A cycle in the utilisation system is the total time an asset takes to perform a single task.

You can define the rules that describe what a cycle represents. For example, a cycle might capture the total amount of time a machine spends on each full 'job', such as…

• Producing a batch of product,
• Picking up and delivering a load of cargo,
• Processing a delivery of product,
• Producing an order etc.

Alternatively, you might decide to capture a very specific portion of a tasks, such as…

• The time it takes to load up a machine,
• The time it takes to unload a vehicle,
• The time it takes to re-fuel, clean or perform routine maintenance etc.

You can also have several different types of cycle in a single utilisation analysis.

At its simplest, you can create a cycle with a single rule - one that defines the start of the cycle.

If you haven't defined a finish rule, a cycle is assumed to finish when the next cycle begins.

Like the rules that drive state, the rules for a cycle are created in your JSON configuration file.