Knowledge Base Categories
Categories are the organizational structure of your in-app Knowledge Base. They group related articles under meaningful headings so that employees and clients can browse by topic instead of scrolling a flat list. Without categories, finding the right article depends entirely on search. With a clear category structure, readers can navigate by topic — HR Policies, IT Support, Onboarding — and locate content quickly.
This article explains how to create, edit, and delete categories to keep your Knowledge Base structured.
Who Can Use It
- Company Admin — full access to create, edit, and delete categories.
HR Managers can create and manage articles but cannot manage the category structure itself.
Prerequisites
- You must have Company Admin privileges.
- Plan your category taxonomy before creating categories. A clear structure from the start avoids reorganization later.
How to Access
- From the sidebar, navigate to Knowledge Base (
/account/knowledgebase). - Click the Manage Article Category button at the top of the Knowledge Base page.
Creating a Category
From the Categories panel, fill in the creation form:
Category Name
Enter a clear, concise name that describes the topic area. This name appears in the Knowledge Base sidebar, article listings, and the category dropdown when creating articles. Examples:
- "HR Policies"
- "IT & Technical Support"
- "Onboarding Guide"
- "Benefits & Compensation"
Keep names to two to four words. Long names get truncated in sidebars and mobile views. Avoid generic names like "General" or "Miscellaneous" — they become catch-all containers that defeat the purpose of categorization.
Description
Add a brief description explaining what kind of articles belong in this category. The description appears beneath the category name on the Knowledge Base page, helping readers decide whether to browse a category. Keep it to one or two sentences.
Example: "Official company policies covering leave, attendance, remote work, dress code, and workplace conduct."
Icon
Select an icon to visually distinguish the category. Icons appear alongside category names in the Knowledge Base interface. PMSuite provides a library of icons — pick one that relates to the topic (a book for policies, a laptop for IT, a calendar for leave).
Save
Click Save. The category immediately appears in the Knowledge Base and becomes available in the category dropdown when creating articles.
Editing a Category
- Navigate to Knowledge Base → Manage Article Category.
- Locate the category and click the Edit action (pencil icon).
- Modify the name, description, or icon as needed.
- Click Save.
Renaming a category does not remove or reassign its articles. All articles under the category retain their assignment automatically.
Deleting a Category
- Navigate to Knowledge Base → Manage Article Category.
- Click Delete (trash icon) on the category you want to remove.
- Confirm the deletion.
Important: Deleting a category may leave its articles uncategorized. Before deleting, reassign articles to a different category or verify they are no longer needed.
How Categories Work with Articles
Each article has three key properties: a Heading (title), a Category, and an Audience toggle (Client or Employee). The Audience toggle controls who sees the article — it is independent of the category. A single category can contain articles visible to clients, employees, or both.
The in-app Knowledge Base is separate from PMSuite's public help center. Categories you create here organize your own workspace content for your team and clients.
Recommended Category Structure
A well-organized knowledge base typically has between five and fifteen categories. Fewer than five means categories are too broad; more than fifteen means readers spend too long scanning the list. Here is a starting structure for a mid-size organization:
| Category | Purpose | Example Articles |
|---|---|---|
| Onboarding | Guides for new employees | First-day checklist, IT account setup, benefits enrollment |
| HR Policies | Official company policies | Leave policy, attendance policy, remote work policy |
| Payroll & Compensation | Salary, deductions, payslips | How to read your payslip, tax deduction FAQ |
| IT & Equipment | Technology and devices | VPN setup, software requests, equipment return |
| Leave & Attendance | Time-off and scheduling | How to apply for leave, attendance correction |
| FAQs | Frequently asked questions | Password reset, office hours, holiday calendar |
Adjust this structure to match your organization. Some companies combine categories; others split them further.
Effect on Other Features
- Article creation: When you create an article, the category dropdown lists all categories you have defined. Articles without a category may not appear in topic-based browsing.
- Search: The Knowledge Base is full-text searchable. Categories supplement search by giving readers a browsing path, but search works across all articles regardless of category.
- Article files: Articles can include file attachments (including PowerPoint .pptx/.ppt files). Categories do not affect which file types can be uploaded — see Article Files for supported formats.
Limitations
| Limitation | Workaround |
|---|---|
| No subcategories or nested hierarchy | Use naming conventions (e.g., "IT — Software", "IT — Hardware") to create a visual grouping within a flat list. |
| No bulk reassignment of articles between categories | Reassign articles individually by editing each article's category field. |
| Category management restricted to Company Admin | HR Managers who need a new category should request it from their Company Admin. |
Troubleshooting
Category does not appear in the article creation dropdown
Problem: A newly created category is missing from the category dropdown when creating an article.
Cause: The page may be showing cached data, or the category save did not complete.
Solution: Refresh the article creation page. If the category still does not appear, go back to Manage Article Category and verify it exists in the list.
Cannot delete a category
Problem: The delete action fails or is not available.
Cause: The category may still contain articles. Some configurations prevent deleting categories with assigned content.
Solution: Reassign all articles under the category to a different category first, then retry the deletion.