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Using Tags and Categories

Tags are a flexible way to label and categorize data across ZeyOS. They allow you to organize elements along multiple dimensions and quickly filter your views. Categories are a special subset of tags that appear as filter options in the sidebar.

Tagging Individual Elements​

You can assign tags to any element in its detail view:

  1. Open the element and scroll to the bottom of the Master Data section.
  2. Click into the Add Tag... field.
  3. A dropdown appears with three sections:
    • Categories — Tags that have been defined as categories for this app.
    • Common Tags — Popular tags already in use within this app.
    • Foreign Tags — Tags used in other apps.
  4. Select an existing tag from the dropdown, or type a new tag name and press Enter to create it.
  5. To remove a tag, hover over it and click the X icon.
  6. Save the element to apply your changes.
Tag dropdown open on an element's detail view, showing available tags grouped by section
Tag dropdown open on an element's detail view, showing available tags grouped by section

Tagging Multiple Elements at Once​

To add or remove tags for several elements simultaneously:

  1. In the filter view (overview), select the elements you want to tag by clicking their checkboxes.
  2. Click the Tagging button below the data table.
  3. In the dialog that appears, enter the tag you want to add or remove.
  4. Confirm to apply the change to all selected elements.
Contacts list in table view with three rows selected and the Tagging button visible in the toolbar
Contacts list in table view with three rows selected and the Tagging button visible in the toolbar
Tagging dialog: enter a tag name and choose to add or remove it from all selected elements
Tagging dialog: enter a tag name and choose to add or remove it from all selected elements

Managing Tags Globally​

You can rename or delete tags across the entire system in the Control Center under the Tags section:

  • Rename a tag: Select a tag and click Rename. All elements tagged with the old name will automatically be updated to the new name.
  • Delete tags: Select one or more tags and click Delete to remove them from all elements in the affected apps.
Tags management page in the Control Center showing all tags with their entity, usage count, and whether they are categorized
Tags management page in the Control Center showing all tags with their entity, usage count, and whether they are categorized

Categories​

The right sidebar showing the Types, Visibility, and Categories filter sections

Categories are tags that are promoted to appear as quick filter options in the filter sidebar. To create a category:

  1. In the filter view of any app, hover over Categories on the right sidebar.
  2. Click the pencil icon that appears.
  3. In the dialog, add a category name that matches an existing tag (or a tag you plan to use).
  4. The category now appears as a clickable filter option in the sidebar.

Tree-Structured Categories​

You can create hierarchical tag structures by using slashes as separators. For example:

  • Tag: Material/Metal/Silver

To display this as a tree in the categories list, add each level as a separate category:

  1. Material
  2. Material/Metal
  3. Material/Metal/Silver

Best Practices​

  • Create categories before assigning tags — If you define categories first, users can select them from the dropdown when tagging, which reduces the risk of typos and inconsistencies.
  • Do not use tags for communication — Tags are labels, not messages. If you want to notify someone about an element, use a Mindlog record instead, which supports recipients and notifications.
  • Do not use tags as status fields — Tags are freeform labels. If you need a predefined set of status options, create a custom field with a dropdown instead.
  • Keep tags focused — Not every tag needs to be a category. Categories should be reserved for the tags you frequently use for filtering.