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# How Can I Record Machine Downtime and Its Causes?
- URL: https://blog.jestor.com/record-machine-downtime-causes/
- Published: 2026-10-13T21:19:31.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-13T21:19:31.000Z
- Author: Bruno Bannach

You can **record machine downtime and its causes** by asking operators to register every stop with start time, end time and cause category from a tablet near the machine, and by analyzing total downtime by machine and cause each week.

In **Jestor**, downtime records are linked to machines and production orders, so the factory sees where capacity is lost.

## Why is downtime often underestimated?

Short stops for adjustments, missing materials or waiting for instructions are rarely recorded. Each one seems small.

At the end of the month, production is below plan and nobody knows exactly why.

Without data, improvement efforts target the wrong problems.

## What problems does downtime recording solve?

- Lost capacity without explanation
- Recurring stops never addressed
- Maintenance needs identified too late
- No data to compare machines
- Improvement efforts based on guesses

## How do I record downtime in Jestor?

1. **Create a downtime form** with machine, start time, end time and cause.
2. **Use standard causes**: Breakdown, Setup, Missing material, Waiting for instructions, Quality issue.
3. **Calculate duration** with formula fields.
4. **Link breakdowns** to maintenance requests automatically.
5. **Build dashboards** of downtime by machine, cause and week.

| Cause                    | Typical action            |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------- |
| Breakdown                | Maintenance request       |
| Setup                    | Review setup procedures   |
| Missing material         | Improve material planning |
| Waiting for instructions | Better job information    |

## How do I make operators record stops?

A short form with buttons for common causes takes seconds to fill.

Showing the weekly results to operators demonstrates that the data is used.

## Why use Jestor for downtime tracking?

- **Fast forms**: stops recorded at the machine.
- **Duration formulas**: downtime calculated automatically.
- **Maintenance link**: breakdowns create requests.
- **Dashboards**: lost time by machine and cause.

## What else helps you record machine downtime and its causes?

- The top causes usually concentrate most of the lost time. Focusing on the two or three largest causes first brings visible gains quickly.
- Downtime can also be linked to production orders. Knowing which jobs suffered the most stops helps explain late deliveries and shows whether certain products are harder to run on specific machines.
- These insights support better planning and quoting.

This is how you record machine downtime and its causes and recover lost capacity.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Can operators record stops on a tablet?

Yes. The downtime form works on tablets and phones.

### Can I get help setting this up?

Yes. Free setup help is available at [jestor.com](https://www.jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com).

### Can breakdowns create maintenance requests?

Yes. An automation can create the request when the cause is Breakdown.

## Get to know Jestor

With **Jestor**, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way — all without code and powered by **AI**.

Discover Jestor at [jestor.com](https://www.jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com) and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.