There are two ways to categorize products in your feed: category mappings and category rules.

Category Mappings

GoDataFeed's category mapping makes categorizing products fast and easy. Our system identifies imported categories from your store, and then suggests matching categories from the channel. 

How it works

When our system imports your product data from your primary source, it maps the data into our System fields. This process is called Import mapping.

The Import mapping process automatically assigns the 'Category' system field to the source field that most commonly contains product category data.

For example, our system recognizes Shopify stores' product category information is typically found in the 'product_type' field, so the importing mapping is assigned to our 'Category' system field. 

Then, when you opt to assign category mappings for your products in a feed, our system will analyze the data found in the 'Category' system field-- and then create category mappings by cross-referencing your product data with the feed channel's taxonomy. 

How to use Category mappings

Click to expand the sections below for detailed information and steps that walk you through the process of assigning feed category mappings.

• 1. In your feed, click the 'Categories' page from the sidebar menu
  2. Under 'Assign category mappings' click the "Get started" button
     
  3. Click the 'Category mappings' bubble 
  4. You can filter the table to view 'All' mappings, 'Mapped' imported categories only, or 'Unmapped' imported categories
  5. In any view, your imported categories are listed in the left-hand column -- along with the number of products in each category, and the mapped feed categories appear in the right-hand column
     
     
     
     

     If you click the hyperlinked number of products next to any imported category, a new tab will open your imported catalog filtered for these products for you to review 

• If you want to refine or change a feed category mapping, you can:

  1. Click the "Browse" button when a feed category mapping exists to open a modal that loads the channel taxonomy for you to search and select a new mapping. 
     
     
     
     
  2. In blank 'Feed Category Mapping' fields, you can place your cursor into the field and scroll through the taxonomy, like this:
     
     

  Important

  Make sure to click the blue "Save" button at the top of the Mappings table to save and apply your changes.
  

• If you've selected to assign category mappings, but see this screen:
  
  
  
  This means that your source field mapped to our 'Category' system field has no category data in it.
  
  
  
  

  Action needed

  In order to use automated category mappings, you will need to update the Import mapping of the 'Category' source field. Follow the steps below to do so.

• If you know that you have category data set up in your store, the data is most likely located in a different source field. You'll need to map the correct source field to the 'Category' system field.

  1. Click the "Import Mapping" button on the 'Category mappings' card
     
  2. Scroll down to the 'Category' system field on the left-hand column
  3. You'll see the source field from your store that is mapped to 'Category'
  4. If you're not sure which alternative source field contains your product category data, you'll need to review your import to locate this
     
     How to review import data
     
     
  5. If you find the source field from your import with category data, you'll update the Import mapping following the next steps
  6. Highlight and delete the existing source field mapped to 'Category'
  7. Scroll through the dropdown of your source fields and select the field that contains your category data
     
     
  8. Click the blue "Save" button in the top right corner
  9. Navigate back to your feed and refresh the page
  10. Go to the 'Categories' page and try to assign feed mappings again

 Category Rules

In addition to category mappings, you can create as many category rules as you need to:

• override category mappings
• dynamically assign categories if you have no imported category data
• to further optimize your feed

How to create category rules

Click to expand the section below to walk through the process of creating category rules for your products.

• 1. If you've haven't set up any categories yet, click the "Get started" button under 'Create category rules' in the Category setup card
     
     
     

     If you already have categories mapped, and you would like to create category rules, simply click the 'Category rules' bubble at the top of the Categories page
     

  2. Click the + Category Rule button
     
  3. In the Rules editor card on the right, click 'Select a channel category' to open the channel taxonomy modal
     
     
     
     
  4. Filter and sort for your department of products to find the best fit, and click the "Select" button next to the one you choose
     
     
     
     
  5. Complete the conditions of the products you would like to apply the category to
     
     
  6. The 'Rule name' is automatically assigned to the category you selected for this rule -- but if you would like to re-name the Rule, click the pencil icon and type in the new Rule name
     
     
  7. When you've successfully created your rule, click "Save"
     
     

Remember: category rules -- like feed rules -- are applied in chronological order. This means that the last category rule will always override any previous rules if they are in conflict. 

 Categories overview

Once you have assigned feed mappings or created category rules, the 'Categories' table will display your feed categories and the number of products in each category, as well as the number of mappings and rules for each category. 

You can click on any feed category to view the products assigned in that category.

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