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Categories Management

Organize and classify maintenance work through comprehensive category management in True Tracker.

Overview​

Categories Management allows administrators to create, organize, and manage work order categories, maintenance types, and classification systems that help streamline operations, improve reporting, and ensure consistent work categorization.

Accessing Categories Management​

  1. Sign in with administrator privileges
  2. Navigate to Settings → Categories Management
  3. Or access through Admin Panel → Configuration → Categories

Note: Requires administrator or system configuration permissions.

Category Types​

Work Order Categories​

Maintenance Categories

  • Preventive Maintenance
  • Corrective Maintenance
  • Emergency Repairs
  • Inspections
  • Installations
  • Upgrades and Modifications

Equipment Categories

  • Electrical Systems
  • HVAC Systems
  • Plumbing Systems
  • Mechanical Equipment
  • Safety Systems
  • IT Equipment

Service Categories

  • Routine Maintenance
  • Breakdown Repairs
  • Scheduled Inspections
  • Compliance Checks
  • Cleaning Services
  • Contractor Services

Priority Categories​

Urgency Levels

  • Critical (Immediate response required)
  • High (Within 4 hours)
  • Medium (Within 24 hours)
  • Low (Within 1 week)
  • Scheduled (Planned maintenance)

Impact Categories

  • Safety Critical
  • Production Impact
  • Compliance Required
  • Cost Optimization
  • Comfort/Convenience

Skill Categories​

Technical Specializations

  • Electrical
  • Mechanical
  • HVAC/R
  • Plumbing
  • Electronics
  • Welding
  • Carpentry
  • Painting

Certification Categories

  • Licensed Electrician
  • Certified HVAC Technician
  • Safety Certified
  • Equipment Specific
  • Vendor Certified

Creating Categories​

Basic Category Setup​

  1. Access Category Creation

    • Click "Add New Category" button
    • Select category type from dropdown

  2. Category Information

    • Category Name: Clear, descriptive name
    • Category Code: Unique identifier (e.g., ELEC, HVAC, MECH)
    • Description: Detailed category description
    • Category Type: Select primary type

  3. Classification Settings

    • Parent Category: Select if creating subcategory
    • Category Level: Primary, Secondary, or Tertiary
    • Color Code: Visual identification color
    • Icon: Category icon for visual recognition

  4. Operational Settings

    • Default Priority: Standard priority for this category
    • Estimated Duration: Typical time requirements
    • Required Skills: Skills needed for this category
    • Safety Requirements: Special safety considerations

  5. Workflow Configuration

    • Approval Required: Set approval requirements
    • Documentation Required: Mandatory documentation
    • Photo Requirements: Image documentation needs
    • Completion Criteria: Category-specific completion rules

Advanced Configuration​

Budget Settings

  • Default cost estimates
  • Budget categories
  • Cost tracking requirements
  • Approval thresholds

Resource Requirements

  • Standard tool requirements
  • Material specifications
  • Personnel requirements
  • Equipment needs

Compliance Settings

  • Regulatory requirements
  • Documentation standards
  • Inspection requirements
  • Certification needs

Category Hierarchy​

Hierarchical Structure​

Three-Level Hierarchy

Primary Category
├── Secondary Category
│   ├── Tertiary Category
│   └── Tertiary Category
└── Secondary Category
    ├── Tertiary Category
    └── Tertiary Category

Example Structure

Electrical Systems
├── Power Distribution
│   ├── Main Panels
│   ├── Sub Panels
│   └── Circuit Breakers
├── Lighting Systems
│   ├── Interior Lighting
│   ├── Exterior Lighting
│   └── Emergency Lighting
└── Motor Controls
    ├── Motor Starters
    ├── Variable Frequency Drives
    └── Control Panels

Category Relationships​

Parent-Child Relationships

  • Inherit properties from parent categories
  • Override specific settings at child level
  • Maintain consistency across hierarchy
  • Simplify bulk operations

Cross-Category Relationships

  • Related categories
  • Alternative categories
  • Prerequisite categories
  • Dependent categories

Managing Categories​

Editing Categories​

  1. Select Category

    • Find category in the list or tree view
    • Click "Edit" button or category name

  2. Update Information

    • Modify category details
    • Change hierarchy relationships
    • Update operational settings
    • Adjust workflow configurations

  3. Impact Assessment

    • Review existing work orders using category
    • Check reporting dependencies
    • Assess user training needs
    • Plan change communication

  4. Save Changes

    • Apply modifications
    • Update related categories if needed
    • Notify affected users
    • Update documentation

Category Status Management​

Active Categories

  • Available for new work orders
  • Visible in selection lists
  • Full functionality enabled
  • Reporting and analytics included

Inactive Categories

  • Hidden from new work order creation
  • Existing work orders retain category
  • Historical data preserved
  • Can be reactivated

Deprecated Categories

  • Marked for future removal
  • Warning messages for users
  • Migration path to new categories
  • Scheduled deactivation date

Archived Categories

  • Permanently removed from active use
  • Historical data preserved
  • Read-only access for reporting
  • Cannot be reactivated

