How to Configure Categories & Sync Your Square Catalog in Layout Mobile

Managing your menu in Layout Mobile starts with organizing your categories and syncing items from Square. Because Layout Mobile pulls directly from your Square catalog, you decide exactly what appears in your mobile app — and when.

This guide walks through the full process: enabling categories, assigning items in Square, syncing changes, and understanding how items appear in your app.

Quick Overview

Want the core steps without all the details?

1. Go to Categories in your Layout Mobile dashboard and mark the ones you want as Allowed.

2. Open your Square Dashboard and assign items to those allowed categories.

3. Return to Layout Mobile and click Sync with Square.

4. Items in allowed categories will appear in your app as Active.

Step 1 — Enable Categories in Layout Mobile

In your Layout Mobile dashboard, navigate to Categories.

Here you’ll see all categories synced from your Square catalog. Categories that are Allowed are the only ones that can display items in your mobile app.

To prepare your menu:

• Locate the category you want to show in the app.

• Toggle the Allowed switch.

Only items that belong to categories marked as Allowed will show up once you sync.

This lets you curate your mobile menu at the category level — meaning you can control menus without reorganizing your entire catalog in Square.

Step 2 — Assign Items in Square

Next, log into your Square Dashboard and open:

Items & Orders → Item Library

Here you’ll see the full list of items in your catalog. For each item you want in your mobile app:

• Click the item to edit it.

• Assign it to one of the categories you marked as Allowed in Layout Mobile.

Because Layout Mobile relies on your Square structure, category assignments here determine how items are grouped and displayed in your app.

Tips:

• If an item isn’t in an allowed category, it won’t show up in your mobile app.

• Unlike Square menus, you can prepare items in advance and choose exactly when they go live after syncing.

Step 3 — Sync with Square

Once your items are in the correct categories, return to the Items page in Layout Mobile.

In the top right corner, click Sync with Square.

This pulls in the most recent version of your Square catalog and applies your updates.

After syncing:

• Items inside allowed categories show up under Active Items with a green badge.

• Items outside allowed categories appear under Inactive Items with muted styling.

This manual sync ensures you control the timing of every update. Nothing automatically appears in your mobile app without your explicit sync.

Understanding Active vs Inactive Items

Your Items page separates catalog entries into two groups when you sync:

Active Items

These are items in categories marked as Allowed. They will be visible to customers in your mobile app.

Inactive Items

These belong to categories that have not been marked as Allowed. They remain hidden from the mobile app.

This system is useful for:

• Seasonal products

• Testing new items before launch

• Limited-time offerings

Inactive items stay in your catalog so you can activate them whenever you’re ready.

Best Practices

A few tips to keep your menu organized and effective:

Avoid Duplicate Items

Assign each item to one category when possible. Duplicate listings can make menus feel cluttered and confusing.

Use Clear, Descriptive Categories

Customers navigate menus more easily when category names make sense at a glance (for example: Breakfast, Specialty Drinks, Snacks).

Sync After Every Change

Because Layout Mobile doesn’t auto-update with Square, you must click Sync with Square after editing categories or assigning items.

Review in Your Preview

After syncing, use the preview feature to confirm how the menu appears in the mobile app. This helps catch errors or mis-assigned categories before publishing.

Why This Matters

Your Square catalog is the source of truth. Layout Mobile uses that structure to present a clear, curated menu to your customers — without changing how your team manages items or workflows.

By understanding how categories, items, and syncing work together, you maintain visibility and control over your entire mobile menu with minimal effort.

Every update you make in Square — then sync in Layout Mobile — is intentional and predictable, which leads to a better experience for both your staff and your customers.