Categories are groups of items that simplify the order process on the frontend (at the register) by giving you control over the Register's layout. Categories also help you manage and control related items in the BackOffice. For example, you can view category-based sales reports and assign a category to a kitchen printer so that the kitchen staff knows when any item in them in that category is ordered. In this article, we'll introduce you to examples categories and describe how to create a category in the BackOffice.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Example Categories
• Create a Category
• Edit an Existing Category

Example Categories

To understand how and when to use categories, let’s first define what they are, review how they are used, and look at a few examples. Categories are groups of items that are used to organize inventory, reporting, and ticket printing. Categories can also be added to the speed screen as a button, by which you can specify the button's color and what items are displayed upon tapping the category button. As such, alongside helping you manage groups of items in the Dashboard, categories help create the desired workflow when ringing out items at the register. Example categories include:

• Sandwiches
• Salads
• Shirts
• Baskets

It's important to note that categories are hierarchy-based. You can nest a category under a parent category. For example, you may want to have two categories (e.g., Long-sleeve Shirts and Short-sleeve Shirts) that are nested under a parent category "Shirts." In this example, the hierarchy would be as follows: 

    - Shirts [parent category]

-- Long-sleeve Shirts

-- Short-sleeve Shirts

You can even nest categories under subcategories to have a three-tiered hierarchy.

Create a Category

1. In the Parse Dashboard, click ITEMS from the left-side navigation menu.
2. Click on the CATEGORIES tab in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Click on the +CATEGORY button
4. Give the category a Name.
5. Optional – you can assign the category to a parent category via the "Select a parent category" drop-down field. The drop-down will display all existing categories. Select an existing category to make it a subcategory and nest it under another (parent) category.
6. Select a color for the category. This is the color of the button that is displayed in the register. The default color is Dark Blue.
7. Enter an ordering number for the category. This number allows you to control the button's location (from left to right, or top to bottom) relative to the other category buttons.
8. The "Show on Register" option is enabled by default. You can disable it to remove the category button from the Register. Note that items in this category with Speed Screen enabled will still be visible on the Speed Screen. You can also locate an item via the search bar or ring up an item by scanning its barcode.
9. Optional – Select a kitchen printer from the drop-down menu if you would like to send the items within this category to a specific printer. For example, you may wish to send all drinks under the "Mixed Drinks" category to the bartender (e.g., printer at the bar) for processing.
10. Click the ADD CATEGORY button to publish the new category. 

Edit an Existing Category

The process of editing an existing category is similar to creating a new category since it is completed from within the same module. To edit an existing category:

1. In the BackOffice, click ITEMS from the left-side navigation menu.
2. Click on the CATEGORIES tab in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Click on the category title or click EDIT from the ACTIONS dropdown menu in the far right column. 
4. Proceed with making any changes to the fields.
5. Click the EDIT CATEGORY button to update the category.