---
title: Departments
description: "Organize items into departments: the list, adding and editing departments, sub-departments, and what happens when you delete one."
url: "https://theasst.com/docs/departments/"
updated: "2026-10-06"
category: Items
---

# Departments

Departments group your items for reporting and organization — every [item](https://theasst.com/docs/item-info/) is assigned to exactly one. Departments also let you slice sales on the [Sales Summary](https://theasst.com/docs/sales-summary/) report and narrow searches on Find pages.

## The Department List

![Departments list showing Hardware, Services, and Software](https://theasst.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/dept-list.webp)

The list shows each department’s **Name** and **Description**, with sub-departments shown beneath their parent. Click a department to edit it. **Add new** in the sidebar creates one.

Every company starts with three defaults — **Hardware**, **Services**, and **Software** — but you can add, rename, or nest departments under a parent department to match how your business is organized.

## Adding or Editing a Department

Add new and clicking a department open the same small dialog:

- **Parent dept** — choose a parent to make this a sub-department, or *<no parent>* to make it a top-level department.
- **Dept name** (required) — what the department is called.
- **Description** — optional; it is copied into new items’ descriptions as a starting default.

Click **Save** when you are done.

## Deleting a Department

Use **Delete this dept.** in the edit dialog. A department that any item or inventory record still uses will not be deleted. If you delete a department that has sub-departments, they move up to become children of the deleted department’s parent.