Create and Manage Downtime Reasons
Set up reasons operators can recognize and choose which machines offer them.
Goal
Set up reasons operators can recognize and choose which machines offer them.
Before You Begin
Required access: Administrator. Save a new machine before selecting its reasons.
Preconditions
Check existing reasons before creating another. Agree names and codes with your team.
Steps
Open a machine’s reasons
As an administrator, open Machine Settings → Downtime reasons. You can also create and edit reasons under Admin Panel → Configure Analyzers → Downtime reasons. See Admin Panel.
Choose all reasons or a fixed list
Choose All reasons (default) to include future reasons automatically. Or choose Only selected reasons and tick at least one. Search and filter the list as needed. Select all visible adds visible reasons; clearing removes the entire selection.
Create or edit a reason
Use New reason, or the edit action beside an existing reason. Enter its name and description. Optional Code must be unique within the company and becomes uppercase. Choose or enter a Category. Use Pick colour, enter a colour value, or choose Random colour.
Choose availability
Under Available on machines, tick where the reason should be offered. When creating from a machine’s settings, that machine starts ticked. Unticking a machine marked All reasons gives it a fixed list of the other current reasons. Future reasons will no longer appear there automatically.
Save and check the machine selection
Save the reason, then check the machine’s selection and save the tab if it still has unsaved changes. If the reason was created but its machines could not be saved, keep editing it, check the machine list, and save again. Do not create a duplicate.
Apply the selection to other machines
Use Apply to other machines, choose destinations, and review the replacement notice. Confirm to replace their reason lists with the current selection or all-reasons mode. Check the result.
Automatic Rules
Machine selections also limit the reasons automatic rules and shift breaks can use. Configure the rules in Machine Configuration.
A reason chosen by the machine operator or set by hand takes priority. When automatic break labels are enabled, an eligible break's reason comes next. Downtime reason rules apply to the remaining idle or off time; without a matching reason, the time stays unlabelled.
Since November 5, 2026 (v1.5.153), the rules apply to more idle and off downtimes. When comparing reports or charts across this update, allow for more downtime receiving a reason on machines with rules. Downtimes from before the update remain unchanged.
Delete a Shared Reason
Open the deletion notice
As an administrator, open Admin Panel → Configure Analyzers → Downtime reasons, then select Delete in the reason’s row menu.
Review where the reason is used
Read Deleting this reason removes it from:. Check the listed past downtimes, machine reason lists, downtime reason rules and breaks. This reason is not used anywhere. means none are affected. If only the general notice appears, the details are still loading or could not be loaded.
Delete and check affected settings
Confirm deletion only if these uses should lose the reason. Past downtimes stay without a replacement reason. The downtime reason rules that give this reason are removed. That time then gets the default reason of the machine. Shift breaks show No downtime reason. Check those breaks and machine selections afterwards. A restricted list that loses its last reason stays empty until you change it.
To clear only one downtime's label, use Remove label on that period instead of deleting the shared reason. To keep existing labels but stop offering the reason on one machine, change that machine's reason selection.
Decision Points
Choose all reasons for automatic access to future additions, or a fixed list for a shorter operator selection. Reuse a shared reason when its meaning is the same. Editing it affects every machine.
Expected Result
Operators see the reasons allowed on their machine. Charts show codes, and their explanations show categories when provided.
Common Problems and Edge Cases
- A duplicate code cannot be saved. Choose another code or edit the existing reason.
- You cannot remove a machine’s only remaining reason through the availability checklist. Give the named machine another reason first, or keep this one ticked.
- Deleting a shared reason also removes it from downtime reason rules, defaults and shift breaks. Review the uses in the deletion notice and check the affected settings afterwards.
- If someone changes the selection at the same time, the latest selection reloads. Review it and retry.
- An already open PDA page picks up new availability on its next refresh. A rejected reason selection also updates its list.