Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to categorize items. A disclosed example method involves converting a natural language product description associated with a transaction record that does not include indexable identifiers to create input data comprising product descriptors. The method also involves generating a first confidence level associated with a first candidate category based on ones of the product descriptors having a first weighted value associated with the first candidate category. The example method also includes generating a second confidence level associated with a second candidate category based on ones of the product descriptors having a second weighted value associated with the second candidate category, and assigning the product to one of the first or second candidate categories based on a difference between the first and second confidence levels.