Managing Idea Categories

Idea Categories are organizational tags that help users group similar ideas and navigate content effectively within the Ideas module. Categories serve as filtering and organizational tools that make it easier for community members to find relevant ideas and for administrators to manage content systematically. Users can filter idea posts by category when viewing the Ideas homepage, and ideas can be assigned to categories during submission or updated by users with appropriate permissions.

Requirements

To create, edit, and delete idea categories, users must be assigned a role with the following permissions:

• All Entities, Idea Category: Read
• All Entities, Idea Category: Create
• All Entities, Idea Category: Edit
• All Entities, Idea Category: Delete
• Tab Settings, Ideas: On
• App Settings: App with the Ideas Tab must be Visible

Category Configuration Requirements

Category Naming Specifications

Character Limit: Category names are limited to a maximum of 80 characters to ensure proper display across all interfaces and prevent layout issues.

Uniqueness Requirement: The system prevents duplicate category creation to maintain clear organizational structure and avoid user confusion when selecting categories.

Naming Best Practices: Use clear, descriptive names that indicate the category's content focus while remaining concise and easily understood by community members.

Creating New Idea Categories

Administrative Category Creation

1. In the Setup Home page, click Manage > Community Settings.
2. Click Idea Exchange Settings.
3. Click the Categories tab.
4. Click + New Category.
5. In the Idea Exchange Category dialog:
   • Enter a descriptive category name in the Name field (marked as Required)
   • Ensure the name is under 80 characters and not already in use
   • Click Save

Result: The new category becomes immediately available for selection when users post ideas or edit existing idea posts.

Category Creation Validation

The system automatically validates category creation to ensure:

• Category names do not exceed the 80-character limit
• No duplicate category names are created
• Category names contain valid characters and formatting

If validation fails, users will receive appropriate error messages indicating the specific issue that needs to be resolved.

Managing Existing Idea Categories

Editing Category Names

1. In the Setup Home page, click Manage > Community Settings.
2. Click Idea Exchange Settings.
3. Click the Categories tab.
4. Locate the category you want to edit in the Categories list.
5. Click the dropdown arrow beside the category name.
6. Click Edit.
7. Modify the category name in the Name field.
8. Ensure the updated name meets the 80-character limit and uniqueness requirements.
9. Click Save.

Important Note: Changing a category name automatically updates all ideas assigned to that category. The category change is reflected immediately across all idea posts and user interfaces.

Deleting Categories

1. In the Setup Home page, click Manage > Community Settings.
2. Click Idea Exchange Settings.
3. Click the Categories tab.
4. Locate the category you want to delete.
5. Click the dropdown arrow beside the category name.
6. Click Delete.
7. Click OK to confirm the deletion.

Critical Deletion Considerations

Idea Impact: When a category is deleted, all ideas previously assigned to that category become uncategorized. This may affect content organization and user navigation.

User Experience: Consider the impact on community members who may be familiar with existing category structure before making deletions.

Alternative Actions: Consider editing category names instead of deletion when restructuring organizational schemes to maintain content assignments.

Backup Planning: Review ideas assigned to a category before deletion to understand the impact on content organization.

Category Organization and Display

Category List Management

The Categories management interface displays:

Actions Column: Shows available management actions (Edit, Delete) for each category through dropdown menus.

Name Column: Displays the category name as it appears to users throughout the Ideas module.

Last Modified Date: Shows when each category was last updated for administrative tracking and auditing purposes.

Category Display in User Interface

Categories appear in multiple locations throughout the user experience:

Idea Submission: Categories are available in a dropdown list when users post new ideas, with the option to leave ideas uncategorized.

Idea Filtering: Users can filter the Ideas homepage by category to view ideas within specific topic areas.

Idea Details: Category assignments are visible on individual idea detail pages for organizational context.

Navigation Elements: Categories may appear in navigation sidebars or filtering interfaces depending on module layout configuration.

Category Implementation Strategy

Planning Category Structure

Content-Based Organization:

• Product Categories: Organize ideas by product lines, services, or functional areas
• Process Categories: Group ideas related to operational improvements or workflow enhancements
• User Type Categories: Separate categories for different communities (employees, partners, customers)
• Priority Categories: Distinguish between feature requests, bug reports, and general suggestions

Organizational Considerations:

• User Perspective: Design categories from the community member's viewpoint rather than internal organizational structure
• Scalability: Plan category structure that can accommodate future growth and changing business needs
• Maintenance: Consider ongoing management requirements and the effort needed to maintain category organization

Category Usage Patterns

Innovation Management Categories:

• Product Development
• Process Improvement
• Technology Enhancement
• Customer Experience

Community Engagement Categories:

• Feature Requests
• General Suggestions
• Feedback and Reviews
• Best Practices

Functional Categories:

• Operations
• Marketing
• Sales
• Support

Best Practices for Category Management

Initial Setup Strategy

Start Simple: Begin with core categories that reflect primary organizational focus areas and expand based on user engagement patterns and submission trends.

User Research: Consider surveying community members about how they naturally categorize ideas and suggestions to inform category design.

Content Analysis: Review existing feedback, suggestions, or ideas from other channels to understand natural grouping patterns.

Ongoing Category Management

Usage Monitoring: Regularly review which categories are most frequently used and which remain unused to optimize organizational structure.

Community Feedback: Gather input from active community members about category effectiveness and suggestions for improvements.

Periodic Review: Evaluate category structure quarterly or semi-annually to ensure continued alignment with organizational needs and user behavior.

Content Migration: When restructuring categories, plan for content migration and communicate changes clearly to community members.

User Experience Optimization

Logical Grouping: Ensure categories reflect how users naturally think about and search for content rather than internal organizational structure.

Consistent Naming: Use clear, descriptive category names that are easily understood by all community members regardless of their organizational role or technical expertise.

Category Hierarchy: While the Ideas module uses flat category structure, consider how categories relate to each other and whether similar topics should be grouped or separated.

Integration with Ideas Module Features

Category Filtering Integration

Categories work seamlessly with Ideas module filtering capabilities:

• Homepage Filtering: Users can filter the Ideas homepage to display only ideas within selected categories
• Search Integration: Category assignments enhance search functionality and content discoverability
• Related Ideas: Category information helps identify related ideas during submission to prevent duplicates

Security and Access Control

Category management respects the Ideas module security framework:

• Permission-Based Access: Only users with appropriate Idea Category permissions can create, edit, or delete categories
• Role-Based Visibility: Category creation and management capabilities align with user roles and responsibilities
• Account Filtering: For Partner and Customer users, category visibility respects Account associations and organizational boundaries

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