Stock Categories
Stock categories in IZI group your warehouse items by meaning so cashiers and stock managers spend less time searching and less time making errors. In the CRM — your club → Warehouse → Stock Categories — you create free-form groups such as Drinks, Snacks, Accessories, or Consumables, and assign them to individual items when adding or editing stock. Categories shape how items appear across all warehouse operations — receipts, write-offs, and stocktakes: instead of a flat scroll through hundreds of rows, staff see a structured menu with a category filter at the top. Items without a category are not lost — they fall into an Uncategorised group and work in full. Category order is controlled by drag-and-drop and saves instantly.
Why categorisation matters
Section titled “Why categorisation matters”The business case is straightforward: less time searching means fewer errors and shorter queues at the point of sale.
| Without categories | With categories |
|---|---|
| Cashier scrolls a flat list of 80+ items | Opens the relevant group, sees 10–15 items |
| Stocktake is hard to track by area | Count by category, record discrepancies group by group |
| Goods receipt requires manual scanning for each item | Filter by category, find positions immediately |
Categories also power the All Categories filter in goods-receipt and write-off screens — the filter populates automatically from whatever groups you have created.
Creating a category
Section titled “Creating a category”- Go to CRM → your club → Warehouse → Stock Categories.
- Click Add in the top-right corner.
- Enter a Category Name — for example “Cold Drinks” or “PC Consumables”. The name field is required; you cannot save an empty category.
- Click Save. The system confirms: Category [Name] created.
The new category appears in the list immediately. To assign it to items, go to Warehouse → Items and set the category on each product you want to group.
Recommended category structure
Section titled “Recommended category structure”There is no required structure — adjust freely to your actual inventory.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Drinks | Water, cola, energy drinks, juice |
| Snacks | Chips, candy, gum |
| Hot food | Instant noodles, sandwiches |
| Merchandise | T-shirts, mousepads, caps |
| Consumables | Cleaning products, paper towels |
| Equipment | Headset cables, keyboard keycaps |
Editing and renaming
Section titled “Editing and renaming”Click the category name in the list (or the edit icon next to it). An Edit Category dialog opens. Update the name and click Save. Every item already assigned to that category automatically inherits the new name — no reassignment is needed anywhere else in the system.
Deleting a category
Section titled “Deleting a category”Click the delete icon next to the category. The system shows a confirmation dialog:
Are you sure you want to delete category [Name]? This action cannot be undone.
After confirmation the category is soft-deleted. Items inside it are not deleted — they move to Uncategorised and remain available for all operations. If you need to recover a deleted category, enable the deleted-records filter in the CRM category list and use the Restore action.
Reordering categories
Section titled “Reordering categories”The category list supports drag-and-drop. Grab a row and move it up or down. The order saves instantly with no extra confirmation step.
Place your most-used categories at the top. That order is reflected in the category filter on the goods-receipt and stocktake screens, so the most common groups appear first for staff.
Searching categories
Section titled “Searching categories”If your club carries a wide assortment and the list grows beyond 20 categories, use the Search categories… field above the list. Search matches on the category name, starting from 2 characters.
Permissions for category management
Section titled “Permissions for category management”| Action | Required permission |
|---|---|
| View category list | PRODUCT_CATEGORY_READ |
| Create a new category | PRODUCT_CATEGORY_CREATE |
| Edit / rename | PRODUCT_CATEGORY_EDIT |
| Delete a category | PRODUCT_CATEGORY_DELETE |
Permissions are assigned to staff through role settings in the CRM. If an employee cannot see the Stock Categories section or the Add button is greyed out, check that their role includes the necessary permissions.
How categories connect to other modules
Section titled “How categories connect to other modules”Categories are a supporting catalogue tool. They are used across all key warehouse operations:
- Goods receipt — the category filter helps staff find the right items quickly in a long product list.
- Write-offs — the same filter is available when recording a write-off.
- Stocktake — counting can be done category by category, which makes it easy to split the work between team members.
If you run multiple clubs in a network, categories must be configured separately for each club — they are not inherited automatically across locations.
Frequently asked questions
What are stock categories in IZI?
Stock categories are groups you create to organise warehouse items — for example Drinks, Snacks, Accessories. A category helps staff find the right item faster during goods receipt, write-offs, and stocktakes, and also structures the cashier menu.
Is it mandatory to assign a category to every item?
No. Items without a category fall into an 'Uncategorised' group and work fully — they can be sold, written off, and counted in inventory. Categories are a convenience tool, not a required field.
How many categories can I create?
There is no limit on the number of categories. Create as many as your inventory requires.
Can I rename a category?
Yes. Open the category list, click the category you want to change, and update the name in the Category Name field. All items assigned to that category automatically inherit the new name — no manual reassignment needed.
Can I delete a category that still contains items?
Yes. Deleting a category does not delete its items — they move to 'Uncategorised' and remain available for all operations. The system asks for confirmation before deleting because the action cannot be undone via the main interface.
How do I change the order of categories?
Drag and drop a category row to the desired position in the list. The order saves automatically and is immediately reflected in warehouse operation filters and the cashier interface.
Does category order affect the cashier screen?
Yes. Categories appear in the same order defined in the category management section. Put your most frequently used groups at the top so cashiers find them faster.
How do I restore a deleted category?
Deleted categories can be restored through a filter in the category list. Enable the deleted-records filter in the CRM, locate the category, and use the Restore action.
Are categories visible to customers or only to staff?
Categories are visible to staff through the CRM. Their visibility in the client-facing interface depends on the sales channel settings configured for your club.
How do I find a category when the list is long?
Use the search field above the category list. Search works on the category name and activates after 2 or more characters.
What permissions are required to manage categories?
PRODUCT_CATEGORY_READ to view the list, PRODUCT_CATEGORY_CREATE to add, PRODUCT_CATEGORY_EDIT to rename, PRODUCT_CATEGORY_DELETE to delete. Permissions are assigned to roles in the CRM role-management section.
Can one category be shared across multiple clubs in a network?
No. Categories are scoped to an individual club. Each club in a network must have its categories configured separately.