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Smart Categories

Who this is for

Admins who need dynamic or rule-based category groupings for POS or online ordering display.

Before you start​

  • Confirm the correct brand.
  • Decide whether you are managing POS smart categories, online smart categories, or both.
  • Check whether the items you want to group already exist.

Open this page​

Open Menu Management -> Smart Categories.

What this page is for​

Smart Categories lets you create category groupings that are more flexible than the standard menu category tree.

Use this page when you need to:

  • create a display-focused category without rebuilding the base category structure
  • manage item relationships in a smart category
  • manage shop display settings
  • manage order-channel settings

Main sections​

Main list​

The main list includes fields such as:

  • Category Name
  • Category Name (Alt)
  • Display Order
  • Button Style
  • Public Display

Key actions include:

  • Refresh
  • Reorder
  • Copy from Existing
  • New Smart Category

Category editor​

When you create or edit a smart category, you can work with fields such as:

  • Category Name
  • Category Name (Alt)
  • Parent Category
  • Display Order
  • Button Style
  • Public Display

If the required Button Style does not exist yet, use Create button style beside the selector, enter Style Name, choose Color Palette, check Preview, and select Create Style.

Beast Mode​

Use Beast Mode when you need to create several smart categories with the same shared settings.

When Beast Mode is on, enter one row for each smart category. The editor creates all listed rows after you save. Shared settings such as Parent Category, Display Order, Button Style, and Public Display apply to every smart category created in that save.

Use normal create mode when each smart category needs different parent, display, or style settings.

Detail tabs​

The page can show tabs for:

  • Items
  • Shop Display Settings
  • Order Channels

Use these tabs to control what the smart category contains and where it appears.

Steps​

  1. Open Menu Management -> Smart Categories.
  2. Select New Smart Category or open an existing category to edit.
  3. Enter Category Name.
  4. Optionally enter Category Name (Alt).
  5. Select Parent Category if this category should sit under another category.
  6. Set Display Order.
  7. Select Button Style if you want a specific appearance.
  8. Turn Public Display on or off as needed.
  9. Save the category.
  10. Open the detail tabs to manage Items, Shop Display Settings, or Order Channels.

Create several smart categories at once​

  1. Open Menu Management -> Smart Categories.
  2. Select New Smart Category.
  3. Turn on Beast Mode.
  4. Enter one row for each smart category.
  5. Complete the shared settings below the row list.
  6. Select Create.
  7. Review the main list and confirm every smart category was created.

What changes after you save​

Saving the category updates the smart category record, but you may still need to review where it appears by shop or channel.

How to check your change​

  1. Return to the main list and confirm the category is present.
  2. Check the Display Order and Public Display values.
  3. Review the relevant detail tab to confirm the expected items, shop settings, or channels are attached.

If something goes wrong​

  • Confirm you edited the correct smart category type.
  • Check whether the issue is in the category record or in the tab-level settings.
  • If the category does not appear, review Public Display and the target channel or shop settings.

When to ask owner/admin​

  • You are unsure whether the category should be standard or smart.
  • The category needs to appear in multiple channels and you cannot verify each one.
  • You are changing live navigation for active POS or online ordering users.