Failure CodesFailure Codes exist as part of a Failure Hierarchy and are a Failure Class, a Problem, Cause or Remedy Code. More exist as part of a Failure HierarchyA Failure Hierarchy is a hierarchy of Failure Codes of two or more levels. More and are a Failure ClassA Failure Class is the top-level Failure Code of a Failure Hierarchy. More, a Problem, Cause or Remedy Code.

The Failure Codes are created as you build the Failure Hierarchy in the Failure Codes application, you can select existing failure codes or create new ones. A Failure Class may have multiple Problem Codes, and each Problem Code multiple Cause Codes, and each cause can have multiple Remedy Codes. 

By the time you have built four levels of codes in a failure hierarchy you have created several records, although it is only a code, description and optionally a long description, this does take time to compile and review. When building failure hierarchies start with a set of failure classes and then add the problem codes, before creating the causes and remedies.

Problem, Cause and Remedy codes often repeat themselves in other Failure Hierarchies, you do want to try and reuse these codes, and a bit of planning is preferable. The action Copy Failure Hierarchy will allow you to copy the failure hierarchy of a Problem Code that exists in another Failure Class. Hence, better to build the Cause and Remedy levels for a Failure Class together before moving to the next Failure Class and Problem Code, this will take advantage of the Copy Failure Hierarchy function.

All Failure Codes are entered at the OrganizationA structural element of a Maximo database which is used for data sharing. More level.