Setting up product categorization data

Product categorization is leveraged by multiple BMC applications. You must understand the product-specific use of categorization to effectively set up product categorization or make any additions and changes to the product category structure.

Product categorization divides CIs into logical groups. Using the three-tier structure of product categorization, you can create successively smaller, more tightly defined groups.

To set up product categorization data

The following table provides the high-level steps for setting up product categorization data. Shortcuts to this process are indicated as tips in the relevant procedures.

Procedure	Reference sections
To create Product Catalog entries by importing from external files or by creating entries through the Normalization Engine	Ways-to-populate-the-Product-Catalog
To run through all your discovery processes in the preproduction environment	Running the discovery process in the preproduction environment
To review the Product Catalog and re-categorize the Product Catalog entries as required	Product-categorization
To export the data from the revised Product Catalog	Exporting-Product-Catalog-data
To import the revised Product Catalog into the production environment	Ways-to-populate-the-Product-Catalog

After the data is discovered, the categorization validation workflow replaces the categorization values for the CI with the revised product catalog values. This replacement is based on the incoming product name and manufacturer name, along with the product categorization alias configuration.

Tip

If you use multiple discovery products, you can use this procedure to make sure that CIs are categorized consistently, even if you choose not to use product categorization in BMC Helix ITSM.

Setting up product categorization data

To set up product categorization data

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