Categories and sub-categories are typically essential for any program. It allows applicants to compete for a particular prize, or with other applicants whose submissions fall within the same attributes. It is the same way boxers compete against other boxers within the same weight class.

See best practices for categories and sub-categories. You can also allow applicants to clone submissions to multiple categories at once.

On the submission form, the user will be prompted to select a category and a sub-category if one exists.

To add a new category, first navigate to your program.

Under the Program Settings drop down menu, click Categories.

Click Add Category.

On the next screen, enter a Category Code, generally a number or a three-letter representation of the category. Enter the Name of the category. Optionally, you can enter a different category name that would appear in the output of reports in the Category Label field. 

The Description field is important since this text will appear to the applicant after they select the category.

To add a sub-category, return to your categories listing page and choose the parent for whom you want to add a sub-category. Click Add Sub-Category.

You can edit existing categories, delete a category, or clone a category by choosing one of the options on the right.

It is possible to prevent submissions from being submitted into a particular category by checking the box for Prevent New Applications to Submit in this Category. You can put in an optional date range as well, otherwise it will just block new submissions until you uncheck the box. To the end user, the category will still appear in the list of categories on the submission form, but it will be grayed out and cannot be selected.

If you want to prevent an applicant from submitting more than a maximum number of submissions into a single category, you can check the box for Set limit of Submissions per Applicant in this Category or Sub-Categories. After checking the box, enter the maximum number of submissions allowed that an applicant submit into that category or sub-categories.