diff --git a/enrol/database/lang/en/enrol_database.php b/enrol/database/lang/en/enrol_database.php
index 18f642058ee..b423c7bc5b4 100644
--- a/enrol/database/lang/en/enrol_database.php
+++ b/enrol/database/lang/en/enrol_database.php
@@ -44,12 +44,13 @@ $string['defaultrole'] = 'Default role';
 $string['defaultrole_desc'] = 'The role that will be assigned by default if no other role is specified in external table.';
 $string['ignorehiddencourses'] = 'Ignore hidden courses';
 $string['ignorehiddencourses_desc'] = 'If enabled users will not be enrolled on courses that are set to be unavailable to students.';
+$string['localcategoryfield'] = 'Local category field';
 $string['localcoursefield'] = 'Local course field';
 $string['localrolefield'] = 'Local role field';
 $string['localuserfield'] = 'Local user field';
 $string['newcoursetable'] = 'Remote new courses table';
 $string['newcoursetable_desc'] = 'Specify of the name of the table that contains list of courses that should be created automatically. Empty means no courses are created.';
-$string['newcoursecategory'] = 'New course category id field';
+$string['newcoursecategory'] = 'New course category field';
 $string['newcoursefullname'] = 'New course full name field';
 $string['newcourseidnumber'] = 'New course ID number field';
 $string['newcourseshortname'] = 'New course short name field';
diff --git a/enrol/database/lib.php b/enrol/database/lib.php
index f0aa36413c6..b77a4eacc9a 100644
--- a/enrol/database/lib.php
+++ b/enrol/database/lib.php
@@ -622,6 +622,8 @@ class enrol_database_plugin extends enrol_plugin {
         $idnumber  = strtolower($this->get_config('newcourseidnumber'));
         $category  = strtolower($this->get_config('newcoursecategory'));
 
+        $localcategoryfield = $this->get_config('localcategoryfield', 'id');
+
         $sqlfields = array($fullname, $shortname);
         if ($category) {
             $sqlfields[] = $category;
@@ -653,9 +655,9 @@ class enrol_database_plugin extends enrol_plugin {
                         }
                         continue;
                     }
-                    if ($category and !$DB->record_exists('course_categories', array('id'=>$fields[$category]))) {
+                    if ($category and !$coursecategory = $DB->get_record('course_categories', array($localcategoryfield=>$fields[$category]), 'id')) {
                         if ($verbose) {
-                            mtrace('  error: invalid category id, can not create course: '.$fields[$shortname]);
+                            mtrace('  error: invalid category '.$localcategoryfield.', can not create course: '.$fields[$shortname]);
                         }
                         continue;
                     }
@@ -663,7 +665,7 @@ class enrol_database_plugin extends enrol_plugin {
                     $course->fullname  = $fields[$fullname];
                     $course->shortname = $fields[$shortname];
                     $course->idnumber  = $idnumber ? $fields[$idnumber] : NULL;
-                    $course->category  = $category ? $fields[$category] : NULL;
+                    $course->category  = $category ? $coursecategory->id : NULL;
                     $createcourses[] = $course;
                 }
             }
diff --git a/enrol/database/settings.php b/enrol/database/settings.php
index f75afe63670..369bd3952ea 100644
--- a/enrol/database/settings.php
+++ b/enrol/database/settings.php
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ if ($ADMIN->fulltree) {
     $options = array('id'=>'id', 'shortname'=>'shortname', 'fullname'=>'fullname');
     $settings->add(new admin_setting_configselect('enrol_database/localrolefield', get_string('localrolefield', 'enrol_database'), '', 'shortname', $options));
 
+    $options = array('id'=>'id', 'idnumber'=>'idnumber');
+    $settings->add(new admin_setting_configselect('enrol_database/localcategoryfield', get_string('localcategoryfield', 'enrol_database'), '', 'id', $options));
 
 
     $settings->add(new admin_setting_heading('enrol_database_remoteheader', get_string('settingsheaderremote', 'enrol_database'), ''));
diff --git a/enrol/database/version.php b/enrol/database/version.php
index c1a28206e95..6f085ff61ee 100644
--- a/enrol/database/version.php
+++ b/enrol/database/version.php
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
-$plugin->version   = 2012022700;        // The current plugin version (Date: YYYYMMDDXX)
+$plugin->version   = 2012031000;        // The current plugin version (Date: YYYYMMDDXX)
 $plugin->requires  = 2012022300;        // Requires this Moodle version
 $plugin->component = 'enrol_database';  // Full name of the plugin (used for diagnostics)
 //TODO: should we add cron sync?
\ No newline at end of file