Overview
The Product Categories feature allows administrators to organize items into logical product groups.
Categories help structure the product catalog and make it easier to manage items, pricing, reporting, and warehouse operations within BlueKat.
Typical examples of product categories include:
- Electronics
- Office Supplies
- Packaging Materials
- Food Products
Using categories helps maintain an organized inventory and improves search and reporting capabilities across the system.
Accessing Product Categories
Navigation Path
From the Main Dashboard:
- In the Manage section.
- Click Product Categories.
The Product Categories screen will display all existing categories.
Product Categories Screen
Overview
This screen displays all configured product categories and allows users to manage them.
Screen Elements
| Element | Description |
| Search Bar | Search categories by name or description |
| Add New Button | Opens the form to create a new product category |
| Code | Short identifier for the category |
| Name | Name of the product category |
| Status | Indicates whether the category is Active or Inactive |
| Actions Menu | Provides options such as edit or manage |
| Pagination Controls | Navigate between pages of categories |
Status Indicators
| Status | Meaning |
| Active | Category is available for assigning to items |
| Inactive | Category cannot be selected for new items |
Creating a Product Category
Overview
New categories can be created using the Add New Category form.
When selecting Add New, a modal window (desktop) or side panel (mobile) will appear.
How to Create a Product Category
- Click Add New.
- The Add New Category form will open.
- Enter the required category information.
- Click Save to create the new category.
Product Category Form Fields
| Field | Description |
| Code | Short unique code used to identify the category |
| Name | Descriptive name of the category |
| Status | Toggle to set the category as Active or Inactive |
Buttons
| Button | Action |
| Save | Creates the new category |
| Cancel | Closes the form without saving |
Mobile View
On mobile devices, the Product Categories list appears in card format for easier navigation.
Each card displays:
- Category name
- Category code
- Action menu
Selecting Add New opens a mobile-friendly panel for entering category information.
Best Practices
- Use clear and descriptive category names.
- Maintain consistent naming conventions across categories.
- Avoid creating duplicate categories.
- Set unused categories to Inactive rather than deleting them to preserve item references.
Common Issues
Unable to Save Category
Possible causes:
- Category Code field is empty.
- Category Code already exists.
Contact your system administrator if the issue persists