Categories are groups of items that simplify the ordering process on the front end (in the Register) by giving you control over the Register's layout. Categories also help you manage and control related items in the BackOffice. For example, you can view category-based sales reports and assign a category to a kitchen printer so that the kitchen staff knows when any item in that category is ordered. In this article, we'll introduce you to examples of categories and describe how to create a category in the BackOffice.
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Example Categories
To understand how and when to use categories, let’s first define what they are, review how they are used, and look at a few examples. Categories are groups of items that are used to organize inventory, reporting, and ticket printing. Categories can also be added to the speed screen as a button, by which you can specify the button's color and what items are displayed upon tapping the category button. As such, alongside helping you manage groups of items in the Dashboard, categories help create the desired workflow when ringing out items at the register. Example categories include:
- Sandwiches
- Salads
- Shirts
- Baskets
It's important to note that categories are hierarchy-based. You can nest a category under a parent category. For example, you may want to have two categories (e.g., Long-sleeve Shirts and Short-sleeve Shirts) that are nested under a parent category, "Shirts." In this example, the hierarchy would be as follows:
- Shirts [parent category]
-- Long-sleeve Shirts
-- Short-sleeve Shirts
You can even nest categories under subcategories to have a three-tiered hierarchy.
Create a Category
- In the BackOffice, click Items from the left-side navigation menu.
- Click on the Categories in the tabbed navigation menu.
- Click on the Create Category button.
- Give the category a name.
- Select a category color. This is the color of the button that is displayed in the register. The default color is Dark Blue.
- Optional – you can assign the category to a parent category by toggling on the "Is this a subcategory" switch. This will display a dropdown field allowing you to select the parent category. Select an existing category to make this category a subcategory and nest it under another (parent) category.
- The "Published" option in the Visibility section is enabled by default. You can disable it to remove the category (and its items) from the Register. Note that items in this category with Speed Screen enabled will still be visible on the Speed Screen. You can also locate an item via the search bar or ring it up by scanning its barcode.
- Optional – Select a kitchen printer from the drop-down menu in the Printer Mapping section if you want to send the items within this category to a specific printer. For example, you may wish to send all drinks under the "Mixed Drinks" category to the bartender (e.g., printer at the bar).
- Click the Create button to create the new category.
Edit an Existing Category
Editing an existing category is similar to creating a new category since it is completed from within the same module. To edit an existing category:
- In the BackOffice, click Items from the left-side navigation menu.
- Click on the Categories tab in the tabbed navigation menu.
- Click on the edit button located on the right-hand side of the category row.
- Proceed with making any changes to the fields.
- Click the Update button to update the category.