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Categories use AI-powered classification to automatically organize tickets when they’re created, analyzing ticket content to determine the best classification match.

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Understanding categories

Categories automatically classify tickets based on the criteria you define. Each category includes:
  • Name: The category label shown on tickets
  • Description: Explains what types of tickets belong in this category
  • Examples: Sample phrases that help AI classify tickets accurately

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Categories vs tags

While both help organize tickets, they serve different purposes:
FeatureCategoriesTags
AssignmentAutomatic via AIManual, AI-assisted, or workflow-based
PurposePrimary classificationFlexible labeling
LimitOne per ticketMultiple per ticket
Examples”Password Reset”, “Hardware Issue""Urgent”, “VIP”, “Needs Review”
Many teams use categories for primary classification and for additional context like priority, status, or team assignments.

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Set up categories

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Create categories

1

Navigate to categories

Go to Settings > Workspaces > Categories.
2

Click New Category

Click New Category to open the creation form.
3

Set name

Enter a clear, descriptive label like “Password Reset” or “Software Request”.
4

Add description (optional)

Explain what belongs in this category - “Requests to reset user passwords or unlock accounts”.
5

Add example phrases

Include sample phrases that represent this category:
  • “I forgot my password”
  • “Can’t log into my account”
  • “Need to reset my credentials”
6

Save category

Click Create to save the category.

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Use templates

Import pre-built category sets for common use cases. Templates provide ready-to-use categories with names, descriptions, examples, icons, and colors already configured.
1

Navigate to categories

Go to Settings > Workspaces > Categories.
2

Open templates

Click New from template.
3

Browse and select

Browse categories organized by department (IT Support, HR, Facilities, etc.) and select multiple categories to import.
4

Import categories

Click Create to add them to your workspace.
You can select up to 100 categories at once when importing from templates. After import, customize any category to match your team’s specific needs.

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Edit categories

You can modify category details at any time:
  • Name and description
  • Example phrases
  • Default category status
Changes to examples and descriptions will affect future AI classifications but won’t reclassify existing tickets.

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Default category

Every workspace requires exactly one default category. You can manually assign the default category to tickets that don’t fit into other categories.
The first category you create automatically becomes the default category. You can change this later by editing another category and marking it as default.
To change the default category:
1

Edit the category

Edit the category you want to make default.
2

Set as default

Toggle Set as default to enabled.
3

Save changes

Save changes. The previous default category is automatically unset.

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Delete categories

1

Navigate to categories

Go to Settings > Workspaces > Categories.
2

Select category

Select the category to delete.
3

Delete

Click Delete.
  • You cannot delete the default category
  • Tickets assigned to deleted categories will show “No category” until manually updated

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How classification works

When a ticket is created, Ravenna automatically analyzes its content and assigns the most appropriate category by examining the ticket’s title, description, and initial messages against your category descriptions and example phrases.
If AI can’t find a good match, the ticket remains unclassified (no category assigned). You can manually assign a category anytime, including your default category for tickets that don’t fit elsewhere.
Auto-classification only runs when tickets are first created and don’t already have a category assigned. This means:
  • Categories you manually set during ticket creation won’t be overwritten
  • Categories assigned by stay as you configured them
  • You can always manually change a category without AI changing it back

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Use categories

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View and assign categories

Categories appear on tickets in multiple places:
  • Ticket detail: Category badge displayed in ticket attributes
  • Ticket list: Category shown as a filterable column
  • Analytics: Category-based reporting and grouping
While categories are typically assigned automatically, you can manually set or change a ticket’s category:
1

Open the ticket

Open the ticket you want to categorize.
2

Click category field

Click the category field in ticket attributes.
3

Select category

Select a different category from the dropdown.
Manual assignments take precedence over auto-classification. The AI will not overwrite categories you’ve manually set.

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Filter and analyze

Use categories to filter your ticket list and focus on specific topics. Category filters work in:
  • Ticket list
  • Saved filters and views
  • dashboards
Categories enable reporting capabilities:
  • Ticket volume by category
  • Resolution time by topic
  • Category trends over time
  • Team workload by category type

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With agent rules

Categories can be referenced in to create conditional logic and automation based on ticket topics. Use @ mentions to reference categories in agent rule instructions. For example: 
When a ticket with category @Password Reset is created,
set the priority to URGENT
When you mention a category in a rule, the agent gains access to that category’s details (name, description, examples) as reference context. This helps the agent understand ticket topics and apply appropriate logic. Common patterns:
  • Auto-escalate specific categories: “When @Security Issue tickets are created, assign to Security Team”
  • Set priorities by topic: “For @Hardware Failure tickets, set priority to HIGH”
  • Conditional workflows: “If category is @Software Request, run approval workflow”

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With workflows

Categories can trigger when assigned or changed on tickets.
Learn more about Category Assigned workflow trigger
Common workflow patterns:
  • Auto-assign tickets to specialized teams based on category
  • Set priority automatically for specific category types
  • Send notifications when critical categories are assigned
  • Route tickets through approval workflows by category

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Best practices

Write effective categories

Good category descriptions help AI classify tickets accurately:
  • Be specific: “Password reset requests for user accounts”
  • Include context: “Hardware issues including laptops, monitors, and peripherals”
  • Use clear language: “Software installation and license requests”
  • Avoid overlap: Keep categories distinct from each other
Example phrases train the AI. Include 5-10 diverse examples using natural language that matches how your users actually describe issues:
  • ✅ “I can’t access my email”
  • ✅ “Locked out of my account”
  • ✅ “Need to reset my password”
  • ❌ “password” (too generic)
  • ❌ “authentication failure” (too technical)
  • Start small: Begin with 5-10 core categories. You can always add more later.
  • Avoid overlap: Keep categories distinct. “Password Issues” and “Login Problems” overlap - combine them instead.
  • Review regularly: Check tickets in your default category to spot patterns that need their own category.
  • Test and adjust: Monitor classification accuracy in the first week and refine examples as needed.
Many teams use both: categories for the primary topic (Password Reset, Hardware Issue) and tags for additional context like team ownership or urgency (IT Team, High Priority).

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Common questions

No, each ticket can only have one category assigned. This ensures clear primary classification. Use tags if you need additional labels.
The ticket remains unclassified (no category assigned). You can manually assign a category anytime, including your default category for tickets that don’t fit elsewhere.
No, classification only runs when tickets are created. To update existing tickets, manually change their categories or use bulk actions.
Add more diverse example phrases that match how your users actually describe issues. Check tickets in your default category to spot misclassifications and adjust examples accordingly.
Not directly, but you can use category templates which provide pre-configured categories. If you’ve customized categories in one workspace, you’ll need to recreate them manually in others.
Yes, tickets created from integrations (Linear, Jira, Notion) are classified the same way as tickets from other sources. The category exists only in Ravenna - it doesn’t sync back to the integration.