Item categories allow for organization and effective part numbering schema for PLM items. Category fields can be set up to supplement the category with additional information and can be required to create or approve an item.
Follow the steps below to create, reorder, and edit item categories and category fields.
Creating Item Categories
1. From the Item Categories tab in the Categories & Fields setting, click + New in the top right corner.
2. Assign it a Name and enter an optional description.
Other options include...
Parent: A category is root level by default. A previously created category can be selected from the dropdown as a parent if it groups together child categories.
Structural: A category can be structural if it is intended to become a parent that should not be permitted to be assigned to items.
Has Children: This option is only available for nonstructural categories. Toggling it on will allow for items with this category to have a Bill of Materials. It may be toggled off for documents for example.
3. Click Create when complete.
Organizing and Editing Item Categories
Click and hold the six dots to left of the name to reorder the list of item categories.
Click the eye icon to show or hide categories. Hide a category instead of deleting it to allow items with that category assigned to be edited and used in any operation.
Hover over a category name and click the pencil icon that appears to make any changes or delete the category.
Creating Item Category Fields
1. From the Item Category Fields tab in the Categories & Fields setting, click + New in the top right corner.
2. Assign it a Field Name and choose the relevant Value Type (Text, Number, Select, etc.) depending on the information it will capture. Choose whether the field is Global or relevant to specific categories.
Other options include...
Default Value: Specify the value for the created field that is initially populated when an item is created.
Show on Create: When enabled, this field will be visible in the item creation window.
Required on Create: It will be required for this field to be filled out at the time the item is created when toggled on.
Required for Approval: Enabling will require this field be filled out before initiating an approval on any item(s).
Visible for Suppliers: This field will be shown to suppliers when enabled and hidden when disabled.
Allow Supplier Edits: Allow suppliers to enter their own values for this field that are stored separately and do not effect the actual value your team sees. Enable Visible for Suppliers to be able to toggle this setting on.
Global: If this field applies to all categories, toggle this on.
3. Click the Create button when satisfied.
Editing Item Category Fields
Users can edit or delete item category fields by hovering over the desired field and clicking the pencil icon. You can edit the fields created in the previous step and the Default Item Fields (Name, Description, Part Number, etc.)
For default fields, Name and Part Number are required to be visible to suppliers and locked for supplier edits. However, suppliers can enter a unique MPN. Default fields cannot be deleted and permissions are set to Global.
