How to create and publish a sub-category for Oracle Simphony STSG2

Pontus Ridderström
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Overview

A sub-category is a category that is linked into an existing main category, grouping products one level below the main menu view for Oracle Simphony STSG2 Masterdata. Creating and publishing one spans three phases: building the sub-category building block in Oracle Simphony EMC and linking it into a main category, importing the menu and verifying the building block in Rule Manager, and publishing it with an Enable Category rule.

Prerequisites

Steps

This guide creates and publishes one sub-category for Oracle Simphony STSG2 Masterdata. The platform terms and datafields used in the steps below — for example FO_IsCategory, FO_LinkedToDefinition, FO_HeroProductLimit and the Enable Category rule — are described in full, with their definitions, allowed values and constraints, in the linked Category feature article and in the linked Menu item configurations and Rule Manager articles.

Phase 1 — Build the sub-category building block in Oracle Simphony EMC

This phase creates the sub-category as a menu building block in EMC and links it into an existing main category. The EMC Sequence number follows the customer's existing EMC POS menu setup and is not specific to Future Ordering.

  1. Navigate to Menu Item Maintenance on the configuration level where the menu is maintained, and create a master record for the sub-category without a template, then set the following datafields:
    • Name — an internal name your organisation will recognise (example: Signature Burgers sub-category).
    • Major Group — anything other than 0 - None.
    • EMC Sequence number — the sequence number the sub-category is created under; create categories within a dedicated range so they are easy to manage (example: a 9000–9999 range reserved for categories).

    [SCREENSHOT: the EMC master record creation dialog with Name, Major Group and the Sequence number set]

  2. Open the definition record for the sub-category and set the following datafields:
    • Consumer Item Name — the sub-category name shown to guests (example: Signature Burgers).
    • Consumer Item Description — the description shown in the menu (example: Our chef's signature burgers.).
    • FO_IsCategory — Checked.
    • FO_LinkedToDefinition — the product EMC IDs to show in the sub-category, comma-separated; the products are sorted in the order the IDs are set, so the first sequence number is the top-left product shown (example: 3100,3110).
    • FO_ProductDisplayMode — Regular.
    • FO_UniqueIdentifiers — the sub-category's unique identifier (example: 9101 - Signature Burgers sub-category).

    [SCREENSHOT: the definition record data extensions, showing FO_IsCategory checked and FO_LinkedToDefinition and FO_ProductDisplayMode set]

  3. Open the main category this sub-category belongs to and add the sub-category's EMC ID to its FO_LinkedToDefinition (example: add 9101 to the main category's existing links). A category linked into a main category is treated as a sub-category.

    [SCREENSHOT: the main category definition record with the sub-category ID added to FO_LinkedToDefinition]

  4. Save the menu items.

Phase 2 — Import the menu and verify the building block

This phase imports the STSG2 menu and confirms the sub-category reached Rule Manager.

  1. Open the Orchestrator navigator app and run the STSG2 menu import flow, or wait for the scheduled run to complete.
  2. Confirm the run finished with a status of Finished; if it shows Failed, resolve the import before continuing (see Troubleshooting).

    [SCREENSHOT: the Orchestrator latest runs table showing the STSG2 import run with status Finished]

  3. Open Rule Manager and select Add Rule +.
  4. Select Select Rule Type, choose Enable Category, and select Continue.
  5. In the Categories field, search for the sub-category by name or by its FO_UniqueIdentifiers value (example: Signature Burgers) and confirm it appears in the results.

    [SCREENSHOT: the Enable Category rule Categories field with the sub-category found by search]

Phase 3 — Publish with an Enable Category rule

This phase publishes the sub-category by selecting it in an Enable Category rule. A sub-category must be enabled in its own right; enabling the parent main category alone does not publish it. The products inside the sub-category must also be selected in an Enable Product rule, and the parent main category and store must be enabled, for the sub-category to appear with content.

  1. In the Enable Category rule started in Phase 2 (or an existing Enable Category rule), set the following fields:
    • Name — a name for the rule (example: Enable sub-categories).
    • Index — the order in which the system reads the rule.
    • Publish start/stop — the active period for the rule.
    • Order classes — the order classes the sub-category is enabled for (all or specific).
    • Stores — the stores the sub-category is enabled for; prefer Specific over All.
    • Categories — select the sub-category created in Phase 1, and confirm the parent main category is also selected here or in another Enable Category rule; prefer Specific over All.

    [SCREENSHOT: the Enable Category rule with Stores and Categories set to Specific and the sub-category selected]

  2. Save the rule.
  3. Confirm the products listed in the sub-category's FO_LinkedToDefinition are selected in an Enable Product rule, and that the store is selected in an Enable Store rule.

Additional Options

These are optional and not required for the sub-category to appear online:

  • Hero product limit — set FO_HeroProductLimit to limit how many products are shown before the rest move under a "Show more" tab (for example, 3); this functions only on sub-categories. See Menu item configurations.
  • Schedule availability — restrict the sub-category to set times or days using Schedule start/stop and Schedule days on the Enable Category rule. See Rule Manager.
  • Emphasized display — set FO_ProductDisplayMode to Emphasized to change how products render in mobile view. See Menu item configurations.
  • Cross-sell from the sub-category — promote the sub-category's products with an Upsell/Cross-sell rule. An Upsell rule does not publish content, so the Enable Category and Enable Product rules are still required. See Rule Manager.
  • Translations and short titles — add translated names and short titles for the sub-category. See Menu item configurations.

Expected Outcome

The sub-category appears inside its parent main category with its configured products, in the order set in FO_LinkedToDefinition. Guests can open the sub-category and add its products to the basket.

Verify the Configuration

  1. In Rule Manager, confirm an Enable Category rule is active and lists both the sub-category and its parent main category in the Categories field, and that the products inside are covered by an Enable Product rule.
  2. Run the STSG2 menu import in Orchestrator (or use the latest completed run).
  3. Open the Frontend for a store covered by the rule, open the parent main category, and confirm the sub-category and its products are shown.

    [SCREENSHOT: the Frontend showing the sub-category and its products inside the parent main category]

  4. If a Hero product limit is set, confirm only that number of products is shown before the "Show more" tab.

Known Limitations

  • A sub-category only appears when it is linked into a main category and both the sub-category and the parent main category are published; enabling the main category alone does not publish the sub-category.
  • Sub-categories do not use category images or FO_Index ordering; those apply only to main categories.
  • A sub-category can only contain linked products; it cannot hold further views or category levels below it.
  • A sub-category only shows content for products that are themselves published; a product listed in FO_LinkedToDefinition that is not enabled by a rule will not appear.

Note: This list reflects the limitations identified as of 26 June 2026. Additional limitations may exist that have not yet been identified.

Troubleshooting

  • Sub-category does not appear online — confirm an Enable Category rule selects both the sub-category and its parent main category, and that the store and the sub-category's products are also published (Enable Store, Enable Category and Enable Product all apply).
  • Sub-category hidden even though enabled — a Disable rule with a higher Index overrides the Enable rule; check the Index values and adjust.
  • Import failures — see Known Menu import issues and solutions and Existing menu issues.