# 4. Inventory Categories

[Inventory Categories](https://autosoftware.company/category_master.php) group your parts and control how they are offered on the Parts screen and on invoices. Typical categories are Air Filters, Cabin Air Filters, Conventional Oil, Full Synthetic Oil, Coolant, and Wiper Blades. How finely you split them is up to you — one "Engine Oil" category shows every oil you stock when a part is added to an invoice, while separate Full Synthetic and Conventional categories narrow the list to the right oil. The list shows each category's Name, Description, Default Supplier, and Sort Order.

## How do I add an inventory category?

1. From the Home Screen, click Inventory → Inventory Categories.
2. Click Add Inventory Category.
3. Enter the Name (required) — for example *Full Synthetic Oil*.
4. Enter the Part Description (required). This description is inserted on the Invoice Entry screen when a part from this category is used, unless the individual part has its own description.
5. Choose a Primary Supplier, and optionally a Secondary Supplier and Third Supplier. These become the vendor options when you generate a purchase order, so set your main bulk vendor as the Primary Supplier.
6. Set Link to Motor Info to the matching Motor category so ARM can pull the correct specifications and part numbers — use this for oil, oil filters, air filters, cabin filters, fuel filters, transmission filters, wiper blades, and fluids. Leave it blank for categories Motor does not cover, such as Tires or Brake Pads.
7. Enter a Sort Order number. Lower numbers appear first on the Parts screen.
8. To charge a premium on everything in this category, check Allow Premium Fee and enter the Premium Fee amount. Leave it blank to set premiums on individual parts instead.
9. Leave Status set to Active and click Save.

## How do I change the order categories appear in?

1. From the Home Screen, click Inventory → Inventory Categories.
2. Type a new number in the Sort Order box beside each category you want to move. The order starts at 0 and lower numbers appear first.
3. Click Update Sort Order. The buttons on the Parts screen are rearranged to match.

## How do I stop using a category without deleting it?

1. From the Home Screen, click Inventory → Inventory Categories.
2. Find the category in the list, using the Search box if you have many.
3. Click the deactivate icon in the Status column, or click the edit icon in the Action column and set Status to Deactive, then click Save.
4. The category's button no longer appears under Parts, but its history is preserved and you can reactivate it later. Set Status to Deactive in the filter and click Search to see deactivated categories.

![Edit Inventory Category](/images/s34_144e19b6.png)
*Edit Inventory Category*

![Inventory Categories List](/images/s34_dcc9dd63.png)
*Inventory Categories List*

Related pages: [Edit Inventory Category](https://autosoftware.company/category_operation.php)