thread Parent Categories and Sub Categories in Payments Troubleshooting

Parent Categories and Sub Categories

Linda2017 — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 10:41:37 GMT

Hello community

I'm wondering if anyone can give some advice! I'm currently in the process of launching my online shop and have came across a curveball that I'm unsure how I can rectify.

In short - I want to categorise categories so it looks neater/ works better etc online.

For example I've created a parent category called Books & Stationery and within that category i would like subcategories that show all books, stationery, cards, gift wrap etc. But as I've gone to make a start with this, you have to link the category to the parent category, but because my categories are currently named as suppliers it is showing a supplier name on my online shop which I don't want.

I'm wondering if anyone could share their websites perhaps that are similar to mine - www.caribouuk.co.uk (Home and Lifestyle Store) so i can see how things are categorised on your websites.

Have you named your categories after the item name? If so how does this effect stock etc.

Thanks in advance.

Re: Parent Categories and Sub Categories

Sineaid — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:52:46 GMT

Hi @Linda2017!,

Thanks for your post, welcome to the Community!

From what you’ve said, it sounds like you’ve been using your category titles as a way to track and report against your suppliers. If that’s the case, then you can utilize the option to add individual items to multiple categories, then select the category you’d like your reports to be generated against.

You can also manage channel visibility, to ensure that only the categories you wish to be customer facing are displayed Online.

Looking at your site, it does appear that you’ve already found a way to display your individual items under the relevant category without displaying the supplier info. But if you still need help, please just let me know.

Re: Parent Categories and Sub Categories

Linda2017 — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 15:42:10 GMT

Good afternoon @Sineaid

Thank you for your response. I've just had a look at the back system of square and can't seem to find the 'Reporting Category' is this a feature that is only available in Retail Plus?

Many thanks

Linda

Re: Parent Categories and Sub Categories

Sineaid — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 12:14:53 GMT

Hi @Linda2017,

The feature itself is not tied to a paid subscription, however you’ll not see the Reporting Category options within the Item Edit screen, until the item has been added to a second category. Just head over to your Item Library > Select and Item > Edit Categories.

This is because the reporting category would be defaulted to the single category that’s selected.

Once you add the item to the second or multiple categories, you’ll then have the option to nominate the reporting category.

Hope that makes sense!

Re: Parent Categories and Sub Categories

ATBTracy — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:23:37 GMT

Hi Linda,

I hope you don't mind me reaching out to you. I have been using square for a couple of years now in store for inventory and payment. I am desperately trying to get the online part looking nice and working well. I came across your site and it looks so nice, and I would love to set mine up like yours with all the drop downs from the home page... I am struggling to be honest and time is so precious when you are a soletrader.

Did you do this yourself? Can you point me towards any good tutorials that may have helped and did you have to upgrade to get yours looking that great? I fully understand if you are too busy to reply.

Many thanks, Tracy