Home
Work

What Is a Work Category in Dusk FSM and How do I set one up?

## What Is a Work Category in Dusk FSM?

**Work Categories** help you organise and classify different types of work within a **Work Type**.

For example, you may have a Work Type called **Service Call** with categories such as **Break/Fix**, **Site Visit / Evaluation** and **Emergency**.

Work Categories provide an additional level of classification for reporting, filtering and operational visibility while allowing you to keep your Work Types simple.

💡 **Tip:** Think of a **Work Type** as *how* the work is completed, and a **Work Category** as *why* the work is being performed.

---

## How Do Work Types and Work Categories Work Together?

A **Work Type** defines the workflow, forms and automation used for a Work.

A **Work Category** classifies the reason for the Work and helps organise it for reporting and filtering.

| Work Type | Example Categories |
|-----------|--------------------|
| Preventative Maintenance | Quarterly PM, Annual PM |
| Service Call | Break/Fix, Site Visit / Evaluation |
| Install | New Installation, Replacement |
| Warranty | Warranty Repair, Warranty Inspection |

---

## Why Use Work Categories?

Work Categories help you:

- Organise similar types of work.
- Filter Work Lists, Planner views and reports.
- Improve reporting and dashboard insights.
- Analyse trends across your business.
- Keep the number of Work Types manageable.

Rather than creating a different Work Type for every scenario, use Categories to classify similar work.

---

## Example

Instead of creating separate Work Types for:

- Break/Fix
- Site Visit
- Emergency
- Customer Complaint

Create a single Work Type:

**Service Call**

Then create Categories such as:

- Break/Fix
- Site Visit / Evaluation
- Emergency
- Customer Complaint

This keeps your workflow consistent while still allowing meaningful reporting.

---

## How Do I Create a Work Category?

1. Navigate to **Forms**.
2. Select **Form Builder**.
3. Ensure you have created a Form for your field Staff.
4. Select the **Work Settings** tab.
5. Create a **Work Type** under **Step 1** using the Form you created.
6. Optionally create one or more **Work Operations** under **Step 2**.
7. Under **Step 3 – Work Categories**
8. Enter a Category name then click **+Category**.
9. Select the same Form created in **Step 1**.
10. Optionally assign a colour to make the Category easier to identify throughout Dusk FSM.
11. Select **Save**.

![How to create a Work Category in Dusk FSM](https://help.duskmobile.com/uploads/markdown/20260904-165204-977.png "How to create a Work Category in Dusk FSM")

The Work Category will now be available when creating a Work.

![How to find the Work Category when creating Work](https://help.duskmobile.com/uploads/markdown/20260904-165255-383.png "How to find the Work Category when creating Work")

---

## Should I Create a New Work Type or a New Category?

As a general guide:

**Create a new Work Type when:**

- The workflow is different.
- Different forms are required.
- Different automation is required.
- The operational process changes.

**Create a new Category when:**

- The workflow stays the same.
- You simply want to classify the Work differently.
- You want more meaningful reporting or filtering.

✅ **Best Practice:** Keep your Work Types broad and your Categories specific.

For example:

**Work Type**

- Service Call

**Categories**

- Break/Fix
- Site Visit / Evaluation
- Warranty
- Emergency

---

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Can each Work Type have different Categories?

Yes. Categories are fully configurable and can be tailored to suit the way your business operates.

---

### Can I rename or update a Work Category later?

Yes. Administrators can create, rename, edit and manage Work Categories at any time.

---

### Do Work Categories affect scheduling?

No. Work Categories are used to classify Work. Scheduling is managed through the assigned Staff, Contractors or Crews and your operational workflow.

---

### Are Work Categories available in reports?

Yes. Work Categories can be used throughout Dusk FSM to filter, organise and analyse your Work.

---

## 🔗 Related Articles

- [What Is Work in the Dusk FSM Platform?](https://help.duskmobile.com/article/Work/What-Is-Work-in-the-Dusk-FSM-Platform)
- [What Is a Work Type in Dusk FSM and How Do I Set One Up?](https://help.duskmobile.com/article/Work/What-is-a-Work-Type-in-Dusk-FSM-and-how-do-I-set-one-up)
- [How to Set Up Work Operations in Dusk FSM](https://help.duskmobile.com/article/Work/How-to-Setup-Up-Work-Operations-in-Dusk-FSM)
- [How Do I Create Field Forms in Dusk FSM?](https://help.duskmobile.com/article/Forms/How-to-Create-Field-Forms-in-Dusk-FSM)

Updated on September 05, 2026

What Is a Work Category in Dusk FSM and How do I set one up?

Need Support?

Error

Delete Article