Category Selection
This article explains Category Selection for variables in Model Reef.
You will learn:
How categories differ from types.
How categories affect P&L, Balance Sheet and Cashflow layout.
How to keep category usage consistent.
Categories are reporting buckets. They do not change accounting logic but they do change how numbers are presented.
Type versus category
Variable type controls accounting behaviour.
Category controls how the variable is grouped inside statements and reports.
Example:
A Revenue variable might have category
Revenue - Product A.A Staff variable might have category
Opex - Staff.
Both are still governed by their type rules, but categories make outputs readable.
Where to choose categories
You select categories in:
The Category Picker inside the Variable Editor.
The import mapping step when creating variables from external data.
The Data Library when tidying up central definitions.
Categories are usually chosen from a predefined list to keep structures consistent.
Impact on statements
Category selection determines:
Which row the variable contributes to in P&L.
Which section of Assets or Liabilities it appears under in the Balance Sheet.
Which bucket it belongs to in the Cashflow Statement and Cash Waterfall.
Changing category:
Does not change the time series values.
Only changes where those values are shown.
This allows you to reformat reports without rebuilding the model.
Category schemes
You can define category schemes such as:
Revenue split by product, channel or geography.
Opex grouped into logical blocks like Marketing, Operations, Rent and so on.
Asset classes grouped into tangible, intangible and other categories.
Liability and equity groups.
Agreeing on a scheme across the organisation makes comparing models easier.
Categories during import
When importing from systems or files:
Model Reef proposes categories based on account names, headings or context.
You review and adjust these in the mapping screen.
The selected category is stored with the variable and in the Data Library.
Correct mapping at this stage greatly reduces later cleanup work.
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