--- title: Categorizations Overview description: Categorizations are a great way to group, sort, and filter your cost data and Items within Join. --- [Skip to content](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/categorizations#main-content) [Contact Join Support](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) [![Join Help Center](https://success.join.build/hubfs/Join%20Help%20Center.svg)](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge?hsLang=en) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Contact Join Support](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/kb-tickets/new) - [Login](https://app.join.build/) [Login](https://app.join.build/) Hi! 👋 How can we help? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Join - Help Center](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge?hsLang=en) 2. [Project Settings](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en) 3. [Categorizations](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en#categorizations) # Categorizations Overview ## Categorizations are a great way to group, sort, and filter your cost data and Items within Join. Join uses Categorizationsto create any work breakdown structure needed for a project. Creating and utilizing these Categorizations to classify your Estimates, Budgets, and Items will allow you to pivot information in powerful ways quickly. Join offers Group By, Sort By, and Filter functions found throughout the app to organize the data and effectively present ideas to your team. Once organized, these custom views can be saved by [creating a custom report](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/create-a-custom-report?hsLang=en). ### Categorizations Versus Categories In Join, you'll see references to both Categorizations and Categories. A “Category” is like a custom tag that can be applied to any cost line item or Item, and a “Categorization” is a group of related Categories. Categorizations function similarly to and are often synonymous with Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) in estimating platforms; however, they are more flexible in their usage. For example, if you wanted to break down the costs of your estimate by the areas of a project, you could create a Categorization called "Location" with Categories of “Building”, “Site”, “Parking Garage”, etc. Categorizations can also be Item-specific. For example, if you wanted to rank Items based on their level of importance or priority, you could create a “Priority Level” Categorization with Categories of “High”, “Medium”, and “Low”. ### Company Standard Categorizations Versus Project Categorizations Categorizations can be created at the company level or the project level. [Company standard Categorizations](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/standard-categorizations?hsLang=en) are created by [Join company administrators](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/company-administration-overview?hsLang=en) and will be included in all new projects by default to help ensure consistency across the company (e.g., MasterFormat or UniFormat). [Project-level Categorizations](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-custom-categories?hsLang=en) can be created on any project and are usually specific to that project (e.g., Location). ### **Single-level Versus Multi-level Categorizations** Join supports both single-level and multi-level Categorizations. #### Single-level Categorizations Single-level Categorizations have no hierarchy, and all codes will appear as a list in a single column. Single-level Categorizations can be imported or created manually. ![](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-09-2025-10-42-58-3191-PM.png?width=596&height=620&name=image-png-Dec-09-2025-10-42-58-3191-PM.png) #### Multi-level Categorizations Multi-level Categorizations contain a hierarchy and allow for several WBS codes to be combined into a single column with relationships between each level. Multi-level Categorizations are limited to four levels. The most common examples are MasterFormat and UniFormat. Multi-level Categorizations must be imported and cannot be created manually. Multi-level categorizations can be easily identified by the ![multi-level categorization](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-09-2025-10-53-04-7188-PM.png?width=24&height=24&name=image-png-Dec-09-2025-10-53-04-7188-PM.png) icon. ![](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-09-2025-10-49-27-2799-PM.png?width=594&height=889&name=image-png-Dec-09-2025-10-49-27-2799-PM.png) ### Categorization Types Categorization Types control where a Categorization appears and how it is used. While some standards, like MasterFormat, apply globally, others may be relevant only to specific areas (e.g., Risk Type). Assigning a type prevents irrelevant Categorizations from appearing where they aren't needed, keeping the interface clean. The three Categorization Types are: - Estimates - Items - Risks ![](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-09-2025-11-09-07-1497-PM.png?width=670&height=234&name=image-png-Dec-09-2025-11-09-07-1497-PM.png) ### Example Categorizations Here are some of the Categorizationswe commonly see used in Join.  - UniFormat - MasterFormat - Building Area - Priority Level - Reason for Change - Cost Confidence - Target Value Design (TVD) Cluster - Alternate - Phase - Bid Package - Ball-in-Court - Risk Type - [Getting Started with Join](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-join?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Join Overview](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-join?hsLang=en#join-overview) - [I'm a new Join user](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-join?hsLang=en#im-a-new-join-user) - [My company is new to Join](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-join?hsLang=en#my-company-is-new-to-join) - [I want to use Join on my project](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-join?hsLang=en#i-want-to-use-join-on-my-project) - [Workflow Best Practices](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-join?hsLang=en#workflow-best-practices) - [Getting Started for Project Admins](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-join?hsLang=en#getting-started-for-project-admins) - [Getting Started for General Contractors](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-join?hsLang=en#getting-started-for-general-contractors) - [Getting Started for Design Team Members](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-join?hsLang=en#getting-started-for-design-team-members) - [Getting Started for Owners](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/getting-started-with-join?hsLang=en#getting-started-for-owners) - [Product Updates](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/product-updates?hsLang=en#main-content) - [What's New](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/product-updates?hsLang=en#whats-new) - [Early Access](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/product-updates?hsLang=en#early-access) - [Join for Pursuit](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/join-for-pursuit?