While on the Parts Management page, the navigation panel on the left side contains two ways to look up parts:  Categories and Groups. Both of these are similar and it is important to properly understand the difference.


To view and manage Part Categories and Groups, navigate to Management Module > Parts > Manage Parts.



Part Categories       
A single part can be assigned to multiple categories making the part easier to find for users. Categories are used throughout the system to organize parts.  Examples:  Cut Vinyl, Print Vinyl, Envelopes, Banners, Electrical, Frames, Tradeshow, Vehicle, Decals, Services


You can filter and sort by categories while creating an order, viewing queues, and creating reports. 



Click on the + Manage button under the Categories tab to add, rename, and delete categories.



Part Groups       
A part can only be assigned to a single group. Part Groups only appear in the Management Module's Manage Parts section. Groups are used to quickly assign common settings across all parts in a group.  Examples:  Intermediate Vinyl, Premium Vinyl, Reflective Vinyl, Installation, Design.


The shared settings are the ones found in the tabbed section below the part name list. Settings that parts in a group share: Discounts, Margins (if using cost-plus), Setup Fees, Income Accounts, just to name a few. Be aware that when adding a part to a group, the added part automatically inherits the common group settings, overriding the previous settings.   



Click on the + Manage button under the Groups tab to add, rename, and delete groups.