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Master Product Classifications Documentation

Menu Location: Products > Master Classifications

Access Level: Administrator and above

Last Updated: 2026-03-01

Overview

The Master Product Classifications page provides a complete hierarchical view of your entire product category structure, from top-level parent categories down through subcategories to individual product classifications. This is your central taxonomy management interface for organizing products logically.

Primary Functions:

  • View complete category hierarchy (tree structure)
  • Create, edit, and organize product categories and subcategories
  • Drag-and-drop category reorganization
  • Set category display order and visibility
  • Manage category images and descriptions
  • Control category availability by customer type or subscription

Page Layout

Header Section

  • Expand/Collapse All: Toggle full tree view
  • Add Top-Level Category: Create new parent category
  • Search Categories: Find category by name
  • View Options: Tree view, list view, or flat view

Main Content Area - Tree Structure

Hierarchical display showing:

  • Level 1: Parent Categories (e.g., "Proteins", "Produce", "Dairy")
  • Level 2: Subcategories (e.g., under Proteins: "Beef", "Chicken", "Seafood")
  • Level 3: Classifications (e.g., under Beef: "Ground Beef", "Steaks", "Roasts")
  • Level 4+: Sub-classifications (if applicable)

Each category shows:

  • Category name
  • Product count
  • Active/Inactive status
  • Display order number
  • Edit, Add Child, Delete icons
  • Drag handle for reordering

Category Detail Panel

When editing a category:

  • Category name and description
  • Parent category selector
  • Display order
  • Category image
  • Visibility settings
  • Active/Inactive toggle
  • SEO settings (if applicable)

Understanding Category Hierarchy

Category Levels

Parent Category (Level 1):

  • Broadest classification
  • Examples: Proteins, Produce, Pantry Items, Prepared Foods
  • Typically displayed in main navigation
  • Contains multiple subcategories

Subcategory (Level 2):

  • Refinement of parent category
  • Examples: Beef, Poultry, Pork (under Proteins)
  • Helps customers narrow choices
  • Contains specific classifications

Classification (Level 3):

  • Specific product type
  • Examples: Ground Beef, Ribeye Steaks, Brisket (under Beef)
  • Products assigned directly to this level
  • Most detailed commonly-used level

Sub-classification (Level 4+):

  • Optional further refinement
  • Example: USDA Prime, USDA Choice (under Ribeye Steaks)
  • Use sparingly to avoid over-complication

Creating Categories

Adding Parent Category

Steps:

  1. Click "Add Top-Level Category"
  2. Enter category name (e.g., "Proteins")
  3. Enter description (customer-facing)
  4. Upload category image (optional but recommended)
  5. Set display order (lower numbers appear first)
  6. Set visibility:
    • All customers
    • Subscription customers only
    • Specific customer types
  7. Click "Save Category"

Adding Subcategory

Steps:

  1. Find parent category in tree
  2. Click "Add Child" icon next to parent
  3. Enter subcategory name (e.g., "Beef")
  4. Enter description
  5. Upload image
  6. Set display order within parent
  7. Choose visibility settings
  8. Click "Save"
  9. New subcategory appears nested under parent

Adding Classification

Steps:

  1. Expand tree to desired subcategory
  2. Click "Add Child" icon next to subcategory
  3. Enter classification name (e.g., "Ground Beef")
  4. Enter description
  5. Add product attributes if applicable:
    • Grass-fed available
    • Organic available
    • Size options
  6. Upload image
  7. Set display order
  8. Save classification

This is typically the level products are assigned to.

Organizing Categories

Reordering Categories

Drag-and-Drop Method:

  1. Hover over category
  2. Click and hold drag handle (⋮⋮ icon)
  3. Drag category up or down
  4. Release to drop in new position
  5. Order saves automatically

Manual Order Method:

  1. Edit category
  2. Change "Display Order" number
  3. Save category
  4. Lower numbers appear first (1, 2, 3...)

Moving Categories to Different Parent

Steps:

  1. Edit category to move
  2. Change "Parent Category" dropdown
  3. Select new parent
  4. Adjust display order if needed
  5. Save category
  6. Category moves to new location in tree

Example: Move "Lamb" from "Proteins" to "Specialty Meats"

Merging Categories

Purpose: Combine duplicate or similar categories

Steps:

  1. Identify categories to merge
  2. Choose primary category to keep
  3. Reassign all products from secondary category to primary
  4. Move any child categories to primary
  5. Copy useful description text to primary
  6. Delete or deactivate secondary category
  7. Update any links or references

Managing Category Visibility

Visibility Options

All Customers:

  • Category visible to everyone
  • Default setting
  • Use for core product categories

Subscription Customers Only:

  • Hidden from non-subscribers
  • Visible once customer has active subscription
  • Use for subscriber exclusive products