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Pursuit Resources](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/join-for-pursuit?hsLang=en#pursuit-resources) - [Dashboard](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/dashboard?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Dashboard](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/dashboard?hsLang=en#dashboard) - [Charts](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/dashboard?hsLang=en#charts) - [Milestones](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/milestones?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Milestones](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/milestones?hsLang=en#milestones) - [Estimates and Budgets](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/milestones?hsLang=en#estimates-and-budgets) - [Importing](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/milestones?hsLang=en#importing) - [Items](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/items?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Items](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/items?hsLang=en#items) - [Options](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/items?hsLang=en#options) - [Status](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/items?hsLang=en#status) - [Scenarios](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/items?hsLang=en#scenarios) - [Item Library](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/items?hsLang=en#item-library) - [Schedule Impact](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/items?hsLang=en#schedule-impact) - [Ideas](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/items?hsLang=en#ideas) - [Markups](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/markups?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Markups](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/markups?hsLang=en#markups) - [Milestone Markups](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/markups?hsLang=en#milestone-markups) - [Item Markups](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/markups?hsLang=en#item-markups) - [Contingencies and Allowances](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/markups?hsLang=en#contingencies-and-allowances) - [Cost Display Settings](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/markups?hsLang=en#cost-display-settings) - [Risk Register](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/risk-register?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Risk Register](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/risk-register?hsLang=en#risk-register) - [Timeline](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/timeline?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Timeline](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/timeline?hsLang=en#timeline) - [Reports](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/reports?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Reporting](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/reports?hsLang=en#reporting) - [Customizable Reports](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/reports?hsLang=en#customizable-reports) - [Team](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/team?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Team](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/team?hsLang=en#team) - [Roles and Permissions](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/team?hsLang=en#roles-and-permissions) - [Project Settings](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Project Settings](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en#project-settings) - [Categorizations](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en#categorizations) - [Units of Measure](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en#units-of-measure) - [Item Schedule Impact and Display](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en#item-schedule-impact-and-display) - [Default Item Template](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en#default-item-template) - [Notifications](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en#notifications) - [Print Header](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en#print-header) - [Customize Display](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en#customize-display) - [Projects and Programs](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/projects-and-programs?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Projects and Programs](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/projects-and-programs?hsLang=en#projects-and-programs) - [Projects](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/projects-and-programs?hsLang=en#projects) - [Programs](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/projects-and-programs?hsLang=en#programs) - [Company Settings](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/company-settings?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Company Settings](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/company-settings?hsLang=en#company-settings) - [Company Standards](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/company-settings?hsLang=en#company-standards) - [Join Benchmarking](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/join-benchmarking?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Project Comparisons Report](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/join-benchmarking?hsLang=en#project-comparisons-report) - [Join Insights](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/join-insights?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Join Insights](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/join-insights?hsLang=en#join-insights) - [Integrations](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/integrations?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Integrations](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/integrations?hsLang=en#integrations) - [Security](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/security?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Frequently Asked Questions](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/security?hsLang=en#frequently-asked-questions) - [Single Sign-on](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/security?hsLang=en#single-sign-on) - [AI](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/ai?hsLang=en) [![Artboard 3@4x-8](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/Artboard%203@4x-8.png?width=100&height=69&name=Artboard%203@4x-8.png "Artboard 3@4x-8")](https://join.build) © 2026 - Join | All rights reserved.