Item Categories and Subcategories

Item Categories and Subcategories

Organizing items into categories and subcategories helps you manage your inventory efficiently, generate better reports, and make it easier to find items when creating invoices or purchase orders.

What are Categories and Subcategories?

Categories are the main groups that organize your items (e.g., "Electronics", "Clothing", "Services"). Subcategories provide further organization within categories (e.g., "Electronics" → "Mobile Phones" or "Clothing" → "Shirts").

Accessing Category Management

To manage categories:

1. Navigate to Settings → Item Settings → Categories
2. Or go to Items → Categories
3. You'll see the list of existing categories

Creating a Category

To create a new category:

1. Click the "Create New" or "Add Category" button
2. Enter the Category Name (e.g., "Electronics", "Office Supplies")
3. (Optional) Enter a Description for the category
4. (Optional) Upload a Category Image or icon
5. Click "Save"

Creating Subcategories

To create a subcategory under an existing category:

1. Select the parent category from the list
2. Click "Add Subcategory" or "Create Subcategory"
3. Enter the Subcategory Name (e.g., "Mobile Phones", "Laptops")
4. Ensure the Parent Category is selected correctly
5. (Optional) Add a description
6. Click "Save"

Editing Categories

To modify an existing category:

1. Find the category in the list
2. Click "Edit" or click on the category name
3. Update the category name, description, or other details
4. Click "Update" or "Save"

Assigning Items to Categories

You can assign items to categories in several ways:

Method 1: While Creating an Item

• When creating a new item, select the category from the dropdown
• If needed, select a subcategory as well

Method 2: Editing Existing Items

1. Go to Items → Items List
2. Find and edit the item
3. Change the category and/or subcategory
4. Save the changes

Method 3: Bulk Category Assignment

• Select multiple items from the items list
• Use the bulk action option to change category
• Select the new category and apply to all selected items

Category Hierarchy Structure

A well-organized category structure might look like:

• Electronics
  • Mobile Phones
  • Laptops
  • Accessories
• Office Supplies
  • Stationery
  • Furniture
  • Equipment
• Services
  • Consulting
  • Repair Services
  • Maintenance

Benefits of Using Categories

• Better Organization: Easily find items when creating transactions
• Improved Reporting: Generate category-wise sales and purchase reports
• Stock Management: Track inventory by category
• Analytics: Analyze which categories perform best
• User Experience: Quicker item selection in POS and invoices

Best Practices

• Keep category names clear and descriptive
• Don't create too many levels of subcategories (1-2 levels is usually sufficient)
• Use consistent naming conventions across categories
• Regularly review and merge duplicate or similar categories
• Assign all items to appropriate categories for better organization
• Consider your business needs when structuring categories

Managing Categories

You can also:

• Delete Categories: Remove categories that are no longer needed (ensure no items are assigned first)
• Merge Categories: Combine similar categories to streamline organization
• Reorder Categories: Arrange categories in the order that makes sense for your business

Related Topics

After setting up categories, you may want to:

• Create items and assign them to categories
• Generate category-wise sales reports
• Set up category-specific pricing or discounts