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Catalogs & Categories

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • What the Service Catalog is
  • How catalogs, categories, and items are organized
  • Where requesters and admins find the catalog

1 An online shop for work

When Sam needs a new laptop, software, or access to a shared folder, he doesn’t send an email. He opens the Service Catalog, picks what he needs, and clicks Order. Just like shopping online! 🛒

Key term: Service Catalog

An online “shop” where users request goods and services, like laptops, software, and access.

2 How it’s organized

Inside the SNWR Service Catalog. On the left, categories: Hardware, Software, Access, and HR requests, with Hardware selected. On the right, the catalog items in Hardware: Standard laptop for 1,100 dollars, Monitor for 180 dollars, and Keyboard for 45 dollars, each with a picture, a short description, and an Order Now button.
Figure 1. Catalogs hold categories. Categories hold items.
Level What it is Example
Catalog The whole shop SNWR Service Catalog
Category A section of the shop Hardware, Software, Access
Catalog item One thing you can order Standard laptop

📝 Note: A company can have more than one catalog, like one for IT and one for HR. An item can appear in more than one category, and even more than one catalog.

3 Where people find it

  • Requesters: the portal (/sp) or Employee Center, under “Request something”.
  • Admins and agents: Self-Service > Service Catalog in the platform.
  • Admins who build it: Service Catalog > Catalog Definitions (Maintain Catalogs, Maintain Categories, Maintain Items).

💡 Good to know: The catalog_admin role lets someone manage the catalog without being a full admin.

⭐ Remember: Catalog = shop. Category = aisle. Item = product.

4 Let’s try it: go shopping

  1. Open Self-Service > Service Catalog. Look at the categories.
  2. Open Hardware and pick an item. What does the item page show?
  3. Open Service Catalog > Catalog Definitions > Maintain Categories. Find Hardware in the list.

5 Quick recap

  • The Service Catalog is an online shop for work requests
  • It’s organized as catalogs → categories → items
  • Requesters use the portal. Admins build it in Catalog Definitions
  • The catalog_admin role manages the catalog

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 “Standard laptop” is a catalog, a category, or an item? Show answer

An item.

2 Can one item appear in two categories? Show answer

Yes.

3 Which role manages the catalog without full admin? Show answer

catalog_admin.

Nice work! You finished this lesson. 🎉

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