Category

A Category is a product class that can be described by a consistent and unique attribute template.
Examples of categories: Tomograph, Transformer, Hammer, Centrifugal pump, Lithium battery cell.

Categories are the foundation of structured product data in Actualog:

  • every Product belongs to one category;
  • the category defines which attributes can/should be filled and how values are validated;
  • category rules drive comparison, search filters, and auto-generated product names.

Category vs Facet (do not mix)

Use Category when you describe what the product is (a technical class with a stable set of characteristics).

Use Facet when you describe how products are grouped or filtered for navigation and selection.

Examples:

  • Furniture / Equipment / Spare parts are typically facets (broad navigation groups).
  • Office chair / Industrial compressor / Ball valve are categories (clear technical classes with attributes).

Rule of thumb:

  • If you can define a repeatable attribute template for it → it’s likely a category.
  • If it’s primarily a filter or browsing dimension → it’s likely a facet.

Communities and categories

A category can belong to one or more Communities (domains of practice).
Communities define where the category is visible and who collaborates on its definitions.

Example:

  • Tomograph belongs to a Medicine community.
  • Transformer belongs to an Energy community.

This makes the same category reusable across industries while keeping governance and terminology consistent inside each community.

Parent category and subcategory (inheritance)

Categories form a hierarchy (parent → child). A subcategory inherits the parent’s structure and rules, including:

  • the attribute template (attributes, order, groups),
  • category-level settings that define how products should be described,
  • any linked reference content (where enabled), such as recommended documents/assets.

Best practice: a subcategory should introduce at least one meaningful difference vs the parent category.

  • Add at least one new attribute (or tighten constraints) that is not present on the parent level.
  • If the subcategory does not add new meaning, it should not exist (use the parent category instead).

Product-level category vs structural category

Actualog supports two practical kinds of categories:

  • Product-level category: used to create products (contains a full attribute template).
  • Structural category: used only to organize the taxonomy (does not directly host products).

When building the taxonomy, keep product creation only at levels where the attribute template is stable and unambiguous.

Product previews and visibility

Category view shows a bounded product preview, not the full product list. The preview and its count use the same visibility scope:

  • public visitors and ordinary readers see only products that pass public visibility rules;
  • users with category editing, stewardship, or product management authority can see management-scoped previews, including Internal products they are allowed to inspect.

Open the category's Products tab or Product Overview when you need the full management list, filters, comparison, or governance actions.

Category naming rules (important)

Use singular for category names (e.g., Transformer, not Transformers).
Category names can be used for product name templating and consistent product identification.

Add a clear description:

  • what belongs in this category,
  • what does not belong here,
  • key differentiators vs similar categories.

Add synonyms (alternative names, common abbreviations, regional terms).
Synonyms improve:

  • category search and discovery,
  • classification suggestions during imports and enrichment,
  • consistency across languages and markets.

Use synonyms for real-world terms users type in search (not marketing slogans).

Measurement and commercial unit (when applicable)

If products in the category are typically handled as a measurable quantity (procurement/logistics), define the default commercial unit for the category (examples: piece, meter, kg, liter).

For technical attributes that use measurements (pressure, length, power, etc.):

  • define the correct measure and units at the attribute/template level,
  • keep units consistent to enable comparison and reliable filtering.

Logistics profile

Use the Category Logistics profile when Products in this Category need logistics values for Product Packs, package fit checks, marketplace export, or other external systems. See Category Logistics Profile for the full Category setting and Logistics Shape Profile for shape recipes.

The profile selects the product shape and maps only the roles that matter for that shape. The Category editor shows a compact rule set, such as weight and three outer dimensions for rectangular solids, length and diameter for long rigid goods, volume for liquids, handling roles for live transport, or no physical table for non-physical categories.

Category rules can use Product attributes, Package values, approved formulas, sold quantity, not-applicable states, or blocked-until-packaging states. Product Pack overrides are entered on the Product Pack itself and take precedence at runtime; they are not Category metadata.

Choose the shape that matches the real product class:

  • use Non-physical for software, services, and digital goods;
  • use Long rigid for pipe, rod, bar, and rigid profiles;
  • use Liquid containerized for paint, solvent, and similar liquids;
  • use Bulk by mass or Bulk by volume for cement, grain, sand, and other bulk goods;
  • use Long flexible, Coil, Reel, or Roll for cable, hose, rope, film, and similar goods;
  • use Live transport when the shipping unit must be a transport package with handling rules.

Do not create fake width, height, or weight attributes only to satisfy an external channel. If a value is known only after packaging, require a Product Pack or Package.

Attributes template and ordering

A category defines the Category Template — the ordered list of attributes used to describe products.

In the Attributes tab you can:

  • add/remove attributes for the category template (where your permissions allow),
  • mark attributes as mandatory (required),
  • mark attributes as variant axes (used to differentiate product variants),
  • organize attributes into groups (e.g., Dimensions / Materials / Performance / Compliance),
  • change attribute order using drag & drop, then Save.
  1. Open Create Category from the category tree.
  2. Use Search to check whether a similar category already exists.
  3. Click Create Category and fill:
    • Name (singular),
    • Description (scope + exclusions),
    • Synonyms (optional but recommended),
    • category settings (product-level vs structural, where applicable).
  4. Configure the Category Template (attributes, required fields, variant axes, groups, order).
  5. Save the category and validate:
    • the template makes sense for real products,
    • it is distinct from parent and sibling categories,
    • required attributes are realistic and measurable.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Creating categories that are actually facets (too broad or navigational).
  • Creating subcategories that do not add any new attribute or meaning.
  • Using plural names (breaks naming conventions and templates).
  • Allowing free-text where controlled values or units are required.
  • Duplicating categories with slightly different names instead of using synonyms.