Managing category display settings for booking page layouts

The way categories appear on your booking page directly affects how guests browse your inventory. A well-chosen display option makes it easier for Customers to discover offerings, compare options, and complete bookings quickly.

Learn more about the category display option for the Booking Page, including tabs, dropdown, and grid, with step-by-step instructions. Discover how to select default categories and show a category index.

New to the Booking Page? Read the first article in this series for an introduction to the Booking Page.

Accessing the features mentioned in this article

Where can I find this feature using the top menu?

• Manage > Layout > Booking Page
   

What more do I need to use this feature?

• Admin permissions to configure Booking Page options.
   

Which Checkfront version supports this feature - classic items, classic products, or both?

• This feature is available in both our classic items version, using classic items (Inventory > Items), and our classic products version, using classic products (Inventory > Products).  → Learn more about products

Category display determines how the categories you create for your items/products display to your Customers in the booking portal. You have 3 choices - Tabs, Drop-down, or Grid (Hero Page layout only). 

Detail Booking Page	Hero Booking Page

The Tabs option displays your categories in a tabular format across the top of your item/product list.

Tabs are most effective when you have fewer than 6 categories. With more, tabs may warp or feel cluttered.

Detail Booking Page	Hero Booking Page

The Drop-down option is an alternative to tabs and is best for businesses with 6 or more categories.

Categories are displayed in a select box with a drop-down menu, located just above the date. You can display as many categories as needed.

3. Displaying categories using grids

Back to top

 

The Grid pattern is the third layout option. It is available only for the Hero Page.  

Rather than displaying the category tabs as a menu, a beautiful grid showcases them visually, highlighting your different categories in a stunning way.  

You can upload a unique image for each category.

Learn more about categories For a detailed look at changing the order of your categories, check out the following article: Creating a new Inventory Category

1. Go to Manage > Layout > Booking Page.
2. Scroll to the Category Display setting.
3. Select the checkboxes for:
   1. Tabs
   2. Drop-down
   3. Grid (Available for Hero Page layouts only)
4. Click the Save button to apply your changes.
5. Preview your Booking Page (desktop and mobile) to confirm the search bar looks and works as expected.

Using the Category Default drop-down menu, you can choose which category is automatically shown to your Customers when they arrive at your Booking page. The drop-down list includes all your active categories, plus the following options:

*Show all 

You can select Show All to list all your items/products on one page. Customers can search by an individual category, but their initial view is all items/products.   

You can select the option Show  Category Index to provide the Customer with a list of the available categories when they arrive at your booking portal. They can click on one of these categories to see the items/ products.

Alternatively, you can set your default category view as one of the individual categories in your account. Select this from the list, shown to your Customers when they arrive at the booking page. This is great for providing your Customers with a quick view of the options in a specific category.

Hidden or archived categories Only categories that are not hidden or archived and have visible items within them appear on the Booking Page. Depending on your layout settings, a category may not appear if no inventory is available or sold out for the selected date(s).

Category display options This setting only applies to the Tabs and Drop-down category display options.

1. Go to Manage > Layout > Booking Page.
2. Scroll to the Category Default setting.
3. Select one of the following options:
   1. {from your categories}
   2. *show all
   3. show category index
4. Click the Save button to apply your changes.
5. Preview your Booking Page (desktop and mobile) to confirm the category defaults look and work as expected.

Next Steps

The following article explains the grid layout setting and related options.

< Managing hero page settings for booking layouts     |     Managing grid settings for booking page layouts >