# Category Overview
> Source: https://development.fuze-store.com/docs/store/category/overview

# Category Overview

Categories let you organize products, services, and bundles into logical groups. This makes browsing, searching, and checkout faster for both your staff and your customers.

## What is a Category?

A **category** is a group of related items -- such as products, services, or bundles. Use categories to:

- Organize items in the POS for faster checkout
- Structure digital menus or catalogs (QR menus, online stores)
- Create nested hierarchies (for example, Drinks > Coffee > Iced Coffee)
- Apply colors or icons for quick visual recognition
- Filter and report on sales by category
- Control which items appear in different sales channels

**Examples:**

- **Food and Beverage:** Drinks, Snacks, Main Courses
- **Retail:** Apparel, Accessories, Electronics
- **Services:** Haircut, Massage, Car Wash

## Key Benefits

- **Faster navigation** -- Staff and customers find items quickly.
- **Flexible organization** -- Support for multi-level nesting suits complex menus.
- **Visual customization** -- Colors and icons help match your brand or highlight popular groups.
- **Menu control** -- Include or exclude categories from digital menus easily.
- **Analytics** -- Track sales performance by category.

## Field Explanations

Here is what each field means when creating or editing a category.

The **Image** field appears prominently at the top of the form. You can upload an image or icon that represents the category visually.

| Field | Description | Required | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Enable** | Keep this category active and visible in the app. | Yes | Yes |
| **Include in Menu** | Show this category in your POS and digital menus. | No | Yes |
| **Image** | An image or icon for the category, displayed at the top of the form. | No | -- |
| **Name** | The name displayed in the app and menus. | Yes | Massage Therapy |
| **Code** | A short code for internal use (usually auto-filled). | No | massage-therapy |
| **Description** | A brief note about what the category contains. | No | Relaxing massages for stress relief |
| **Color** | A color to help organize or highlight the category. | No | #FF5733 |
| **Parent Category** | Set a parent if this is a sub-category. You can pick from a dropdown of existing categories. | No | Massage |

## Best Practices

- Use clear, descriptive names.
- Group similar items together.
- Apply colors and icons consistently to aid recognition.
- Review and update categories regularly as your offerings change.
- Avoid too many nested levels to keep menus simple.

## Related Guides

- [How to Create a Category](/docs/store/category/creating-a-category)
- [How to Update a Category](/docs/store/category/updating-a-category)
- [How to Delete a Category](/docs/store/category/deleting-a-category)