Classifications

Classifications identify and characterize similar objects. A building, a Notebook computer, and a centrifugal pump are types of classifications. A classification can also describe an event, for example, a broken window, a hard disk failure, or a request for a new email account.

You can classify objects such as locations, assets, items, sales orders, and work orders. Classifications for work orders, tickets, and sales orders can be used as one of the matching criteria for service level agreements, response plans, and price schedules. You can search classification structures and attributes with associated values when you use any record type that can be classified.

These terms are used to describe classifications:

parent: The next higher level in a classification hierarchy.
child: The next lower level in the classification hierarchy.
ancestor: All of the classifications that come before a classification within a hierarchy. Although a classification can have several ancestors, it can have only one parent.
Descendant: All of the classifications that come after a classification within a hierarchy.

Classification hierarchies

A classification can be singular, or you can develop a classification structure by joining two or more classifications into a hierarchy. For example, you can split the CENTRIFUGAL PUMP classification into two classifications: PUMP and CENTRIFUGAL. You can then join them into a two-level classification structure: PUMP or CNTRFGL. The PUMP classification can then be reused with other pump types, such as rotary or reciprocating:

PUMP or ROTARY
PUMP or RECPRCTN

The CNTRFGL classification can also be used with the FAN classification to create the FAN or CNTRFGL classification structure, which represents a centrifugal fan.

Classification identifiers

When you create a classification, you must provide a name that identifies the classification in a meaningful way. For example, you can create a classification for cars and provide the CAR identifier. You can create a classification for sedans and provide the SEDAN identifier. The CAR classification can be given a child of SEDAN to create a two-level classification hierarchy: CAR or SEDAN. Alternatively, you can use a numbering system. In a numbering system, a number describes the position of the classification in the classification structure and the number of digits describes the level in the hierarchy. Numbering systems are suitable if they cannot be changed because the identifier of the classification (PUMP, 30612456, ROTARY) cannot be changed. The identifier can be deleted if it is not used in a classification hierarchy.

Classification structure example

You use the Classifications application to build the following classification structure:

Example classification. The example shows that IT is the parent of Hardware and Software. Installs is a child of Software and of IT or SOFTWARE. Windows XP is a child of Installs and IT or SOFTWARE or INSTALLS. More details are in the text following the diagram.

When someone contacts the service desk and requests a Windows XP installation, the service agent creates a change ticket with the IT or SOFTWARE or INSTALLS or WINDOWS XP classification path.