Completing a device's details with the Device Catalogue
How front desk staff and technicians pick a Device Catalogue entry for a device, fix the "device lacks information" warning on an order, and add a missing model.
Written by Annukka Matilainen
Updated at November 4th, 2026
Audience: front desk staff, service advisors and technicians who check devices in and work on repairs.
When your account is on the Device Catalogue, every device you save in Fixably is linked to an entry in the catalogue, such as Apple › Phone › iPhone › iPhone 14. That link decides which queue the repair goes to and which spare parts are suggested. This article shows what changes on the device forms, what to do when an order warns that a device is missing details, and what to do when a model is not in the catalogue yet.
Device Catalogue availability: the Device Catalogue is being switched on account by account: Enterprise and Depot customers first, then Premium and Basic. If your device forms still show the older brand, model, colour and capacity fields, your account has not been moved over yet and nothing in this article applies to you yet. Your administrator sets up the catalogue itself; see Setting up the Device Catalogue.
Prefer to watch? Here's a 2-minute video walkthrough.
What changes on the device forms
The New device form, the device Edit form and the device step of a check-in macro all have these fields:
| Field | What it is |
|---|---|
| Device Catalogue (required) | The catalogue entry for the device. It decides the queue and the parts suggested for the repair. |
| Brand, Category, Sub-Category, Model | What the device itself is. For a new device they are filled in from the catalogue entry you pick. |
| Properties | Details of this particular device, such as Colour, Capacity and Model code. Click Add property for anything else. |
Users who are allowed to manage the catalogue also see a Create device catalogue button under the Device Catalogue field.
Checking in a new device
- Enter the serial number or IMEI as usual. If Fixably already knows the device, the whole form fills in: check it and continue.
- In Device Catalogue, start typing the model (for example iPhone 15) and pick the entry from the list.
- The Brand, Category, Sub-Category and Model fill in from the entry. Add the colour and capacity under Properties if you record them.
- Continue with the rest of the check-in.
A device that is new to Fixably needs all four of brand, category, sub-category and model. If the entry you picked does not fill them all (for example, you picked Apple › Phone › iPhone without a model), choose the rest from the lists.
When an order says the device is missing information
Devices checked in before your account moved to the Device Catalogue, or saved by an integration or an import, can be missing their catalogue entry or one of the four levels. The device card on the order then shows a warning such as This device lacks information: device catalogue, category, sub-category. If the device has a brand or model Fixably does not recognise, the warning quotes it, for example This device's model "iPhone 14" is not recognised and needs to be fixed.
The warning does not stop you working on the order and does not change its queue. To fix it:
- Click Complete the device in the warning. The device's edit form opens on the right.
- In Device Catalogue, type the model and pick the entry. If it is not in the list, see the next section.
- Fill in the empty Category, Sub-Category and Model fields from the lists. On an existing device these are the device's own fields and are not filled in for you.
- Click Save. The warning disappears and the device card shows the full details.
If you are not allowed to edit devices, the warning tells you who can.
When the model is not in the catalogue yet
If you see the Create device catalogue button:
- Click Create device catalogue under the Device Catalogue field.
- Choose the Brand, Category and Sub-Category from the lists, and type or pick the Model Name. Pick existing names from the lists so you do not add a second spelling of a brand.
- If Fixably fills in suggested Features (such as the screen size) and the entry should cover every device of that model, remove them with the x buttons.
- Leave Queue empty unless your administrator has told you otherwise; the model then uses the queue set for its sub-category or category.
- Click Save. The new entry is picked for the device straight away.
If you do not see the button: ask your administrator to add the model to the Device Catalogue. They can also give your role the Manage device catalogue permission.
Changing the catalogue entry of a device
On the device's Edit form you can pick another catalogue entry, for example to move it to the right model. That changes the queue and parts suggestions for future repairs; it does not change the device's own brand, category, sub-category or model. Change those fields too if they are wrong. A level a device already has can be changed but not cleared.
Common messages
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| Select a device catalogue | Every device needs one, older devices included. Pick an entry; nothing you typed is lost. If it is missing, create it or ask your administrator. |
| Brand, category, sub-category and model are required | A device new to Fixably needs all four. Choose the ones the entry did not fill in. |
| A brand, category, sub-category or model this device already has cannot be left empty | Pick another value instead of clearing the field. |
| The serial number filled in the whole form | Fixably already knows this device. Check the details and continue. |