against a work order operation or change a report. Section names, list columns, list order and the available categories can vary by version, form and account.
Before you start
In this example, Alex Morgan at Example Supply Co. adds a reason for a conveyor that keeps stalling. You need:
- Advanced Manufacturing enabled, so the Advanced Manufacturing menu has an Administration / Setup group with Downtime Categories and Downtime Reasons. Menu labels can vary by version and role.
- Permission to create AM Downtime Reason records, and any account-specific required fields, custom forms or approvals satisfied.
- The category the reason belongs to. The category list also offers a - New - entry if you need to add one.
01. Check the categories and reasons
Go to Advanced Manufacturing > Administration / Setup > Downtime Categories. A category is the broad type of loss, and every reason belongs to one. In this example there are six: Admin, Breakdown, Material, Scheduled Maintenance, Setup and Unplanned Maintenance.
Then open Administration / Setup > Downtime Reasons. The list shows each reason's name, category, description and code. In this example it holds eight reasons and none for a conveyor stoppage.
02. Fill in the new reason
Click New AM Downtime Reason. The form has a Downtime Category group and a Downtime Reason group.
Open Downtime Category and choose Breakdown. Under Downtime Reason, enter Conveyor Stall as the Downtime Reason, which is required, Conveyor stopped during production as the Downtime Description, and CV01 as the Downtime Scanner Code.
03. Save it and find it in the list
Click Save. The saved record opens with the reason, Conveyor Stall, under the page title, the Breakdown category as a link and the values you entered.
Open Advanced Manufacturing > Administration / Setup > Downtime Reasons again. The list now holds nine reasons and the new Conveyor Stall row sorts into place by name, with Breakdown, its description and the code CV01.
Check the result
- The saved record shows Conveyor Stall under the page title with the Breakdown category, description and scanner code you entered.
- The list total went from 8 to 9.
- The Conveyor Stall row shows Breakdown, Conveyor stopped during production and CV01.
Common questions
What is the difference between a downtime category and a downtime reason?
A category is the broad type of loss, such as Setup or Breakdown. A reason is the specific cause under it. A reason is linked to a category through the Downtime Category field on its form. The field isn't marked required, so choose one to keep the reason under a category.
What is the Downtime Scanner Code for?
It is a short code for scanning or quick entry when downtime is recorded. Use a barcode-friendly value without spaces or special characters. It identifies the reason, not the category. This guide doesn't show the scanning step.
Where is a downtime reason used?
It is chosen when downtime is recorded for a work order operation in Advanced Manufacturing data collection, and the downtime reports can then group by reason or category. This guide doesn't show those steps, so confirm how your account uses them.
Can I add a category from the reason form?
The Downtime Category list offers a - New - entry in the reviewed account. You can also add categories from the Downtime Categories list. This guide uses an existing category.
What is the Bar Code column in the list?
The list has a Bar Code column in addition to the Downtime Code. A reason created with the form in this guide leaves it blank.
Why can't I see my new reason in the list?
Check that you saved the record. If the list offers a Show Inactives option, a reason marked Inactive may be left out of the default view until you select it. The exact control depends on the list view.