Product Categories

Product Categories

Product Categories Overview

A product category is a group of similar products that share related characteristics that help in organizing, promoting, and pricing products. With clear product categories, products are easier for customers to find and understand. A single category may have multiple products of similar types. It helps you identify the type of product. Whenever the customer appears at the POS counter to buy a specific product, the cashier can easily search for products in the related categories. 

This article focuses on creating new product categories, adding sub-categories, editing, and emptying the existing product categories in Control Center to make in-store functions easier.

Reaching "Product Categories"

To reach "Product Categories," follow the steps below:
  1. Step 1: Log into Control Center
  2. Step 2: Choose Point of Sale
  3. Step 3: Choose Pricebook
  4. Step 4: Choose Products
  5. Step 5: Choose Categories
Please see Figure 0.1 to understand the navigation better.

                                                                                   Figure 0.1

Understanding the "Product Categories" Module

By clicking "Product Categories," you can see its page with various fields.
                                                                                                                                                                              Figure 0.2

Info
The highlighted action buttons are explained below section-wise.

1. Adding a New Product Category

Follow the steps mentioned below to add a new product category: 
  1. Click the “Add New Category” button in Figure 0.2 above to add a new product category.
  2. The form highlighted in Figure 1.1 will appear on your screen.

                                                                         Figure 1.1

  1. Name on POS: Enter the product category name as it should appear in the POS system. Click "Save" to store the new category or "Close" to discard changes and return to the Product Category page.

                                                Figure 1.2

  2. Name on FTx Commerce: Specify the category name as it should be displayed on the FTx Commerce online platform for customers.

  3. Description: Provide a brief description of the product category to help identify and differentiate it across POS and FTx Commerce.

Once the product category is created, the products belonging to the category will map into this category. 

4. Left Panel: 
  1. It displays all available product categories in a tree-style list.
  2. You can expand or collapse categories (using the "+" icon) to view subcategories.
  3. Selecting a category (e.g., wine) loads its details on the right-hand Edit Product Category panel.
  4. From here, you can manage the category name, FTx Commerce display name, and description.
  5. This panel also helps you quickly switch between categories to edit or review them without leaving the page.

This Options menu provides quick actions for managing product categories in the left panel:


                                                                          Figure 1.3
  • Expand All: Expands all categories and subcategories in the list so you can see everything at once.

                   Figure 1.4
  • Collapse All: Collapses the entire list, showing only top-level categories.
  • Add New Category: Creates a brand-new top-level category (explained above in section 1. Adding a New Product Category).
  • Add Sub-Category: Creates a category nested under a selected parent category (explained above in section 1.1 Adding a Product Sub Category).
  • Remove: Deletes the selected category (and its subcategories, if any).
  • Rename: Allows you to edit and update the name of the selected category.

1.1 Adding a Product Sub-Category

If you wish to add a subcategory for the product, then right-click on the (+) button of the main category in the category list.
See Figure 1.1.1.
  1. Click on "Add Sub-Category," as highlighted in Figure 1.2, to add a new product sub-category.
  2. The form highlighted in Figure 1.1.1 will appear on your screen.
                                             Figure 1.1.1
  1. Enter the name of the subcategory and click on "Save."
Info
These created categories/subcategories will help you keep your products organized, and allow you to make mass changes with the mass update tool more easily.

                                                  Figure 1.1.2

2. Editing the Product Category

Follow the steps mentioned below to edit the product category: 
  1. Click the Edit button highlighted in Figure 0.2 above to edit the existing product category.
  2. This button will redirect you to the Edit Product Category page as highlighted in Figure 2.1.
                                                                                  Figure 2.1
  1. Make the changes as required and click on "Save" as highlighted in Figure 2.1.
Info
In Figure 2.1, if you click on the product name, it will direct you the Edit Product page of that product.

3. Emptying the Product Category

Follow the steps mentioned below to empty the product category:
  1. Click the “Empty Categories” button highlighted in Figure 0.2 above to delete the selected category along with the products associated with the category.
  2. The form highlighted in Figure 3.1 will appear on your screen.                                                                                
                                                                                     Figure 3.1
  1. Select the product category that you wish to delete from the product category list by checking the checkboxes against them.
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                      Figure 3.2

  2. Clicking on "Yes Delete" will delete the product category, and the success message displayed in Figure 3.3 will be displayed.

                                                                             Figure 3.3

4. Removing/Deleting a Category

You can also delete the product category from Edit Product Category.
  1. Right-click on a main category in the left panel.
  2. Choose the "Remove" option as highlighted in Figure 4.1.

                                                                               Figure 4.1
  1. A warning dialog box will appear with two related options.


                                           Figure 4.2
  1. Click “Yes, Delete” to continue the process of deleting the product category.
  2. Click “Cancel” to close the pop-up and skip the deletion process.

5. Deleted Categories

  1. Click on the "Deleted Categories" button.
  2. Once clicked, all the deleted categories will be displayed under this button, as displayed in Figure 5.1.
 
                                                       Figure 5.1 
  1. If you click on the restore button highlighted as  in Figure 5.1, the deleted category will get restored back to the product categories list.
  2. Once done, you will be prompted with the message "Product Category Restored Successfully." 

                                                                  Figure 5.2
  1. Finally, the restored category will appear on the left panel consisting of the category list.

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