Specific Customer Types:

  • Wholesale only
  • Retail only
  • VIP only
  • Use for targeted offerings

Inactive:

  • Category hidden from all customers
  • Products still assigned but not browseable
  • Use for temporary hiding or deprecated categories

Setting Visibility

Steps:

  1. Edit category
  2. Navigate to Visibility section
  3. Select visibility option:
    • [ ] All Customers (default)
    • [ ] Subscription Customers Only
    • [ ] Wholesale Customers Only
    • [ ] Custom (select specific types)
  4. Save changes
  5. Category visibility updates immediately

Category Images & Descriptions

Uploading Category Images

Image Requirements:

  • Dimensions: 800x600px or 1200x900px recommended
  • Format: JPG or PNG
  • File Size: Under 1MB
  • Content: Representative of category products

Steps:

  1. Edit category
  2. Navigate to Image section
  3. Click "Choose File"
  4. Select image
  5. Preview image
  6. Adjust crop if offered
  7. Save category

Best Practices:

  • Use high-quality, appetizing photos
  • Consistent style across all categories
  • Clear focus on products
  • Professional or lifestyle photography

Writing Category Descriptions

Purpose:

  • Help customers understand category
  • Improve SEO
  • Set expectations

Good Description Elements:

  • What products are included
  • Quality standards or sourcing
  • How to use/cook items
  • Why customers choose this category

Example: "Our premium grass-fed beef is sourced from local sustainable farms. Choose from ground beef perfect for burgers, premium steaks for grilling, and roasts ideal for slow cooking. All beef is hormone-free and humanely raised."

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Create New Category Structure for Meal Kits

Goal: Add meal kit category with subcategories by cuisine

Steps:

  1. Click "Add Top-Level Category"
  2. Name: "Meal Kits"
  3. Description: "Complete meal kits with recipes and pre-portioned ingredients"
  4. Upload hero image of meal kit
  5. Save parent category
  6. Add subcategories:
    • Italian Meals: Pasta, risotto, Italian classics
    • Mexican Meals: Tacos, enchiladas, fajitas
    • Asian Meals: Stir-fry, curry, noodle dishes
    • American Comfort: BBQ, casseroles, classics
  7. Under each subcategory, add specific meal classifications
  8. Set display order by popularity
  9. Assign meal kit products to appropriate classifications

Use Case 2: Reorganize Produce Section

Goal: Improve produce category organization for better browsing

Current Structure:

  • Produce (all vegetables and fruits mixed)

New Structure:

  • Produce
  • Fresh Vegetables
    • Leafy Greens
    • Root Vegetables
    • Cruciferous Vegetables
    • Other Vegetables
  • Fresh Fruits
    • Berries
    • Stone Fruits
    • Citrus
    • Other Fruits
  • Organic Produce
  • Local Seasonal

Steps:

  1. Edit "Produce" parent category
  2. Add child categories for Vegetables and Fruits
  3. Under each, add specific classifications
  4. Reassign existing products to new classifications
  5. Reorder by popularity or alphabet
  6. Update category images
  7. Test customer navigation

Use Case 3: Hide Seasonal Category Out of Season

Goal: Temporarily hide "Summer Grilling" category in winter

Steps:

  1. Find "Summer Grilling" category
  2. Click "Edit"
  3. Change status to "Inactive"
  4. Add note: "Deactivated for winter, reactivate May 1"
  5. Set calendar reminder for May 1
  6. Save category
  7. Products remain assigned but category hidden from customers

May 1:

  1. Edit "Summer Grilling" category
  2. Change status to "Active"
  3. Update description and images if needed
  4. Save - category reappears to customers

Use Case 4: Create Subscriber-Exclusive Category

Goal: Offer premium products only to subscription customers

Steps:

  1. Create new category: "Subscriber Exclusives"
  2. Description: "Premium products available only to our valued subscribers"
  3. Upload exclusive badge image
  4. Visibility: "Subscription Customers Only"
  5. Add subcategories:
    • Rare Cuts
    • Limited Edition Items
    • Subscriber Specials
  6. Assign exclusive products to this category
  7. Save all changes
  8. Test with subscriber account (visible) and non-subscriber (hidden)

Use Case 5: Flatten Over-Complicated Hierarchy

Goal: Simplify confusing multi-level structure

Before:

  • Proteins > Beef > Steaks > Premium > Ribeye (Too many levels)

After:

  • Proteins > Beef > Ribeye Steak (Simpler, clearer)

Steps:

  1. Identify over-nested categories
  2. Combine levels that don't add value
  3. Move products up to simpler classification
  4. Delete unnecessary levels
  5. Update product assignments
  6. Test navigation improvement

Troubleshooting

Category Not Appearing on Website

Check:

