Manage Product Categories (Build the Product Tree)
Manage Product Categories
On the main menu go to Admin -> Capabilities -> Manage Product Categories. This is where the product tree and tree nodes are created and edited:
For CSV option to this setup refer to this resource: Upload Product Categories for faster setup
Examples of a Product Tree
An example of a product tree:
Here are the same items from the Create Order view
Admin > Factory Capabilities > Manage Product Categories.
Plan your category structure before you build. Tree nodes cannot be deleted once created — only made inactive. Sketch out your parent categories and product groupings ahead of time, especially for web-to-print setups where Category IDs will be referenced by an external system.Consider a dedicated parent category for online/web products. If you're running a print-on-demand or web storefront, creating a top-level "Online Products" category to house all website-driven products keeps them separate from your internal catalogue and makes the ordering interface cleaner for your team.
Adding Product Categories
When you click the ‘Manage Product Categories’ the following screen will appear:
Click the ‘+’ button to the right of the PRODUCT CATEGORIES header to create a new product category.
Below the grey task bar there is a search bar and to the right of the search bar, there is an 'Expand All/Collapse All' button.
The search bar can be used to filter for categories.
When a value is entered into the search bar, only categories that have that text in the category name (and their parents) will be displayed. The Expand/Collapse All button becomes inactive when the search bar is in use.
When a category is selected, the search bar and other categories shrink to the left of the screen and the selected category fills the remainder of the screen. The search bar can still be used and has the same functionality as described above.
Selecting a Product Category
Select the TYPE for the new item from the drop down.
Types of Product Categories
The following are the types of Product Categories available to you when you create a new one:
Category | = | |
Filters | = | |
Products | = | |
IQLink | = | |
IQStore | = | |
Static Link | = | |
Promotional Product | = |
A Category (also called a parent)
A category is like a folder in your simplified catalogue. It is where you are able to store simplified sessions, products, or IQ store items.
You are also able to apply attributes to the sessions contained within a category such as:
- Customer Groups (ie. who can see this the items in this category)
The following will inherit their attributes from the parent "category" when you click the "inherit box" inside the "child"
- Icon
- Quantity Lists
- Max Kinds Quantity
- Custom Size Hint
- Invoice Code
- Rounding Target
- Default General Ledger
- Approver
- Approval Min Limit
- Approval Max Limit
- Quote Report Template
- Invoice Mode
Restricting to a specific customer
You can lock a product or category so that only one specific customer can access it, rather than a whole customer group. This is particularly useful for recurring client-specific items — for example, a set of standard products you produce exclusively for one account. Set this under the Product & Filters tab on the category. This prevents the product from appearing for, or being accidentally ordered by, other customers.
Code
After a product category is saved, it will be assigned a unique item code, also known as tree node identifier and Category ID. This can be used when building quick quotes/simplified products. This code is often used if integrating with a Web to Print system.
Once a tree node is created and assigned a code, it cannot be deleted — only made inactive. Plan your tree structure carefully before building, particularly when external systems will be referencing these codes
Single Product Creation (SPC)
CSV product upload
Product Category/Tree Node Types
Filter
A filter is used for a simplified session where you will go on to set the options available to customers to use in the drop down filters on the product.
For instance you'll be able to set the stock and colour options:
Once you have created the filter in product category, it is available to assign in the simplified sessions
Simplified Session:
Products
Static Products, Single Products. A product is for simplified sessions created using the "Single Product Creation" either by creating the directly, or by templatizing a quote and turning it into a simplified product. When you do this you will have to choose the "tree node" inside the session details to hang it on this branch of the catalogue "tree":
When using the Product the result will generate a job inside printIQ that can be printed.
When to use Products vs. Filters Use Products when you have a static, defined item. Many sessions can be assigned to the same Product tree node.Use Filters when you want customers or sales staff to configure options at the time of quoting - giving them options for stock, size, colour, etc. Multiple products with similar specs (e.g. several flyers) can all sit under the same parent Category, keeping the product tree tidy without requiring a separate branch for each variant.
IQLink
This is used to make a link to a product on the site of another printIQ Customer (i.e. another printer) you will be sharing products with. See IQLink articles here
IQStore
IQStore are available in the IQStore item setup under the Categories drop down. The shopping cart icon indicates that this is a parent for one or more IQStore items.
Simply choose your tree node from the list under categories and click "add" - it will show up in blue.
Static Link
Links to specific URL as set in the category.
Promotional Product
Sales Order products with finishing options. Similar to IQStore categories, with 2 additional selector fields to provide additional promotional Product pricing methods, Kit Pricing Types and Embellishment Options
Reviewing a Product Tree
In the instance below, you can see what type the item is by the icons and where it sits on the tree by whether it is indented or not.
You can see the ‘Promotional Space’ item is a Category and it is at the top of the tree as it sits at the far left with other filters and category items indented underneath it.
e.g. the 9x6 (Single Sided) filter has Color Ticketing as its parent item and Color Ticketing has Promotional Space as its parent item.
For each item you create you have the ability to set options for
- Position & Visibility
- Product & Filters
- Pricing & Approval
These options can be inherited from the Parent Item.
Each item will be given a unique printIQ ID tree node code when created, these items cannot be deleted once they are created only made inactive.
If you select the signage category by clicking the icon, it will show all the products within the signage category, whether they are a Parent Category as in Signage,
or a filter as in Banner they can have icons applied.
After choosing the Signage category the filters for those items and their icons show up.
* Uploaded Icons should be .png files and maximum of 200x200px
Sub-categories
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