Catalog Categories in ServiceNow are organizational containers that help structure and group related catalog items within the Service Catalog. They serve as a hierarchical navigation system that enables users to easily browse and locate the services, products, or requests they need through the self…Catalog Categories in ServiceNow are organizational containers that help structure and group related catalog items within the Service Catalog. They serve as a hierarchical navigation system that enables users to easily browse and locate the services, products, or requests they need through the self-service portal.
Categories function like folders in a file system, allowing administrators to create a logical taxonomy for catalog items. For example, an IT Service Catalog might have categories such as Hardware Requests, Software Requests, Access Management, and General Support. Each category can contain multiple catalog items that share common characteristics or belong to the same service area.
Key features of Catalog Categories include:
1. Hierarchical Structure: Categories can be nested to create parent-child relationships, enabling multi-level navigation. A parent category like 'Hardware' might contain subcategories for Laptops, Monitors, and Peripherals.
2. Visual Presentation: Categories can include icons, images, and descriptions to enhance the user experience and make navigation more intuitive in the Service Portal.
3. Access Control: Administrators can apply user criteria to categories, ensuring that only authorized users can view specific categories based on their roles, departments, or other attributes.
4. Active/Inactive Status: Categories can be activated or deactivated to control their visibility in the catalog interface.
5. Order Management: Display order can be configured to control how categories appear in the catalog, prioritizing frequently accessed services.
To manage Catalog Categories, administrators navigate to Service Catalog > Catalog Definitions > Maintain Categories. From there, they can create new categories, modify existing ones, assign catalog items, and establish the category hierarchy.
Effective category design is essential for process automation success, as it ensures users can quickly find and request services, reducing support ticket volume and improving overall self-service adoption rates within the organization.
Catalog Categories in ServiceNow - Complete Study Guide
What are Catalog Categories?
Catalog Categories are organizational containers within the ServiceNow Service Catalog that group related catalog items together. They provide a hierarchical structure that helps users navigate and find the services, products, or requests they need. Think of them as folders in a filing system that organize items logically for easy discovery.
Why are Catalog Categories Important?
Catalog Categories are essential for several reasons:
1. User Experience: They make it easier for end users to browse and locate services, reducing the time spent searching for items.
2. Organization: They provide a logical structure to the service catalog, making management and maintenance more efficient.
3. Access Control: Categories can have user criteria applied, allowing administrators to control which users can see specific categories and their contents.
4. Branding: Categories support custom icons and images, enabling organizations to create a visually appealing and branded self-service experience.
How Catalog Categories Work
Categories exist in a parent-child relationship, allowing for nested hierarchies. Key components include:
- Title: The display name shown to users - Description: Explains what items the category contains - Parent: Links to a parent category for nested structures - Icon: Visual identifier for the category - Active: Determines if the category is visible - Catalog: Associates the category with a specific service catalog
Categories are accessed through Service Catalog > Catalog Definitions > Maintain Categories in the application navigator.
User Criteria and Entitlements
Categories support user criteria to control visibility. You can specify: - Which users CAN view the category - Which users CANNOT view the category
When user criteria is applied to a category, it affects all items within that category.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Catalog Categories
1. Remember the Hierarchy: Questions often test your understanding that categories can be nested with parent-child relationships. Know that items inherit visibility settings from their parent category.
2. Know the Navigation Path: Be familiar with Service Catalog > Catalog Definitions > Maintain Categories as the location to create and manage categories.
3. User Criteria vs. Roles: Understand that user criteria provides more flexible access control than roles alone. Questions may present scenarios asking the best method to restrict category visibility.
4. Category vs. Catalog: Do not confuse categories with catalogs. A catalog is the top-level container, while categories organize items within a catalog.
5. Active Field: Remember that setting a category to inactive will hide it and all nested subcategories from users.
6. Common Scenario Questions: Expect questions about: - How to restrict a category to specific departments - Where to configure category settings - How category hierarchy affects item visibility - The relationship between catalogs, categories, and catalog items
7. Process of Elimination: When uncertain, eliminate answers that suggest categories control workflow or approval processes - these are handled by other catalog components like workflows and execution plans.