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Categories

Categories Overview​

Categories Panel

The Categories Panel allows administrators to organize products into a structured hierarchy.
Categories play a critical role in product discovery, filtering, navigation, and reporting across the eShop platform.

Every product must be assigned to a category to ensure it appears correctly on the storefront and in search results.

Why Categories Are Important​

Categories help you:

  • Organize products in a clear, logical structure
  • Improve customer browsing and search experience
  • Apply category-level tax and business rules
  • Enable category-based filtering and analytics
  • Maintain scalable product management as your catalog grows
Critical

Products without an assigned category may not be visible on the storefront or may appear incorrectly. Ensure every active product is linked to at least one category.

Category Structure (Tree View)​

Category Tree View

Categories are displayed in a tree view, allowing you to create:

  • Parent categories (e.g., Electronics)
  • Child categories (e.g., Mobile Phones, Laptops)

This hierarchical structure helps manage large catalogs efficiently and improves frontend navigation.

Category Management Flow​

The typical workflow for managing categories follows this sequence:

  1. Create categories based on your product structure
  2. Organize them into parent–child relationships
  3. Assign categories to products
  4. Maintain and update categories as your catalog evolves

Creating a New Category​

To add a new category, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Open Add Category​

Click on the Add Category option available on the right side of the Categories Panel.

Add Category

Step 2: Enter Category Details​

New Category Form

Fill in the following fields:

  1. Category Name
    Enter a clear and descriptive name for the category.

  2. Category Image
    Upload an image to visually represent the category on the storefront.

    Image Best Practice

    Use high-quality, square aspect ratio images (e.g., 512x512px) with a transparent or consistent background for the best visual appeal on your app and website.

    Learn how to upload images here.

  3. Parent Category (Optional)
    Select a parent category if this is a subcategory.

Click Add Category to save or Reset to clear the form.

Step 3: Category Creation Confirmation​

Category Created

Once saved, the category appears immediately in the category tree and becomes available for product assignment.

Assigning Categories to Products​

After creating categories, they must be assigned to products.

  • Each product should belong to at least one category
  • Category assignment is done from the Product Create / Edit screen
  • Assigned categories determine:
    • Product visibility
    • Navigation placement
    • Category-based filtering
Workflow Tip

Always create classifications (Categories) before adding products. This prevents the need to go back and edit products later, streamlining your data entry process.

Updating or Removing Categories​

Categories can be managed at any time:

  • Edit Category
    Update the category name, tax percentage, image, or hierarchy.

  • Enable / Disable Category
    Temporarily deactivate categories without deleting them.

  • Delete Category
    Permanently remove unused categories.

Deletion Restriction

The system will prevent deletion if the category is in use.**

You cannot delete a category if:

  1. It is currently assigned to any assigned products.
  2. It has subcategories that contain products.

System Error: "Category is assigned to products or has subcategories with products, therefore cannot be deleted."

Resolution: You must reassign or remove all products and subcategories from this category before the system will allow you to delete it.

Best Practices​

Strategic Planning
  • Limit Nesting: Keep your category tree no more than 2-3 levels deep (e.g., Men > Clothing > T-Shirts). Deeper structures can confuse customers.
  • Naming: Use simple, common terms your customers are likely to search for.
  • Maintenance: Periodically review your categories to merge duplicates or remove empty ones.

Summary​

The Categories Panel provides a structured foundation for managing your product catalog.
A well-organized category system ensures better customer experience, accurate taxation, and scalable product management.

Proper category setup is essential before onboarding products into the system.