Hello there, Saleshandy users! 👋
Ever wished you could organize your prospect board around your outreach process instead of a fixed, one-size-fits-all pipeline?
That's exactly what "Categorize By" does in Saleshandy CRM.
It lets you choose how your Kanban columns are grouped, whether by built-in system stages or custom stages you create yourself.
(You can also watch our video to get started quickly!)
What is "Categorize By"?
"Categorize By" is a dropdown selector at the top of your Kanban view that controls how your Kanban columns are organized.
The category you select determines the column headers you see on your Kanban board. Each column represents a stage, and prospects sit in the column that matches their current status for that category.
Types of Categories
1️⃣ System Categories (Built-in)
These come pre-built with Saleshandy and are based on your outreach data. You cannot rename, add, or delete their columns, but you can reorder, hide, and change their colors.
There are three System Categories:
System Category | What It Tracks | Example Columns |
Prospect Outcome | The outcome of your outreach (auto-updated based on sequence activity) | Uncategorized, Interested, Not Interested, Meeting Booked, Closed, etc. |
Prospect Status | The current status of the prospect in the sequence | Not Contacted, Contacted, Replied, Bounced, Unsubscribed, etc. |
Call Outcome | The result of calls made to the prospect | Interested, Not Interested, No Answer, Callback Later, Wrong Number, etc. |
⚠️ Important:
When prospects are categorized by Prospect Status or Call Outcome, you cannot manually drag cards between columns. These stages update automatically based on system activity.
If a prospect is not part of any sequence, they can't be moved across Kanban columns when using System Categories, since there's no sequence step or outcome to update in the backend.
2️⃣ Custom Categories (You Create These)
This is where Saleshandy CRM gets really flexible. You can create your own categories with custom columns that match your unique outreach workflow.
For example:
"Lead Stage" → Columns: Cold, Warm, Hot, Qualified, Closed
"Deal Pipeline" → Columns: Prospecting, Qualification, Proposal, Negotiation, Won
"Engagement Level" → Columns: No Response, Opened, Clicked, Replied, Booked
With Custom Categories, you get full control. You can rename columns, add new ones, reorder, change colors, and hide stages.
How to Create a New Category
🪜 Steps to Follow
Step 1️⃣: Open the "Categorize By" Dropdown
Go to your Kanban view and click the "Categorize by" dropdown at the top of the board.
Step 2️⃣: Click "Add Category"
At the bottom of the dropdown, you'll see the "Add Category" option. Click it.
Step 3️⃣: Name Your Category
A prompt will appear asking you to enter a category name.
By default, the system assigns a name like "New category - 29th Sept | 11:04" - but you should rename it to something meaningful (e.g., "Deal Stage", "Lead Temperature", "Client Pipeline").
Step 4️⃣: Define Your Columns
Now, set up the columns (stages) for this category. You can:
➕ Add columns - Create as many stages as you need (up to 50 columns per category)
🔀 Reorder columns - Drag them into the right sequence
🗑️ Delete columns - Remove ones you don't need (while creating)
For example, if your category is "Deal Stage", your columns could be:
Prospecting
Qualification
Proposal Sent
Negotiation
Closed Won
Closed Lost
Step 5️⃣: Save & Apply
Once you save, your new category is ready! Here's what happens behind the scenes:
✅ The category name becomes a custom field (dropdown type) in your prospect fields
✅ Each column name becomes a dropdown value for that field
✅ The Kanban board instantly switches to display your new category's columns
🎉 That's it! Your custom category is live.
How to Edit Custom Categories
Once created, you can further customize your category's columns:
From the Kanban Board Directly
Action | How to Do It |
Reorder columns | Drag and drop columns to change their position |
Change column color | Click the column header menu and pick a new color |
Hide/Show columns | Use the column header menu to toggle visibility |
Add a new column | Click the "Add New Column" button after the last column on the right side of the board |
To Rename a Column
Column names cannot be renamed directly from the Kanban board. To rename:
Go to the "Categorize by" dropdown menu, OR
Navigate to “Custom Fields in your settings
From there, you can edit the dropdown values (column names) for your custom category.
How to Delete a Custom Category or Column
Deleting a Specific Column (Dropdown Value)
Before you can delete a column, you must first reassign all prospects in that column to another column. Once no prospects are linked to it, you can delete the dropdown value from the Custom Fields settings.
Deleting an Entire Custom Category
Custom categories cannot be deleted directly from the "Categorize by" section. To delete one:
Go to Custom Fields in your settings
Find the dropdown field that corresponds to your category
Delete it from there
⚠️ Important: Make sure all prospects are reassigned before deleting any options or the entire category.
Good to Know 💡
Here are a few key behaviors to keep in mind:
Your category choice is personal. When you select a category on a view, it's saved just for you. Other team members can select a different category on the same view; each person's choice is remembered individually.
Your last selection sticks. If you switch away from a view and come back later, the category you last selected will be automatically applied.
New views default to System Categories. Every newly created Kanban view starts with System Categories (Prospect Outcome) by default. You can switch to any custom category from the dropdown.
One Kanban per custom category. For each custom category, only one Kanban is created. You can't create duplicate Kanbans for the same category.
Adding a column from the board = adding a dropdown value. When you click "Add New Column" on the Kanban, it also adds that value to the corresponding custom dropdown field automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What's the difference between System Categories and Custom Categories?
System Categories are built-in (Prospect Outcome, Prospect Status, Call Outcome), and their columns can't be renamed or expanded. Custom Categories are created by you with full control over column names, order, colors, and visibility.
Q: Can I have multiple custom categories?
Yes! You can create as many custom categories as you need. Each one becomes a separate dropdown custom field. Switch between them using the "Categorize by" dropdown.
Q: If I change column order or color, does it affect my teammates?
Yes. Column-level changes (color, order, visibility) are account-wide. All users who access that view will see the same changes. But the category selection itself is personal to each user.
Q: How many columns can I have per category?
Up to 50 columns per dropdown field.
Q: Will creating a custom category affect my prospect data?
No. It adds a new dropdown field to your prospect records, but it doesn't modify any existing data. Prospects that don't have a value for the new field will appear in the "Unassigned" column.
👉 Next Steps
Now that you understand categories, check out these related guides:
💡 Tip
Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. We're available on chat and ready to provide you with prompt assistance. 🤗
Wishing you a delightful experience! ❤️
Happy Selling! 🚀
Warmest regards, Saleshandy Team