What You’ll Learn

By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to:

• Create an effective category structure
• Organize products for easy finding
• Use categories for better reporting
• Apply best practices for category naming

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Why Categories Matter

Categories help you:

• Find products faster - Filter by category
• Analyze performance - Reports by category
• Stay organized - Logical product grouping
• Manage inventory - Category-level stock views

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Creating Categories

When Adding a Product

1. In the Category field, tap Add New
2. Enter category name
3. Tap Save
4. Category is assigned to the product

Creating Categories in Bulk

1. Go to Products
2. Tap Categories (if available)
3. Add multiple categories
4. Assign products later

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Category Structure Best Practices

Keep It Simple

Recommended: 5-10 main categories

✅ Good:
- Beverages
- Food
- Electronics
- Clothing
- Home & Garden

❌ Too Complex:
- Cold Beverages - Non-Alcoholic - Carbonated
- Cold Beverages - Non-Alcoholic - Non-Carbonated
- Hot Beverages - Coffee - Espresso Based
- Hot Beverages - Coffee - Drip Coffee

Use Clear Names

Good Names:

• ✅ “Beverages”
• ✅ “Snack Foods”
• ✅ “Household Items”

Avoid:

• ❌ “Miscellaneous”
• ❌ “Other”
• ❌ “Stuff”

Consistent Naming

Use consistent style:

• All plural: “Beverages”, “Snacks”, “Electronics”
• Or all singular: “Beverage”, “Snack”, “Electronic”
• Avoid mixing: “Beverage” vs “Snacks”

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Category Examples by Business Type

Restaurant/Cafe

- Hot Drinks
- Cold Drinks
- Main Courses
- Appetizers
- Desserts
- Specials

Retail Store

- Electronics
- Clothing
- Accessories
- Home Goods
- Health & Beauty
- Clearance

Wholesale/Distributor

- Raw Materials
- Finished Goods
- Packaging
- Office Supplies
- Equipment

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Managing Categories

Editing Categories

1. Find a product in the category
2. Edit the product
3. Change category name
4. All products update

Note: Changing a category name updates it for all products in that category.

Moving Products Between Categories

1. Open product details
2. Tap Edit
3. Change category
4. Save

Deleting Categories

Categories are automatically removed when:

• No products use the category
• All products are moved to other categories

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Using Categories Effectively

In Product List

• Filter products by category
• Sort within categories
• Quick category switching

In Reports

• Sales by category
• Stock by category
• Profit margins by category

In Stock Operations

• Filter stock in/out by category
• Category-based stock counts
• Reorder by category

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Category Naming Tips

Use Customer-Facing Names

Name categories as customers would search:

• ✅ “Coffee” not “Hot Beverage Category 1”
• ✅ “Phone Cases” not “ACC-PH-001”

Avoid Abbreviations

• ✅ “Electronics”
• ❌ “ELEC”

Consider Search

Think about how staff will search:

• Is “Soda” under “Beverages” or “Soft Drinks”?
• Will everyone know where to find items?

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Too Many Categories

Having 50+ categories makes finding harder, not easier.

Solution: Consolidate similar categories.

❌ Uncategorized Products

Products with no category are harder to find.

Solution: Require category on all products.

❌ Overlapping Categories

A product shouldn’t fit in multiple categories.

Example Problem:

• “Snacks” and “Chips” - where does potato chips go?

Solution: Use distinct categories.

❌ Inconsistent Updates

Creating new categories for one-off items.

Solution: Use “General” or “Other” for rare items.

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Advanced Tips

Category Codes

For large inventories, add codes:

• BEV-001 (Beverages)
• FOO-001 (Food)

Color Coding

Some businesses use colors:

• Red tags = Food
• Blue tags = Drinks
• Green tags = Supplies

Seasonal Categories

Create temporary categories:

• “Summer Specials”
• “Holiday Items”
• Move products back after season

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FAQ

Q: Can a product be in multiple categories? A: Kelola supports one category per product. Use clear names that capture the product type.

Q: How many categories should I have? A: Start with 5-10 main categories. Add more only if needed.

Q: Can I change category names later? A: Yes, editing a category updates all products using it.

Q: Do categories affect reporting? A: Yes, you can filter and analyze by category.

Q: Should I use sub-categories? A: Kelola doesn’t support sub-categories. Use clear main category names instead.