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Categories group together products on your website and display as menu items in the navigation menu. While categories are usually associated with product types (Product Categories), you can also create a category and enable it to contain clusters. A category with clusters functions just like any other category in that products are assigned to it and it can appear in the navigation menu. But a cluster is designed to group together products for the specific purchasing condition where certain products are expected to be selected or selectable and bought in one go. For example, suppose a site supplies school items needed by students in a school year. A category cluster can be configured so that all such items are grouped together so it is easy for the customer to view, select and buy them. To support this type of purchasing, clusters have some other built-in features and options. For every product, the conditions of buying, i.e., whether it is  compulsory or not, or is one option out of two or more items, must be specified.

Cluster Maintenance allows you to create and configure clusters, and add products to them. Sub-categorisation of products in a cluster is done through by assigning each to a user-defined cluster section through line type (a 'header'). For every product, the conditions of buying, i.e., whether it is  compulsory or not, or is one option out of two or more items, must be specified. 

The Category Cluster feature is available for versions 4.17 and higher. 


Table of Contents

How-to Guide to Cluster Maintenance

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1. Switch on Cluster Maintenance

Cluster Maintenance is available for versions 4.17 and higher. To To use the feature, it needs to be switched on in the CMS.  

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  1. In the list of categories, hover over Options for the category and select Cluster.



  2. In Description, enter the heading for the cluster. This text is displayed as a heading on your site so it should be informative for customers. For the example, we will add the header 'Pens: compulsory' as this tells customers they need to buy all products under this heading. 

  3. In Type, select a line type. Here, we will select 'Compulsory'. 



  4. To save this cluster section, click Add None Product. The cluster section appears will appear in the list.

  5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for any additional section clusters you need. For our example, we have added 'Pens: optional'.



You can also create a cluster section around products that are grouped 

Expand

Other Cluster Line Types

Create a 'choose one' cluster line type

Apart from compulsory and optional line types, you can configure a line type to contain a list of products from which the customer must select one.  In our example, we want customers to choose between the products Sight Words Readers (CV187) and Sight Words Flash Cards (CV186).


  1. In the Cluster LineType Maintenance page, create a line type header with an appropriate name, e.g., 'Choose One'. 

  2. Navigate to the Category Cluster (Products & Categories → Category Maintenance), hover over Options next to your cluster and select Cluster.

  3. In Description, enter a header for line type. This does not have to be identical to what the Cluster Line Type was named in step 1.  

  4. In Type, select 'Choose One' (or the name you entered when it was created in step 1). 

  5. Add the products that are associated with this 'Choose One' line type. Make sure they appear under the right line type header. In our example, those products are 'CV186' and 'CV187'.

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  6. To associate the two products and to set it so the customer can select one of the two, each associated product's cluster details needs to be edited. Click Edit for one product.

  7. Edit the product details:
      Description: the product name will default but you can change it to something more helpful to your customers if you wish
      Suggested Quantity: enter at least '1' 
      Is Compulsory: check the box
      Tags: add the product code of associated products. Type a product code, then hit 'Enter' on your keyboard. If there are more than one associated product, continue to type in the product code then hit 'Enter' for each one.

    Note

    You must hit return so each product code displays under the field header 'Tags'. To remove a product code, click on the 'x' next to a product code.


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  8. Save your changes.

  9. Repeat steps 6-8 for each associated product.

5. Add Products to Cluster Sections

Once cluster sections have been created, you can add products and sort them in a particular order under each section as you wish.

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Products assigned to cluster categories have special properties that need to be configured, for example, the specific buying condition (compulsory or not) that need and minimum number needs to be set. 

  1. For each product in the cluster, click click Edit next to it.

  2. Edit the fields as required. 

Description: the pre-existing product

name

description will default but you can change it to something more

helpful to your customers

meaningful for listing in this cluster if you wish.

 

Suggested Quantity:

 enter at least

 if the product is compulsory, enter '1'

if this product is under the compulsory or choose one line types. If the product is optional

or another number for the minimum the buyer has to buy; if the product is optional or is a choice between two or more products, leave it at '0'. 

 

Is Compulsory: check the box if

the customer must buy this product
 

this product is compulsory. Note- if this box is checked, the system will set 'Suggested Quantity' to 1 even if it is left at '0'. 
Tags: tags are used to

associate

link two or more products when the

line type gives the customer a choice between two or more products. To add an associated product, type

customer is given a choice to select one of them. To link a product to this one, type in its product code, then hit 'Enter' (Return) on your keyboard.

  

Product codes of each linked product must be entered individually,   

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3. When you have finished editing the product, click Save.

Create a 'choose one' cluster line type
Anchor
Create a 'choose one' cluster line type

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Create a 'choose one' cluster

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Apart from compulsory and optional line types, you can configure a line type to contain a list of products from which the customer must select one.  In our example, we want customers to choose between the products Sight Words Readers (CV187) and Sight Words Flash Cards (CV186).

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line type

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Note

You must hit return so each product code displays under the field header 'Tags'. To remove a product code, click on the 'x' next to a product code.

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  2. The system will advise you that you will need to refresh the Cache Management.



  3. Click Save and Exit, then navigate to Settings → Cache Management,

  4. Next to 'Product Cache', click Clear Cache.



  5. When the process is complete, click Close.

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