Product Family refers to the organizational hierarchy applied to inventory items or products. Creating and assigning product families is essential if you plan on selling inventory items, serialized items or if you perform maintenance on products such as appliances, fireplaces, etc.
Product Details are the second tier of this hierarchy, further narrowing down the specifics of the product being selected or used.
Product classification within ServiceWorks has five levels:
Product Family
Product Details
Product Type
Product Sub Type
Product
The first two levels are mandatory for any and all product definition within the system; the remaining three levels are optional. An example of a typical product family tree looks something like this:
- Appliance (Product Family) -> Dishwashing & Sanitation (Product Detail) -> Dishwasher (Product Type)
Why Use Product Family and Product Details?
Product families streamline inventory management, making it easy to track and categorize diverse items, whether they’re standard inventory, serialized products, or even items requiring regular maintenance.
By organizing products into families, businesses can efficiently manage their stock, ensuring accurate records and simplified service operations. This system is crucial for any business dealing with a variety of products, especially those that require ongoing support or tracking.
Here’s a walkthrough on how to create, assign, and use the product family settings within ServiceWorks:
Creating A Product Family & Details
To begin, click the cogwheel on the toolbar to open the Configurations Tab and navigate to Job Settings -> Product Family
Next, you’ll be presented with the Product Family menu, where you can view the current family trees set up within your ServiceWorks account. To create a new Product Family, click the New Product Family button
When clicked, you’ll be given the option to name your new product family name. For this example, we’ll name this one Product Family. Once finished, click Save
Now that you’ve saved the product family, you’re ready to add a product detail, the next descriptor in the product family tree. To do so, click on your created Product Family, and click the Add icon
Once clicked, new text field will appear under the product family. Enter the product detail name in this section, then press Enter to finalize your changes. You can also use the Edit and Delete icons to edit the names of your family details, or delete them
Note: you will not be able to delete items that have information nested underneath them. You’ll have to start deleting from the bottom of your hierarchy and work your way up
Assigning a Product Family & Details to Inventory Items
Now that you’ve created your product family, you can assign them to new and existing inventory items. To start, click on the Inventory tab on the toolbar and select Item
Next, when creating a new item or editing an existing item, look for the Product Family and Product Detail fields
Once located, use the dropdown field to select the desired product family and product detail, then click Save to keep the changes.
Applying Product Family & Detail
Now that you’ve created and assigned a product family, you can now define them when adding items to items
Or even when adding bundles to invoices
You can also set the product family and details when adding items via mobile app as well
Ultimately, whether you’re managing a vast inventory, tracking individual serialized items, or providing essential maintenance for products like appliances and fireplaces, the creation and assignment of product families isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. This organizational backbone ensures seamless tracking, efficient service, and a clear overview of your offerings, transforming potentially chaotic product management into a streamlined and highly effective system.
Need More Assistance?
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Email: support@service.works
Phone: 636-220-4363 Ext #1
