Event Type

Event types classify the reason an asset has gone down and form the basis of accurate downtime reporting. They also guide how maintenance and operations respond, ensuring the right level of urgency and the correct workflows are followed.

What an Event Type is

An Event Type describes the reason for the downtime, not the work being performed.

Event Types:

  • Apply only to Events
  • Are required for all Events
  • Provide context for downtime reporting
  • Influence how Events are grouped and analysed

Event Types are a key input into reliability, availability, and performance metrics.

How Event Types work

Each Event must have one Event Type.

When an Event Type is selected:

  • The Event is classified for reporting and KPIs
  • The Event appears in the correct panels and filters
  • The Event is colour-coded where configured
  • Maintenance and operations teams can assess urgency

Event Types do not change scheduling rules directly, but they strongly influence how downtime is interpreted.

Common uses for Event Types

Event Types are commonly used to:

  • Separate planned and unplanned downtime
  • Measure breakdown frequency and duration
  • Distinguish operational versus maintenance causes
  • Support dashboards and management reporting
  • Filter Events in the Visual Planner and Event lists

Why Event Types Matter

Using the correct event type ensures:

  • Reliable downtime reporting across the site
  • Accurate tracking of breakdown rates and reliability issues
  • Appropriate maintenance prioritisation
  • Clear distinction between operational and maintenance causes
  • Better resource planning and long term improvement initiatives

Accurate event classification helps both supervisors and maintenance teams respond effectively and maintain a clear record of site performance.

Event Type Table

Event Type Description
Planned Scheduled downtime for routine maintenance, inspections or planned component changes. These events are expected and generally do not require urgent action.
Breakdown Unplanned downtime caused by a fault or failure. Breakdowns require urgent attention and are treated as high priority by maintenance teams.
Opportune Maintenance carried out while the asset is already down for production purposes or not being utilised. This helps take advantage of natural production pauses.
Standby Asset is taken offline because it is not required for production. This is an operational status rather than a maintenance issue.
Accident Damage Downtime caused by improper or unsafe operation resulting in damage. These events may require both maintenance repair and operational follow up.

Event Type fields

The following fields are shown when creating or editing an Event Type. Field names match the Samurai CMMS user interface.

Field name Required Description
Code Yes Short-text identifier.
Name Yes Name of the Event Type, such as Planned or Breakdown.
Description No Additional detail explaining when this Event Type should be used.
App Icon No The icon used to display the Event Type.
Colour Yes Colour used to display Events of this type in views such as the Visual Planner.
Active Yes Controls whether the Event Type can be selected. New Event Types are active by default.

Creating and editing Event Types

Event Types are created and managed in reference tables.

To create or edit an Event Type:

  1. Navigate to Reference Tables → Event Tables → Event Type.
  2. Select + Add Event Type or edit an existing one.
  3. Enter the Code and Name.
  4. Add a Description if required.
  5. Select an App Icon and Colour.
  6. Ensure the Event Type is Active (or Inactive if you don't want it to be used).
  7. Save the Event Type.

Adding an Event Type to an Event

Event Types are selected when creating or editing an Event.

To assign an Event Type:

  1. Open the Event.
  2. Select the Event Type field.
  3. Choose the appropriate Event Type.
  4. Save the Event.

The Event is immediately classified using the selected type.

Where Event Types apply

Event Types are used in:

  • Events
  • Visual Planner colour coding
  • Event lists and panel views
  • Dashboards and KPI reporting
  • Downtime and reliability analysis

Pre-requisites

Before using Event Types:

  • Assets must be configured as Advanced
  • Event Types must be defined in reference tables
  • Users must have permission to create or edit Events
  • Colour conventions should be agreed organisation-wide

Example of Event Type in use

An asset fails unexpectedly during operation.

The supervisor:

  • Creates an Event
  • Selects Breakdown as the Event Type
  • Adds multiple Work Orders for investigation and repair

Reports later show this downtime as unplanned, contributing to breakdown KPIs.

Important considerations and best practices

  • Always select the most accurate Event Type
  • Use Planned only for genuinely scheduled work
  • Use Breakdown for unplanned failures
  • Avoid changing Event Types after completion unless correcting errors
  • Keep Event Type definitions clear and consistent
  • Use colour coding consistently to improve visibility

Event Types are fundamental to accurate downtime reporting, reliable KPIs, and effective maintenance decision-making in Samurai CMMS.