FSM Backend Category Organizer

FSM Backend Category Organizer allows you to group and organize the categories (or any other user-created hierarchical taxonomy) on the post editing page, making it easier to sort through them in environments where there is a large number of categories.

The limitations of WordPress in assigning categories

By default, the WordPress category assignment box shows the categories in a list format only. This method can cause usability problems in environments with a lot of categories, especially when the users must scroll down a lot to see all of them.

Additionally, it’s impossible to check at a glance all the categories that have already been assigned, due to the small dimensions of the box.

The FSM Backend Category Organizer solution

FSM Backend Category Organizer allows you to present the categories and another taxonomy items in a different and more organized way. Any main taxonomy item can become a tab that will display only their sub-items, separately from the rest. You can create as many item-tabs as you wish and order them however you want, or you can just create a list of all the first level categories in the current taxonomy (containing at least one child) by clicking the “Populate” button.

All assigned items can be viewed at a glance in a list format, regardless of which tab has been marked. They can also be deselected quickly from this list.

The plugin also allows you to show and hide the standard “All Categories” tab.

Translations

The plugin comes up with 3 complete translations:

• English (en)
• Spanish (es_ES)
• Catalan (ca)

Some tips

You can move the new taxonomy assignment box to any position within the post editing page. We recommend to drag it to the main column, the widest, for a better fit.

Coming soon

• On the fly tab auto-generator.
• Mix categories in any group, no matter their hierarchies.
• Control which users can organize categories.
• (Got more ideas? We are open to hear!)

1. For a manual update: Disable the plugin if already installed
2. Upload fsm-backend-category-organizer to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory
3. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
4. Go to Settings -> FSM Backend Category Organizer. Here you can start the plugin and choose which categories you want to organize.

In what cases can this plugin be useful?

In environments with large amounts of hierarchical categories, such as lists of geographical areas, catalogs of books or films, thematic sections of news, etc.

Does this plugin modify how the categories are displayed in the public area?

Absolutely not. The organization only affects how the categories and taxonomies on the post edition page.

What happens to my categories if I deactivate or uninstall the plugin?

Nothing will happen since the plugin does not change the real hierarchy of the categories. It only displays them more efficiently.

The plugin is activated but doesn’t do anything / only works for categories, not on other taxonomies

Please note that by default everything comes inactive and each taxonomy (even categories) must be activated individually from the options page. Just select the taxonomy you want to enable in the dropdown, press the “Select” button and check the first option (also make sure you added at least one category to the category box).

My custom taxonomy does not appear in the dropdown / there is no dropdown

The plugin only shows taxonomies defined as hierarchical. If you only have categories, the dropdown will not appear as it is not necessary.

Is it compatible with WPML?

Yes, the plugin uses the language you defined in WPML as your primary language to organize the taxonomies but shows them translated in the post edit page if the editor is using a different language.

Is it compatible with CPT UI or custom created taxonomies?

Yes, since version 1.10 as long as you defined the new taxonomies as hierarchical (so that they can have parent-child relationships). If you have more than one taxonomy, a drop down will appear on top of the page to configure each of them.

1. 

   Plugin configuration panel.

2. 

   Plugin in the post edit page.

1.15

• Added populate button

1.10

• Added support for custom taxonomies
• Modified some variable names
• Added an update function
• Some cleanup

1.02

• Minor changes / code cleanup

1.01

• Minor text domain / localization changes
• Removed duplicated “all categories” tab

1.0

• First release.