Product hierarchies in Entries help you organize your entire product catalog so that users can easily find products, make any updates to them, and distribute them to the appropriate channels. Depending on the needs of your organization, product hierarchies can be multiple levels deep.

Product categories and subcategories are groups that make up the full product hierarchy. Once set up, categories display in a navigable tree.

If you have the Administrate Entries app permission, you can set up and manage product categories. This can be done by selecting the Setup menu, then choosing Categories. The Categories page will then display. Existing product categories are listed alphabetically, and any subcategories are listed alphabetically within the product category.

Add product categories

To add a new product category from the Setup menu, click Add category and enter a category name. Add subcategories in the same manner by clicking the plus sign below the product category.

Up to 500 categories and subcategories can be added, and no more than 50 subcategories can be added to a product category. Last, a maximum of 10 levels can be added to each category.

A few notes about naming product categories:

• There’s a maximum of 50 characters for each category name.
• Each top-level category name must be unique.
• Each subcategory name must be unique, but the same name can be used for subcategories with different product categories.
• They cannot be named Category, Categories, or Unassigned Category.
• Names cannot include bullets, left or right chevrons, pipe separators, single or double quotation marks, or ellipsis ( • < > | ‘ “ …).
• Names cannot be blank.

Click the pencil icon to rename a product category.

Click the trash can icon to delete a product category. After the category is deleted, products will no longer be associated with it and any subcategories will be deleted. Products themselves will not be deleted.
 

Add products to product categories 

A product can be assigned to a category, but they don’t need to be. Products can be assigned to only one category.

Variants will inherit the parent product’s categories, including if the parent is not assigned to a category.

If a product is assigned to a category, the product category and subcategory (if assigned) will be listed in the Details section on the product details page. If a product isn’t included in a category, Unassigned displays.

You can add the product to a category or subcategory, or update the category, by selecting the Actions menu, then Change category.

Is a category not needed for a product? Select Actions > Change category, then choose Deselect by the category name.

Any changes to a product’s categories will be listed in the product history.

Find products by category

On the Products page, you can use the product hierarchy to find products by category. Select a product category, then narrow to a subcategory, and the products lists will automatically update.

If you’ve added any filters, those will be applied to the products list.

Use breadcrumbs at the top of the list to return to previous categories.

Import product hierarchy information

Product categories can be assigned to products during import by including a product category column in the CSV. Add the category path to the column, using the greater than symbol ( > ) to separate each level of the hierarchy. For example: Apparel>Shoes>Women> Running Shoes

If the path indicated in the CSV doesn’t exist, or the cell for the category is empty, the product’s category will remain unchanged. Information in other columns for the product will be imported, however.
 

Export product hierarchy information

To further distribute product information, product hierarchies can be included in CSV exports to different channels. When you’re selecting attribute columns, select Product category, and a category column will be included in exports.

In the column, the path for each category will display. For example, Apparel>Shoes>Women>Running shoes.

The column will be empty for products not assigned to categories.

How do I set up a product hierarchy?

Product hierarchies in Entries help you organize your entire product catalog so that users can easily find products, make any updates to them, and distribute them to the appropriate channels. Depending on the needs of your organization, product hierarchies can be multiple levels deep.

Product categories and subcategories are groups that make up the full product hierarchy. Once set up, categories display in a navigable tree.

If you have the Administrate Entries app permission, you can set up and manage product categories. This can be done by selecting the Setup menu, then choosing Categories. The Categories page will then display. Existing product categories are listed alphabetically, and any subcategories are listed alphabetically within the product category.

 

Add product categories

To add a new product category from the Setup menu, click Add category and enter a category name. Add subcategories in the same manner by clicking the plus sign below the product category.

 

Up to 500 categories and subcategories can be added, and no more than 50 subcategories can be added to a product category. Last, a maximum of 10 levels can be added to each category.

A few notes about naming product categories:

• There’s a maximum of 50 characters for each category name.
• Each top-level category name must be unique.
• Each subcategory name must be unique, but the same name can be used for subcategories with different product categories.
• They cannot be named Category, Categories, or Unassigned Category.
• Names cannot include bullets, left or right chevrons, pipe separators, single or double quotation marks, or ellipsis ( • < > | ‘ “ …).
• Names cannot be blank.

Click the pencil icon to rename a product category.

Click the trash can icon to delete a product category. After the category is deleted, products will no longer be associated with it and any subcategories will be deleted. Products themselves will not be deleted.
 

Add products to product categories 

A product can be assigned to a category, but they don’t need to be. Products can be assigned to only one category.

Variants will inherit the parent product’s categories, including if the parent is not assigned to a category.

If a product is assigned to a category, the product category and subcategory (if assigned) will be listed in the Details section on the product details page. If a product isn’t included in a category, Unassigned displays.

 

You can add the product to a category or subcategory, or update the category, by selecting the Actions menu, then Change category.

 

Is a category not needed for a product? Select Actions > Change category, then choose Deselect by the category name.

Any changes to a product’s categories will be listed in the product history.

 

Find products by category

On the Products page, you can use the product hierarchy to find products by category. Select a product category, then narrow to a subcategory, and the products lists will automatically update.

 

If you’ve added any filters, those will be applied to the products list.

Use breadcrumbs at the top of the list to return to previous categories.

 

Import product hierarchy information

Product categories can be assigned to products during import by including a product category column in the CSV. Add the category path to the column, using the greater than symbol ( > ) to separate each level of the hierarchy. For example: Apparel>Shoes>Women> Running Shoes

If the path indicated in the CSV doesn’t exist, or the cell for the category is empty, the product’s category will remain unchanged. Information in other columns for the product will be imported, however.
 

Export product hierarchy information

To further distribute product information, product hierarchies can be included in CSV exports to different channels. When you’re selecting attribute columns, select Product category, and a category column will be included in exports.

 

In the column, the path for each category will display. For example, Apparel>Shoes>Women>Running shoes.

The column will be empty for products not assigned to categories.