thread Re: Subcategories in Payments Troubleshooting

Subcategories

Jessica-Gaucher — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 09:12:05 GMT

Coming from another retail POS system, I had the ability to categorize items on two levels: Department and Category (effectively providing a Category and Subcategory hierarchy).

Square only provides one level of categorization taxonomy. Currently I'm using the "Category" field as my 'Department' and the "Description" field as my 'Category' (my subcategory) as a work around.

I know Square offers the ability to provide tags as Custom Attributes, and I explored that but that got too complicated and there is no way to report on inventory using Custom Attributes.

Has anyone found any other workaround for this other than using the description field and exporting a library anytime I want to look at my inventory subcategories?

Re: Subcategories

TheRealChipA — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 19:36:49 GMT

Hi @Jessica-Gaucher. A while ago, Square introduced a reporting feature called “Rollups.” In order to use it the way you outline, you would first change your Item Category to the Sub-categories. Then, when you go to the Category Sales Report on the dashboard, click the “Rollups” button (see first screen shot.). This brings up a screen (see second screen shot) where your can define Rollups which are nothing more than groups of categories.

I think this should do what you want.

Re: Subcategories

Jessica-Gaucher — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:45:21 GMT

Thank you for taking the time to answer!!

Do you have to define the Rollups each time or is it a one time setting? I currently have 179 'Subcategories', so hoping the answer is a one time definition 🙂

Re: Subcategories

TheRealChipA — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:50:21 GMT

It looks like a one time thing for that report. I’d just do a test before changing anything. Define a roll up or two with random categories. Then leave your dashboard and go back in. The ones you defined should still be there.

Re: Subcategories

Jessica-Gaucher — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:24:20 GMT

I'm wondering if thats only available on Square for Restaurants. I'm on Square for Retail and it looks like Rollup is not an option in the Category report. I tried to take a screenshot but I cant figure out how to attach it to this thread.

There are so many different Square apps its so confusing! Thanks for trying, it looks like that would have been a great solution.

Re: Subcategories

TheRealChipA — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:40:03 GMT

Actually, it seems to be available only for Restaurants and Appointments Plus/Premium subscribers. Here’s the Product Update article on it. Sorry to have given you false hope.

Re: Subcategories

PartyManiaMD — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 17:40:52 GMT

I too wish for Square to allow for more than one category when it comes to the item library. Unfortunately it looks like it would currently be a Feature Request. Being in retail we use a lot of cross seasonal products so being able to see product X when i'm searching for new years and then seeing it when I search for my general decor would be such a huge help. Currently I have everyday stuff that is also seasonal stuff under everyday products when it should be under both for ease of ordering.

It also makes my category sales really weird because I'll sell some decor and it'll register as everyday when it's really being sold during New years for example.