To continue or start using SMS, please register your company with TCR through your online account by March 31st, 2023. Learn more
If you have questions about the new SMS registration process or are experiencing issues with SMS, please click here for more details.
Download
Community
Submit an idea
Training
System Status
US
Australia En
Canada En
Canada Fr
France Fr
Germany De
Italy It
Singapore En
Spain Es
Portugal Pt
United Kingdom En
United States En
MVP
Message
Video
Phone
Rooms & Connector
Webinar
Engage
Contact Center
US
Australia En
Canada En
Canada Fr
France Fr
Germany De
Italy It
Singapore En
Spain Es
Portugal Pt
United Kingdom En
United States En
MVP
Message
Video
Phone
Rooms & Connector
Webinar
Engage
Contact Center
Download
Community
Submit an idea
Training
System Status

Engage Digital | Managing categories

Last updated on April 07, 2021

Table of contents

You can add categories manually or import them. When adding categories manually, you first add the parent categories, then the subcategories under each parent category. When importing categories, you enter the details in a CSV/XLSX file that is formatted according to certain guidelines then upload that file into the platform.

As described in Intro to categories, subcategories automatically inherit the configuration settings of their parent categories. 

You can use the Color setting to distinguish your categories. The colors will be applied to the category names in Admin when working with categories for the routing of messages, and in Agent when your agents process messages. This is particularly useful when you have messages that are assigned multiple categories.

Adding a parent category

  1. Navigate to Routing > Categories via the left-hand navigation bar.  
  2. Click the Add button.
  3. Enter the name of the parent category in the Name field.
  4. Click the Color dropdown menu and select the appropriate color option.
  5. Do not select anything from the Parent menu.
  6. Check the appropriate options.
  7. Select the channels for which the category applies in the Selected channels field.
  8. Click Save.

Parent category configuration options

  • Name: The name of the parent category.
  • Color: The category name will be shown in this color. The name will also be highlighted with a lighter shade of this color.
  • Type: Specifies whether the category is a skill category, analytics category, or disposition category.
  • Multiple: Allows assigning multiple subcategories from this parent category to different messages.
  • Mandatory: Forces agents to categorize a message prior to ending a case or solving an interaction.
  • Unselectable: Indicates that you can only select subcategories, not the parent category, for the message. You can only select this option once you create the category and some subcategories.
  • Selected channels: Specifies the channels for which the category applies.

Adding a subcategory

When you add a subcategory, you must choose an existing category to become its parent category. The subcategory automatically inherits the configuration options and selected sources of its parent category.
  1. Navigate to Routing > Categories in the left-hand navigation bar.
  2. Click the Add button.
  3. Enter the subcategory name in the Name field. 
  4. Click the Parent dropdown menu and select a parent category from the list.
  5. Click Save.
Once you have created a subcategory, it will be shown nested within the parent category in the Categories configuration page. Subcategories can be used just like a normal category. 
 
NOTE: Parent category labels do not appear alongside subcategory labels in the Agent interface. For example, you create a Customer questions category. Messages or threads assigned to that category will then be labeled Customer questions. But if you create a subcategory within Customer questions called Pricing question, only the label Pricing question will appear on messages or threads assigned to that subcategory. If they have the permission, agents can click on Recategorize thread at the top of the thread or Recategorize in the More menu of a message to see the parent category.

Importing and exporting categories

Categories and subcategories can be imported into the platform via a CSV or XLSX file. Inside the file, the details of each category must be entered as a separate line and in the following format:
 
id;mandatory;post_qualification;multiple;name;unselectable;[parent_id;parent_name;sources]
 
NOTE: post_qualification refers to the Disposition category type.
  1. Navigate to Routing > Categories in the left-hand navigation bar.
  2. Click Import to launch the Import entries in database window.
  3. Uncheck the box Import entries without any real update (dry run).
  4. Click Choose File.
  5. Click Open to start the file upload.
The platform will send an email to your account when the import is done.
 
NOTE: The Import entries without any real update (dry run) option lets you see what categories will be created and/or updated without applying the changes.
 
If you are not familiar with the format, you can export your existing categories then edit the exported file, since the details in the exported file are already formatted properly.
  1. Navigate to Digital > Exports via the left-hand navigation bar. 
  2. Hover over Categories and click the export icon that appears at the far right. 
  3. In the window that appears, select the relevant channels. Do not edit the Format and Fields options.  
  4. Click Export.
System Status
Legal
Cookie preferences
Privacy Notice
Contact us
© 1999-2022 RingCentral, Inc. All rights reserved.
Thanks!
We've sent you a link, please check your phone!
Please allow a full minute between phone number submissions.
There was an issue with SMS sending. Please try again. If the issue persists, please contact support.