Category Icons
This page describes how to assign icons to asset categories in xAssets. Category icons provide a visual identifier for each asset type, making it easier for users to quickly recognise the kind of asset they are viewing or working with. Icons appear in category lists, asset forms, tree views, and dashboard displays.
Prerequisites
- Configuration-level access to xAssets
- Familiarity with the category structure in your xAssets instance
Where Category Icons Appear
Icons assigned to asset categories are displayed in several places throughout the interface:
| Location | How the Icon Is Used |
|---|---|
| Category selection lists | Alongside the category name when users choose a category for a new asset |
| Asset forms | In the header area of the asset editor, identifying the asset's category |
| Tree views | Next to category nodes in hierarchical navigation trees |
| Dashboard charts | As visual markers in category-based dashboard content |
| Query results | In the category column when icons are enabled for the query |
Available Icon Sets
xAssets includes a built-in library of icons suitable for IT asset management, fixed asset management, and general enterprise use. The icon library includes:
| Icon Group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Hardware | Desktop computer, laptop, server, printer, monitor, mobile phone, tablet, network switch |
| Software | Application, licence, operating system, database |
| Infrastructure | Building, floor, room, rack, data centre |
| People | User, group, department, organisation |
| Financial | Currency, budget, invoice, purchase order |
| Status | Active, inactive, disposed, in transit, under repair |
| General | Folder, document, certificate, key, shield, warning, information |
The full icon catalogue is visible within the application when you click the icon selector on a category record. Browse the available icons there to choose the most appropriate option for each category.
Assigning an Icon to a Category
To assign or change the icon for an asset category:
- Navigate to Admin > Classification > Categories (or the equivalent classification menu in your profile).
- Select the category you want to modify.
- Open the category editor.
- Locate the Icon field.
- Click the icon selector to browse the available icons.
- Select the desired icon.
- Save the category.
The icon change takes effect immediately across the application for all users.
Tip: Choose icons that are intuitive and clearly distinguishable from each other. If you have many subcategories, use variations of the same icon theme (e.g., different device types for hardware categories) to create a visual hierarchy.
Icon Guidelines
When assigning icons, consider the following best practices:
| Guideline | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Be consistent | Use the same icon for similar categories across different profiles. If "Laptop" uses a laptop icon in the IT profile, use the same icon in the Finance profile. |
| Use meaningful icons | Choose icons that match the category name. A printer icon for a "Printers" category is more useful than an abstract geometric shape. |
| Limit visual clutter | Not every category needs a unique icon. Subcategories can inherit or share the parent category's icon if the distinction is not important. |
| Consider colour | Icons use a consistent colour scheme. The icon colour helps distinguish categories when shapes are similar. |
| Test readability | Icons appear at small sizes in tree views and lists. Ensure the selected icon is recognisable at small scale. |
Categories Without Icons
If no icon is assigned to a category, xAssets displays a default generic icon. This ensures the interface remains consistent even for categories that have not been explicitly configured.
Changing Icons in Bulk
If you need to assign icons to many categories at once (for example, during initial setup or a recategorisation project):
- Use the category list to identify all categories that need icons.
- Edit each category individually to assign the icon.
- Alternatively, use an AMSX transformation to set icon values programmatically across multiple categories.
Subcategory Icons
When a category has subcategories, each subcategory can have its own icon:
- If a subcategory has an icon assigned, that icon is used.
- If a subcategory has no icon assigned, it inherits the parent category's icon.
- If neither the subcategory nor the parent has an icon, the default generic icon is used.
This inheritance model means you only need to assign icons at the level where differentiation is needed.
Related Articles
- Menu Categories -- organising menu items into logical groups
- Profiles -- configuring the profiles where categories are used
- Forms -- how category icons appear on asset forms
- Dashboards -- how category icons appear in dashboard content