<p>After a little more consideration, I decided it was best instead not to use categories for this.</p>

<p>I have instead created a 'Product Categories' structure, and the relationships are handled through an entry field. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-04T15:08:48.937Z
I was just going to recommend this. The big question generally comes down to whether products will ever have more than one parent. If not, then a structure is usually the way to go for all the reasons you mentioned.
Douglas McDonald
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-04T15:14:27.413Z
@DouglasMcDonald That's exactly it, took me a while to get there though! And no, products will only have one 'Category' for this project, so on reflection a structure seems to be the way to go.
Jamie Wade
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-04T15:32:45.093Z
And if this ever changed, you can also later use categories to superimpose a separate category hierarchy on top of your already structured products. The structure can then just represent the default or canonical product structure.
Douglas McDonald
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-04T14:39:10.367Z
2014-11-04T14:39:10.367Z
Jamie Wade
<p>I'm currently working on an eCommerce project with categories for products:</p>

<pre><code>- Category 1
    - Sub-category 1
    - Sub-category 2
    - Sub-category 3
- Category 2
    - Sub-category 1
    - Sub-category 2
    - Sub-category 3
</code></pre>

<p>What I am hoping to achieve, is to give each top-level category its own entry in Craft, so I can apply my site-wide SEO, matrix content and utility fields.</p>

<p>I am aware you can apply fields to categories, but the whole double-clicking on a category and managing the content from the small modal window approach isn't ideal, especially with category pages that are a bit heavy on the content side.</p>

<p>These categories do have their own URL, and creating an entry with the same slug results in incrementation: <code>example-category-1</code>, which is to be expected.</p>

<p>Is there any way in Craft I can get round this? I guess if there is no other way I can apply fields to the category, but I wanted to see if anyone had any other ideas.</p>

<categories><entry>
What is the best way to have an entry for top-level categories?
# What is the best way to have an entry for top-level categories?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-04)

I'm currently working on an eCommerce project with categories for products:
- Category 1
    - Sub-category 1
    - Sub-category 2
    - Sub-category 3
- Category 2
    - Sub-category 1
    - Sub-category 2
    - Sub-category 3

What I am hoping to achieve, is to give each top-level category its own entry in Craft, so I can apply my site-wide SEO, matrix content and utility fields.
I am aware you can apply fields to categories, but the whole double-clicking on a category and managing the content from the small modal window approach isn't ideal, especially with category pages that are a bit heavy on the content side.
These categories do have their own URL, and creating an entry with the same slug results in incrementation: example-category-1, which is to be expected.
Is there any way in Craft I can get round this? I guess if there is no other way I can apply fields to the category, but I wanted to see if anyone had any other ideas.

**Tags:** categories, entry


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2014-11-04. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

After a little more consideration, I decided it was best instead not to use categories for this.

I have instead created a 'Product Categories' structure, and the relationships are handled through an entry field.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I was just going to recommend this. The big question generally comes down to whether products will ever have more than one parent. If not, then a structure is usually the way to go for all the reasons you mentioned.  
> **username_0**: @DouglasMcDonald That's exactly it, took me a while to get there though! And no, products will only have one 'Category' for this project, so on reflection a structure seems to be the way to go.  
> **username_1**: And if this ever changed, you can also later use categories to superimpose a separate category hierarchy on top of your already structured products. The structure can then just represent the default or canonical product structure.  

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