Subcategory Selection
This article explains Subcategory Selection for variables in Model Reef.
You will learn:
What subcategories are and when to use them.
How they relate to main categories.
How they appear in reports and dashboards.
Subcategories provide extra detail within a category without changing accounting behaviour.
What a subcategory is
A subcategory is a more granular label under a main category. For example:
Category:
RevenueSubcategory:
OnlineSubcategory:
RetailSubcategory:
Wholesale
Category:
Opex - MarketingSubcategory:
Paid AdsSubcategory:
EventsSubcategory:
Brand
Subcategories let you break down totals into meaningful components.
Where to choose subcategories
You select subcategories in:
The Category Picker in the Variable Editor, once a main category is chosen.
The import mapping step, when line items are mapped to more granular reporting groups.
The Data Library, for central control of how imported series are classified.
The available subcategories depend on the chosen category.
Designing a subcategory scheme
Good subcategory design:
Uses clear, non overlapping labels.
Reflects how the business is managed (for example by channel, product or cost centre).
Stays stable over time so that multi year comparisons make sense.
Avoid creating too many one off subcategories that only contain a single variable. Group related items where it helps interpretation.
Subcategories and imports
When mapping imported data:
Use subcategories to align source lines with your reporting structure.
Where source lines already have clear segmentation (for example product or region), preserve that structure in subcategories.
This makes imported models easier to read immediately after compilation.
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