--- title: "Set up catalog categories" description: "Group catalog items (spares, consumables, services…)" url: https://docs.starnapp.com/en/articles/197-set-up-catalog-categories updated: 2026-11-02 language: en alternates: [es] --- # Set up catalog categories Group catalog items (spares, consumables, services…) **Catalog categories** group items so we can filter them and, if the accountant asks, for the ledger split. We set them once in Settings and then pick them on each item. They are not warehouses: they don't say where the part is, but which family it belongs to. ## How do we get there? We'll go to **SETTINGS → CONFIGURATION → CATALOG**. The **CATEGORY** panel is this article (**NAME**, **SALES LEDGER CODE** and **PURCHASE LEDGER CODE**). The **WAREHOUSE** panel next to it is in **Warehouses**. ![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/p66183c8e24083b10778d08d5/YIA1W44amlayRzLQbsZ9ZXCnrkVNn8L4V2zk8WGgwAogfVnHAsU1Cpi0OEhq602TBQw4cfyO4fC.png) ## How does it work? When we create a catalog item, we'll pick one of these categories. It is useful to: - Filter the catalog (all spares, all consumables…). - Group in the accounting export, if we fill in the **ledger codes** for sales and purchases. There are **three different “categories”** in StarNapp. We won't mix them:

What	What it's for	Where it's set
Catalog category (this article)	Item family	SETTINGS → CONFIGURATION → CATALOG
Item type	Product, labour, internal or external service	On the record when we create the item. See Registering materials
Labour / professional category	Rate and role when a technician clocks hours	Labour catalog and employee record. See Labour and Default professional category

Work types on a work order (winterisation, maintenance, repair) are **TASKS** tags, not catalog categories: **Task and project categories**. ## How do we create categories? 1. We'll go to **SETTINGS → CONFIGURATION → CATALOG** and stay on the **CATEGORY** panel. 2. We'll add the families we really use, with a **NAME** that stores and admin understand the same way. If the accountant asks, we'll fill **SALES LEDGER CODE** and **PURCHASE LEDGER CODE**. 3. When we create or edit an item, we'll assign its category. The create detail is in **Registering materials**. ## What should we keep in mind? > 💡 **Tip:** Few categories, with names stores and admin understand the same way. An improvised list doesn't filter. - Changing an item's category **does not move stock**. Moving units is a **Warehouses** movement. - If the accountant wants a code per family, we'll agree names and codes with them before we fill the list.