# Organise categories and subcategories

For the menu lead. **Console: Settings → Business settings → Item categories.**
Categories belong to the business and are used on menus, tills, and reports. The
location's menu sections and prep-station routing are related settings; review
them when changing a category.

## Add or arrange a category

1. Select **Add category** or **Add first category**. Select an existing
   category and **Add subcategory** to create a child beneath it.
2. In **Category details**, enter its **Name**, choose **Type**, and check
   **Parent**. Choose **Top level** for a main category.
3. Set **Visible** deliberately. A hidden category preserves its item links and
   settings; it is hidden where customer-facing categories are displayed.
4. Drag within a level to reorder. To move a category to another level, use
   **Parent**. Its subcategories stay attached and it is added last in the new
   level.
5. Save the changes in the footer. Reopen the structure and check hierarchy,
   order, and visibility.

Use **Expand all** or **Collapse all** to review the structure. A category
cannot be moved into a hierarchy that makes it its own ancestor; resolve the
structure warning rather than repeatedly saving the same invalid arrangement.

## Assign products and check routing

Open each relevant [menu item](/menu/items), choose **Category** in **Basic**,
and save it. Check the location's prep-station category assignments and a safe
test ticket. An uncategorised item warns that it will not print to prep
stations.

Menu sections determine which items appear together in a particular location
menu. Moving a business category is not a substitute for editing those sections.
See [Location menus](/menu/menu-configuration) and
[Kitchen setup](/orders/kitchen-setup).

## Delete carefully

The **Delete category?** confirmation explains that its items become
uncategorised and direct subcategories move up one level. Review those products
and kitchen routes before confirming; select **Keep category** to return. Saving
the edited structure is still required. Deleting a category is not a request to
delete its menu items.

If categories cannot load, keep existing settings and use **Try again** after
checking the connection. If saving fails, inspect the structure and exact
message. Reopen before repeating an uncertain save. Escalate with the category,
intended parent, affected products, location routing, and error.