# Create categories

Create categories in RandomCoffee, from a CSV file, from your HRIS or with SCIM, and choose their order, visibility and required status.

import { Steps } from '@prosefly/astro-components';
import Callout from '@components/Callout.astro';
import CategoryForm from '@components/app-screens/screens/CategoryForm.astro';
import CategoriesList from '@components/app-screens/screens/CategoriesList.astro';
import MemberMyProfile from '@components/app-screens/screens/MemberMyProfile.astro';
import RegistrationForm from '@components/app-screens/screens/RegistrationForm.astro';

You can create [categories](/admin/categories-and-audiences/categories/) in four ways: directly in RandomCoffee, from a CSV file, from your HRIS, or with SCIM provisioning.

## From the RandomCoffee platform

### Create a category

<Steps>

1. **Open the categories.**

   In the menu, go to "People" > "Categories", then click "New category".

2. **Name your category.**

   Enter its name in the "Title" field.

3. **Choose its type.**

   In the "Type" list, choose one of the six types:

   - "Dropdown": a list of options, only one answer.
   - "Short Text": a free field, good for short answers such as a job title.
   - "Date": calendar dates only.
   - "Number": numbers only.
   - "Multiple Choice": a list of options, several answers possible.
   - "Yes/No": only two options.

   The type cannot be changed once the category is created.

4. **Add the values (Dropdown and Multiple Choice).**

   Enter each option in "Category values". Click "Add field" to add as many values as you need.

   <CategoryForm mode="new" alt="The New category page: an info box &quot;Need to create categories in bulk?&quot;, then the form with the title Preferred language, &quot;Hide category to members:&quot; and &quot;Required :&quot; turned off, the type &quot;Dropdown: list of options to choose from&quot;, the category values English, French and German, the &quot;Add field&quot; button and &quot;Save&quot;" />

   For a "Short Text" category, you can turn on "Enable input autocompletion for members:" so that members can pick a value already entered by others.

5. **Save.**

   Click "Save". The category appears in your list.

</Steps>

<Callout type="tip">
  To start from a ready-made category, click "Browse Library" on the "Categories" page. Each template comes with its type and example values: click "Preview" to see it, then "Use" to create the category. Categories created from the library remain fully editable.
</Callout>

### Change the order of your categories

Drag and drop your categories with the handle on their left to put them in the order that suits you best.

<CategoriesList highlight="handle" alt="The Categories page with the &quot;Browse Library&quot; and &quot;New category&quot; buttons, and Acme's categories in order: Department, Years of experience, City and Hobby. The drag handle on the left of Department is highlighted" />

This order is used:

- in the drop-down lists when you set matching rules;
- in the registration form that members fill in when they join with an [invite link](/admin/members/invite-members/).

### Add a description

You can add a description to each category in the "Description" field. It appears as a tooltip next to the category in member profiles:

<MemberMyProfile tooltip alt="A member's My Profile page, with her name, email and categories, and the tooltip Which office do you work from? next to the City field" />

It also appears in the RandomCoffee registration form, when you [invite members with a link](/admin/members/invite-members/):

<RegistrationForm description alt="The registration form with the tooltip Which office do you work from? next to the City field, and the City list open on Berlin, London, New York and Paris" />

### Hide a category from members

By default, all categories are visible to members in their Member Portal (when the Member Portal is enabled).

To hide a category, turn on "Hide category to members:" in the category form. This is useful for information that only admins need, such as a cost center. A hidden category:

- stays available to you in your audiences and matching rules;
- does not appear in member profiles, so members cannot use it in their preferences or instant matches (when they have access to the Member Portal);
- does not appear as a field in the invite link registration form.

In your list, a hidden category shows a crossed-out eye icon.

### Make a category required

Turn on "Required :" to require members to fill in this category when they register or update their profile.

<CategoryForm mode="edit" alt="The edit form of the Years of experience category, with &quot;Required :&quot; turned on (YES), &quot;Hide category to members:&quot; turned off, and the type &quot;Number: only accepts answers as numbers&quot; locked" />

### Fill in each member's values

Once your categories exist, you can fill in their values for each member:

- from the member list: click a member's name and edit their profile;
- with a CSV file: see [Update members](/admin/members/update-members/);
- by asking members to fill in their own values from their [Member Portal](/members/getting-started/member-portal/).

<Callout type="tip">
  **Matching rules based on values filled in by your members**

  1. Create your categories.
  2. Send an email that presents RandomCoffee and includes your [invite link](/admin/members/invite-members/), and ask people to fill in their details for each category.
  3. Meanwhile, set up your programs with the right matching rules.
  4. Plan your first sessions once your member list is up to date, when members have filled in their values.
</Callout>

## From a CSV file

You can create or update categories by importing a CSV file. Follow the steps in [Update members](/admin/members/update-members/). The "New category" page also links to it: "Need to create categories in bulk?" > "Go to CSV upload".

<Callout type="note">
  We recommend this option to add several categories at once.
</Callout>

## From your HRIS integration

When you sync your HRIS, categories are created automatically from your HRIS fields. See [Sync members from your HRIS](/admin/members/sync-from-hris/).

<Callout type="note">
  Categories synced from your HRIS **cannot be edited or deleted in RandomCoffee**: they are updated at each sync and mirror the fields of your HRIS. You can still edit member information that is not synced with your HRIS as usual.

  For the same reason, categories synced from your HRIS **do not appear in the registration form** of the invite link: members cannot edit or override these values.
</Callout>

## From SCIM provisioning

You can also send member attributes through SCIM provisioning. RandomCoffee creates a Short Text category for the job title and for each text attribute of the enterprise extension (such as department or cost center). Like HRIS categories, these categories are kept up to date by your identity provider and cannot be edited in RandomCoffee. See [Provision members with SCIM](/admin/members/provision-with-scim/).