Expose Component Category Field in Catalog View

[ben.saa]

In Autodesk Spec Editor 2026, the component category selected during creation (e.g., “Fittings,” “Miscellaneous,” “Fasteners”) is not visible in the catalog view after the component is added. This makes it difficult to verify or filter components by their correct classification.

While it’s possible to search using keywords, this requires memorizing category names and manually cross-referencing descriptions, which is time-consuming and error-prone.

Suggestion:
Add a dedicated, visible, and filterable column for “Component Category” in the Spec Editor catalog and specification views to:

• Improve data consistency

• Reduce misclassification errors

This small addition would significantly improve usability for spec administrators and reduce confusion in collaborative workflows.

[SteveHartley]

Reverting back to 2024 spec editor that I have installed - Sometimes im amazed how this basic feature gets removed? 

[damian_willcox]

Hi @ben.saa 

The 2027.1 update for Plant 3D released today - The Filter row control toggle has moved, and the part category field is within the table now for filtering, along with some other additions such as spec size filtering and property overrides.

The Spec Editor revamp was a large overhaul, and now supports drag and drop from the Catalog Browser to the Spec, multi selection in many areas, and a number of other refinements. There are more refinements we have planned, but appreciate the feedback as we go - and yes, using the previous version is still an option.

Thanks.