A catalog is a hierarchy of catalog categories used to classify items defined in your item catalog. Once you have defined all of your catalog categories you can create each of your catalogs. When you construct your catalog category hierarchy keep in mind that only the leaf nodes of the catalog can contain items.

Before creating a catalog, it is a good idea to first understand its purpose and function. It may be easiest if you first understand what makes up an item catalog. The item catalog basically contains all items defined for your company or organization. Item catalogs are hierarchical, and relationships between the various item catalog categories (such as an item's catalog category attributes) are inherited. Catalogs are also hierarchical; however, relationships between the categories are not inherited. Instead, relationships between the categories are explicitly defined by the administrator. A catalog contains some user-defined subset of items that exist in the item catalog. The following table highlights some of the key differences between an item catalog and a catalog.

Comparing the Item Catalog to a Catalog used for classification purposes only

Before creating a catalog, you should have already created the necessary categories. Note that a category is a logical classification of items that have similar characteristics, while a catalog is a distinct grouping scheme and consists of categories.

   To create a catalog:

1. In the Applications tree menu, click the "Setup Workbench" link.

2. On the Search: Item Catalog Categories page, click the Catalogs tab.

3. On the Search: Catalogs page, click the "Create Catalog" link.

4. On the Create Catalog page, provide the following information:

   Name

   Enter the name of the catalog.

   Description

   Enter a meaningful description of the catalog. A description is required so that users can browse the catalog by either the name or description.

   Flex Structure

   Select a flexfield structure. Flexfield structures contain multiple segment structures for the product catalog flexfield; each segment structure has its own display prompts and fields.

   When you install the system, Oracle provides two flexfield structures by default: Item Categories and PO Item Category. You can define your own segment structures that have their own display prompts and fields.

   Note that the categories that you assign to a catalog must have the same flexfield structure as the catalog itself. This is true even if you choose not to validate the category list.

   Controlled At

   Select one of the two available control levels.

   • Master Level

     Items assigned to this catalog have the same catalog category value in all organizations in which the item is assigned.

   • Org Level

     Attention: Once you assign the control level to the Organization Item level, you cannot change it back to Item level.

   Default Category

   Select a default category. This is the default category used when you assign an item to a catalog. You can override the default category and replace it with a more relevant category for each item.

   Allow Multiple Item Category Assignments

   Selecting this checkbox indicates that an item can be assigned to multiple categories within this catalog. If you do not select this checkbox, an item can be assigned to exactly one category in the catalog.

   Note: If you select this checkbox, you can assign multiple items to multiple categories within this catalog, but if multiple assignments exist, then you cannot deselect this checkbox until you delete the assignments and are left with only one.

   Enforce List of Valid Categories

   Select this checkbox if you wish to assign items only to those categories defined as valid categories for this catalog. When selected, the default category is automatically added to the list of valid categories for this catalog. If you do not select this checkbox, then you can assign an item to any defined category that uses the same flexfield structure as this catalog.

   You can specify flex structures for both category sets and categories. You can also associate different categories with a category set; if you do this, they must share the same flex structure. However, this does not make a valid category set. The category set and category must also be associated. Once the catalog and category set share the same flex structure and are associated, you have a valid category set.

   Enable Hierarchy for Categories

   Selecting this checkbox enables you to define explicit hierarchies of categories within a catalog. Once made, you cannot revise this selection.

   Business Events for Catalogs

   Enable the appropriate business event to raise notifications for changes to the catalog information:

   • Raise Item Catalog Assignment Change Event

   • Raise Catalog Category Change Event

   • Raise Alternate Catalog Hierarchy Change Event

   See:

   • Item and Catalog Business Events

   • Managing Business Events

5. Click Apply.