diff --git a/copier.yml b/copier.yml
index cd9b6730..84dec3b4 100644
--- a/copier.yml
+++ b/copier.yml
@@ -61,9 +61,37 @@ author_email:
 component_owner:
     type: str
     help: |
-        Owner of the component in the Developer Portal Software Catalogue.
-        This will normally be group:default/<your_group>
-    default: "group:default/sscc"
+        The unique name of the person or group who owns this component in 
+        the Developer Portal Software Catalogue.
+        This will normally be group:default/<your_group>. For a full list of groups visit 
+        https://dev-portal.diamond.ac.uk/catalog?filters%5Bkind%5D=group&filters%5Buser%5D=all
+        and hover over each group link to see its group ID, e.g.
+        https://dev-portal.diamond.ac.uk/catalog/default/group/accelerator-controls
+        would go here as group:default/accelerator-controls.
+        
+
+component_type:
+    type: str
+    help: |
+        Type of the component in the Developer Portal Software Catalogue.
+        Most likely service, library or application (without quotes).
+    choices:
+        - library
+        - service
+        - user-interface
+        - website
+    default: library
+
+component_lifecycle:
+    type: str
+    help: |
+        Project's current lifecycle stage, to be displayed in the Developer 
+        Portal Software Catalogue.
+    choices:
+        - experimental
+        - production
+        - deprecated
+    default: experimental
 
 # Template Options
 docker:
diff --git a/example-answers.yml b/example-answers.yml
index 8a94d7d4..0ff28f7f 100644
--- a/example-answers.yml
+++ b/example-answers.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 author_email: tom.cobb@diamond.ac.uk
 author_name: Tom Cobb
-component_owner: group:default/sscc
+component_owner: group:default/daq
+component_type: service
+component_lifecycle: experimental
 description: An expanded https://github.com/DiamondLightSource/python-copier-template to illustrate how it looks with all the options enabled.
 distribution_name: dls-python-copier-template-example
 docker: true
diff --git a/template/catalog-info.yaml.jinja b/template/catalog-info.yaml.jinja
index 84c68b35..f58977e0 100644
--- a/template/catalog-info.yaml.jinja
+++ b/template/catalog-info.yaml.jinja
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ metadata:
   title: {{ repo_name }}
   description: {{ description }}
 spec:
-  type: documentation
-  lifecycle: experimental
+  type: {{ component_type }}
+  lifecycle: {{ component_lifecycle }}
   owner: {{ component_owner }}
diff --git a/tests/test_example.py b/tests/test_example.py
index 185a588c..e772a833 100644
--- a/tests/test_example.py
+++ b/tests/test_example.py
@@ -163,3 +163,26 @@ def test_works_in_pyright_strict_mode(tmp_path: Path):
     # Ensure pyright is still happy
     run = make_venv(tmp_path)
     run(f"./venv/bin/pyright {tmp_path}")
+
+
+def test_catalog_info(tmp_path: Path):
+    copy_project(tmp_path)
+    catalog_info_path = tmp_path / "catalog-info.yaml"
+    with catalog_info_path.open("r") as stream:
+        catalog_info = yaml.safe_load(stream)
+    assert catalog_info == {
+        "apiVersion": "backstage.io/v1alpha1",
+        "kind": "Component",
+        "metadata": {
+            "name": "dls-python-copier-template-example",
+            "title": "python-copier-template-example",
+            "description": "An expanded "
+            "https://github.com/DiamondLightSource/python-copier-template "
+            "to illustrate how it looks with all the options enabled.",
+        },
+        "spec": {
+            "type": "service",
+            "lifecycle": "experimental",
+            "owner": "group:default/daq",
+        },
+    }