> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.flowretail.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.flowretail.com/docs/day-to-day-operations/products/categories.md). # Categories Group products into quick-access buttons for staff in the Client. A **category** is a named group of products that appears as a shortcut in the Client. They exist to save keystrokes at the till — bags, gift cards, the coffee menu, whatever your staff reach for constantly. Categories are a **sales convenience**, not a classification system. Reporting and campaigns run on product groups and brands, not on these. ## What a category holds | Field | What it is | | --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Name** | What staff see on the button | | **Products** | The products in the category | | **Parent** | Another category, if you want to nest it | | **External ID** | Your own identifier, for keeping categories in step with another system | ## Categories can nest A category can sit inside another one, so you can go from a broad button to a narrower set — *Drinks* opening onto *Coffee*, *Soft drinks*, *Beer*. Nest only as deep as your staff will actually tap; every level is another press between them and the sale. ## Categories versus product groups These are easy to confuse, and they do different jobs. | | Category | Product group | | ---------------------------- | -------------------------- | ----------------------- | | Purpose | Quick access in the Client | Reporting and campaigns | | Required on a product | No | **Yes** — exactly one | | Can a product be in several? | Yes | No | | Can they nest? | Yes | No | A product belongs to exactly one product group and that is a structural fact about it. A product can appear in as many categories as is useful, and that is just a shortcut. See Product groups. ## What this means for you * **Build categories around what staff sell often**, not around how the catalogue is organised. The catalogue is what product groups are for. * **Keep them short.** A category with eighty products in it is a scrolling list, not a shortcut. * **Use the external ID** if categories are maintained in another system, so they can be matched up rather than duplicated. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.flowretail.com/docs/day-to-day-operations/products/categories.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.