Category Templates​

Standard Templates​

Industry-Standard Categories

  • Manufacturing maintenance
  • Facility management
  • Healthcare facilities
  • Educational institutions
  • Retail operations

Compliance-Based Categories

  • OSHA safety requirements
  • EPA environmental compliance
  • FDA regulations
  • Industry-specific standards

Custom Templates​

Creating Templates

  1. Define category structure
  2. Set default properties
  3. Configure workflows
  4. Test with sample data
  5. Document template usage
  6. Deploy to organization

Template Management

  • Version control
  • Template updates
  • User access control
  • Template sharing

Work Order Integration​

Category Assignment​

Automatic Assignment

  • Rule-based category assignment
  • Equipment-based categorization
  • Location-based defaults
  • Priority-based routing

Manual Assignment

  • User selection during creation
  • Category search and filtering
  • Recent category suggestions
  • Favorite category shortcuts

Category-Based Workflows​

Approval Processes

  • Category-specific approval chains
  • Budget-based approvals
  • Safety-critical workflows
  • Compliance-required processes

Resource Allocation

  • Skill-based technician assignment
  • Tool and equipment requirements
  • Material and parts allocation
  • Contractor service routing

Reporting and Analytics​

Category Performance Metrics​

Work Order Statistics

  • Volume by category
  • Completion times
  • Cost analysis
  • Resource utilization

Trend Analysis

  • Category growth patterns
  • Seasonal variations
  • Performance improvements
  • Cost trends

Efficiency Metrics

  • Category-specific KPIs
  • Benchmark comparisons
  • Best practice identification
  • Improvement opportunities

Standard Reports​

Category Summary Reports

  • Work order counts by category
  • Cost analysis by category
  • Time analysis by category
  • Resource utilization by category

Trend Reports

  • Monthly category trends
  • Year-over-year comparisons
  • Seasonal pattern analysis
  • Forecast projections

Performance Reports

  • Category efficiency metrics
  • Completion rate analysis
  • Cost per category analysis
  • Resource optimization reports

Integration Features​

Asset Management Integration​

Asset-Category Mapping

  • Link assets to maintenance categories
  • Automatic category suggestion
  • Maintenance schedule integration
  • Warranty and service tracking

Equipment-Specific Categories

  • Manufacturer-specific categories
  • Model-specific maintenance types
  • Warranty-based categorization
  • Service interval categories

Inventory Integration​

Parts and Materials

  • Category-specific inventory
  • Automatic parts suggestions
  • Stock level monitoring
  • Procurement automation

Tool Requirements

  • Category-specific tool lists
  • Tool availability checking
  • Calibration requirements
  • Safety equipment needs

Mobile Category Management​

Mobile Access​

Category Selection

  • Touch-friendly category picker
  • Search and filter capabilities
  • Recent category history
  • Favorite category shortcuts

Category Information

  • View category details
  • Access work instructions
  • Check resource requirements
  • Review safety information

Best Practices​

Category Design​

Naming Conventions

  • Clear, descriptive names
  • Consistent terminology
  • Avoid abbreviations
  • Use standard industry terms

Hierarchy Design

  • Logical grouping
  • Balanced tree structure
  • Avoid deep nesting
  • Consider user workflow

Category Scope

  • Specific enough for meaningful reporting
  • General enough for practical use
  • Avoid category proliferation
  • Regular review and consolidation

Implementation Strategy​

Phased Rollout

  1. Start with major categories
  2. Add subcategories gradually
  3. Train users on new categories
  4. Monitor usage and adjust
  5. Expand based on feedback

Change Management

  • Communicate changes clearly
  • Provide training and support
  • Monitor adoption rates
  • Gather user feedback
  • Adjust based on usage patterns

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Category Selection Problems

  • Verify category status (active/inactive)
  • Check user permissions
  • Review category hierarchy
  • Confirm search functionality

Reporting Issues

  • Check category assignments
  • Verify data completeness
  • Review report filters
  • Confirm category mappings

Performance Problems

  • Optimize category structure
  • Reduce category depth
  • Consolidate similar categories
  • Improve search indexing

Maintenance Tasks​

Regular Reviews

  • Monthly usage analysis
  • Quarterly category review
  • Annual structure assessment
  • Continuous improvement planning

Data Quality

  • Category assignment accuracy
  • Duplicate category identification
  • Unused category cleanup
  • Consistency verification

Getting Started​

Initial Setup​

  1. Analyze Current Operations

    • Review existing work types
    • Identify common patterns
    • Map to standard categories
    • Plan hierarchy structure

  2. Create Core Categories

    • Start with major work types
    • Add essential subcategories
    • Configure basic settings
    • Test with sample work orders

  3. Train Users

    • Explain category purpose
    • Demonstrate selection process
    • Provide category guidelines
    • Monitor initial usage

  4. Refine and Expand

    • Analyze usage patterns
    • Add missing categories
    • Adjust hierarchy as needed
    • Optimize for efficiency

Next Steps​

After setting up categories:

Effective category management provides the foundation for organized maintenance operations, meaningful reporting, and efficient resource allocation throughout your True Tracker system.