Organize the catalog with categories and brands

Every item belongs to one category, and a category can sit under a parent. A clear category tree makes items easy to find, filter and report on. Brands add a second, independent way to group items.

Create a category

1. Open Inventory › Catalog › Categories. The Categories list shows each category with its code and parent.

2. Select Add category.

1. Enter the Name and, if you use them, a short Code and a Description.

2. To place it under another category, choose it in Parent category ID. Leave it empty for a top-level category.

3. Select Save.

Build the top level first, for example Beverages and Snacks, then add the child categories under each one.

Edit or deactivate a category

• Open the row menu and select Edit to rename it or move it under another parent.

• Select Delete and confirm Deactivate category to retire it. It no longer appears when you choose a category, and items already in it keep it.

Brands

1. Open Inventory › Catalog › Brands.

2. Select Add brand, enter the Name and select Save.

To retire a brand, open its row menu, select Delete and confirm Deactivate brand. Items that carry it keep showing it.

Choose the brand on the item form. The Brand column of the items list then lets you scan a brand's products quickly.

Tips

• Keep category names short and consistent. They appear on reports and in filters.

• Use categories for what a product is, and brands for who makes it.

• To load a large catalog, import categories from Excel together with your items. See Import items and categories from Excel.

Common questions

Can I delete a category that has items? Deleting deactivates it. The items stay in it, and past documents and reports are not affected. Move the items to another category from their edit form if you need to.

Do brands affect prices or stock? No. A brand is a label for grouping and searching.