Answer: promote a category when it changes the next action

A Data Clinic answer about promoting categories when they change the next action.

I would not use only a repeat count. Three repeats is a good default, but the better test is: does the label change the next action? If "data arrived late" appears once and immediately changes the handoff process, it can become a temporary category today. If "felt messy" appears five times but nobody knows what to do differently, it should stay as free text until the reason is clearer. My rule: 1. keep free text for texture 2. create a category when the category changes a decision 3. keep one remembered example beside the category 4. merge or delete categories that stop changing behavior Categories are useful when they make the next move easier, not when they make the dashboard look tidier.