Categories¶
Categories are the attributes shoppers filter and search by - Make, Model, Condition, Body Style, Fuel Type, and so on. Each category holds a set of terms (the actual choices: Toyota, Honda, Ford under a "Make" category).
Categories are managed per inventory type at [Your Type] > Categories.
Categories vs terms¶
- A category is the attribute itself - "Make".
- Its terms are the options within it - "Toyota", "Honda", "Ford".
When you edit a listing, you pick terms from each category to describe it. Shoppers then filter your search results by those same terms.
Input Type¶
When you create a category, the Input Type field controls how the attribute is entered on a listing and how it displays to shoppers - for example a dropdown of options, or a simple on/off toggle for yes/no attributes (like "Certified"). Pick the Input Type that fits the attribute.
| Input Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Text | A single-line text value. (The default.) |
| Textarea | A multi-line text value. |
| Dropdown | Pick one option from a list of terms. |
| Multiple Select | Pick several options from a list of terms. |
| Checkbox | Tick one or more options from a list of terms. |
| Toggle | A simple on/off (yes/no) switch. |
| Color | A color value, shown as a swatch. |
| Icon | Pick an icon. |
| Date | A date value. |
| File | Upload a file. |
Category options¶
When adding or editing a category, these options are grouped into sections (General, Display, Number, Currency, Image):
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Singular / Plural | The display labels for the category (e.g. "Make" / "Makes"). |
| Slug | The internal identifier used in URLs. |
| Input Type | How the attribute is entered and displayed - see the table above. |
| Default Value | A value pre-filled when adding or importing listings. |
| Order | Sort the terms Ascending (1-9 / A-Z) or Descending. |
| Filterable | Show this category as a filter on the search results page. |
| Searchable | Include this category in text searches. |
| Hidden | Hide this category from the frontend. |
| Icon | An icon that can be displayed in templates. |
| Term Prefix / Term Suffix | Text added before or after every term value (e.g. "$", "kg"). |
| Term Suffix (Singular) | Optional. Used in place of the suffix when the value is exactly 1, so a suffix of " axles" can read "1 axle" with this set to " axle". Leave empty to always use the suffix. |
| Currency | Mark this category's values as a currency. |
| Is Number / Number Format | Treat values as numbers so sorting works correctly, and optionally format them with commas. |
| Term Images | Enable a per-term image (used by the Image Filter element on the search results page). |
Term options¶
When adding or editing a term, the available options are:
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Term | The value itself (e.g. "Toyota"). Required. |
| Slug | The SEO/URL value. Leave blank to base it on the term (recommended). |
| Term Color | A color swatch for the term - only shown when the category's Input Type is Color. |
| Term Image | An image for the term - only shown when Term Images is enabled on the category. |
Managing categories and terms¶
At [Your Type] > Categories you can:
- Add a category and set its labels, Input Type, and options.
- Add terms to a category - individually, or in bulk for large lists like makes and models.
- Reorder, rename, and remove categories and terms.
Note
Categories are per type. The categories you set up for Boats are separate from those for Trailers. Set each type up independently.
Import & export categories¶
The Import/Export button on the Categories page lets you copy a whole category setup between sites - handy for backups or for reusing the same structure on another DMS-powered website.
- Export - copies a code representing your categories. Turn on Include Terms to bundle the terms (Toyota, Honda...) along with the categories. Save that code as a backup, or paste it into another site.
- Import - paste a code from another site and click Import to recreate those categories (and terms, if they were included).
Note
This moves the category structure, not your listings. To import or export the listings themselves, see Importing & Exporting.
How categories power the site¶
Once set up, categories drive:
- The filters on your search results page.
- The fields you fill in when adding a listing.
- Counts and dropdowns in shortcodes and Elementor elements (e.g. "12 Toyotas"). See Using Shortcodes.
Get your categories right early - they're the backbone of how shoppers browse.
Next: assign terms to listings in Managing Listings, or build the filters into a page in Templates & Pages.