  1. Category status is "Active"
  2. Parent category (if any) is also active
  3. Visibility settings allow customer type
  4. Display order is set
  5. Website cache cleared

Cannot Delete Category

Common Reasons:

  • Category has products assigned
  • Category has child categories
  • System requires category

Solutions:

  1. Reassign all products to different category
  2. Move or delete child categories first
  3. Deactivate instead of delete (safer)

Drag-and-Drop Not Working

Solutions:

  1. Refresh page
  2. Try manual display order numbers instead
  3. Check browser JavaScript enabled
  4. Try different browser
  5. Contact administrator if persistent
  • Products - Assign products to classifications
  • Parent Categories - Manage top-level categories
  • Website Navigation - Control main menu structure

Permissions & Access

Required Access Level: Administrator or higher

Access Capabilities:

  • Administrator: Create, edit, delete categories; reorganize; set visibility
  • Kiva Admin: All features + system defaults

Best Practices

Organization

  1. Keep hierarchy shallow - 2-3 levels maximum for most categories
  2. Logical grouping - Categories should make sense to customers
  3. Consistent naming - Use similar patterns across categories
  4. Avoid redundancy - Each product should have one clear home
  5. Balance breadth vs. depth - Not too many categories, not too few

Naming

  1. Customer language - Use terms customers search for
  2. Clear and specific - "Ground Beef" better than "Beef Products"
  3. Avoid jargon - Unless industry-standard terms
  4. Plural for categories - "Steaks" not "Steak"
  5. Descriptive but concise - 1-3 words ideal

Maintenance

  1. Review quarterly - Adjust based on usage analytics
  2. Archive unused categories - Keep structure clean
  3. Update seasonal categories - Activate/deactivate as appropriate
  4. Monitor product distribution - Balance products across categories
  5. Get customer feedback - Are categories intuitive?

Things to Avoid

  • ❌ Too many levels (hard to navigate)
  • ❌ Empty categories (confuses customers)
  • ❌ Overlapping categories (unclear where products belong)
  • ❌ Inconsistent structure (some areas deep, others shallow)
  • ❌ Technical names customers don't understand

Quick Reference Card

Task Action/Location
Add parent category Click "Add Top-Level Category"
Add subcategory Find parent > Click "Add Child" icon
Reorder categories Drag handle up/down or set display order
Hide category Edit > Status > "Inactive"
Move category Edit > Change parent category
Upload image Edit category > Image section
Set subscriber-only Edit > Visibility > "Subscription Only"
Expand full tree Click "Expand All"
Delete category Remove products first, then delete
Merge categories Reassign products, then delete duplicate

FAQs

How many categories should I have?

General guidance:

  • Parent categories: 6-12 (main navigation limit)
  • Subcategories per parent: 4-8
  • Classifications per subcategory: 5-15 Balance between organization and simplicity.

What's better - more categories or fewer?

Fewer is usually better - reduces cognitive load Exception: If you have 100+ products, more categories help Test: Can customers find products in 3 clicks or less?

Should I use alphabetical or custom ordering?

Alphabetical: Easy to maintain, predictable Custom: Highlight popular items first, strategic merchandising Recommendation: Custom order for main categories, alphabetical within

How do I handle products that fit multiple categories?

Options:

  1. Choose primary category - Best fit (recommended)
  2. Use tags - Tag for searchability, assign to one category
  3. Duplicate listings - Only if truly belongs in both (rare)

Best practice: One category, supplement with search tags

Can I hide empty categories automatically?

Check system settings - many systems have option to auto-hide categories with zero products. Otherwise, manually deactivate empty categories.

Should seasonal products have their own category?

Yes for major seasons (Summer, Holiday, etc.) No for minor occasions Alternative: Use tags for seasonal filtering within regular categories

How do I handle product variants?

Option 1: Single classification for all variants

  • "Chicken Breast" includes 1lb, 2lb, 5lb

Option 2: Separate classifications by key attribute

  • "Chicken Breast - Individual"
  • "Chicken Breast - Family Pack"

Recommendation: Option 1 for simple variants, Option 2 if significantly different

What if customer types need different category structures?

Solution: Use visibility settings to show/hide categories by customer type Example:

  • Retail customers: See smaller package sizes
  • Wholesale customers: See bulk and case sizes

How often should I reorganize categories?

  • Minor adjustments: Monthly based on analytics
  • Seasonal updates: Quarterly
  • Major reorganization: Annually or when adding significant product lines

Warning: Major changes confuse regular customers - communicate changes

Should every product be in a category?

Yes - all active products should have clear category assignment Uncategorized products: Create "Other" or "Miscellaneous" as catch-all, but assign properly as soon as possible

End of Documentation

For additional help, contact your system administrator or Kiva Logic support.