> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.layerfi.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Fetch transaction categories > Retrieves the list of usable transaction categories based on the business' chart of accounts. This endpoint is used by Layer's `` embedded component, and can be used to build your own transaction categorization user interface. If you are primarily using Layer's embedded components, you likely won't need to use this API endpoint directly. ## Filtering by mode Use the [mode](/api-reference/v1/fetch-transaction-categories#parameter-mode) query parameter to control which subset of categories is returned: | Mode | Categories returned | | ---------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `DEFAULT` | The business's configured category list (see `category_list_type` on the [accounting configuration](/api-reference/v1/fetch-accounting-configuration)). This is the default when `mode` is omitted. | | `ALL` | All accounts and optional categories from the chart of accounts. | | `EXPENSES` | Expense categories only. | | `REVENUE` | Revenue categories only. | ## Types There are three types of categories you'll find in the category list: `AccountNested`, `OptionalAccountNested`, and `ExclusionNested`. ### AccountNested `AccountNested` represents a [required template account](/api-reference/ledger/required-vs-optional-template-accounts#required-template-accounts) in the business's chart of accounts. ### OptionalAccountNested `OptionalAccountNested` represents an [optional template account](/api-reference/ledger/required-vs-optional-template-accounts#optional-template-accounts) in the business's chart of accounts. ### ExclusionNested `ExclusionNested` represents an [exclusion](/api-reference/v1/categorize-bank-transaction#param-type-4) type that can be used to exclude a transaction from the business's accounting. ## Interpreting the category list In all cases, use `display_name` to present the category to the user. Use the columns below to choose a stable identifier. | Category type | `AccountId` | `StableName` | Identify with | Notes | | --------------------------- | ------------------- | ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Optional template account | After instantiation | Yes | `StableName` (always); `AccountId` once instantiated | Optional accounts only have an `AccountId` after first use. Use `StableName` to reference them before instantiation. | | User-defined custom account | Yes | No | `AccountId` only | A new `AccountId` is created when the account is added; no stable name is assigned. | | Required template account | Yes | Yes | `AccountId` or `StableName` | The stable name is the same as the account name. | | Exclusion | No | Yes | `StableName` | The exclusion type acts as the stable name; exclusions have no `AccountId`. | ## OpenAPI ````yaml get /v1/businesses/{businessId}/categories openapi: 3.0.1 info: title: API version: latest servers: [] security: - BearerAuth: [] tags: [] externalDocs: url: / paths: /v1/businesses/{businessId}/categories: get: tags: [] summary: Fetch transaction categories description: >- Retrieves the list of usable transaction categories based on the business' chart of accounts. This endpoint is used by Layer's `` embedded component, and can be used to build your own transaction categorization user interface. operationId: business.categories.get parameters: - name: businessId in: path description: >- The UUID of the business to fetch the tree of available categories for. required: true schema: type: string - name: mode in: query description: >- Controls which subset of categories is returned. `DEFAULT` uses the business's configured category list (see `category_list_type` on the accounting configuration). `ALL` returns all accounts and optional categories. `EXPENSES` returns expense categories only. `REVENUE` returns revenue categories only. required: false schema: type: string enum: - DEFAULT - ALL - EXPENSES - REVENUE default: DEFAULT - name: Content-Type in: header description: Content-Type must be set to application/json. schema: type: string responses: '200': description: '' headers: {} content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: data: $ref: '#/components/schemas/CategoryList' required: - data deprecated: false components: schemas: CategoryList: type: object description: List of the categories available for a business. properties: type: type: string description: Resource type. Value will be 'Category_List'. example: Category_List categories: description: >- Array of categories in a business, where each category is a polymorphic type that can be an Account, OptionalAccount, or an Exclusion. For more details, see [Account Identifiers](/api-reference/ledger/account-identifier) and [Categorization](/api-reference/v1/categorize-bank-transaction#request-body-single-category-or-split). type: array items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/NestedApiCategorization' NestedApiCategorization: type: object oneOf: - $ref: '#/components/schemas/NestedAccountCategorization' title: AccountNested - $ref: '#/components/schemas/NestedOptionalCatetoryCategorization' title: OptionalAccountNested - $ref: '#/components/schemas/NestedExclusionCategorization' title: ExclusionNested NestedAccountCategorization: type: object description: >- A category that represents a required template account in the business's chart of accounts. properties: type: type: string description: Resource type. Value will always be `AccountNested`. example: AccountNested id: type: string format: uuid description: The ID of the account. example: e95c8640-f87b-43bf-a9c6-cabc7ebfdec6 stable_name: type: string nullable: true description: The stable name of the account. example: EXPENSES display_name: type: string description: The display name of the account. example: Expenses subCategories: $ref: '#/components/schemas/NestedApiSubCategories' description: >- The subcategories of the account, in case there are more specific sub-categories of the account. NestedOptionalCatetoryCategorization: type: object description: >- A category that represents an optional template account in the business's chart of accounts. properties: type: type: string description: Resource type. Value will always be `OptionalAccountNested`. example: OptionalAccountNested stable_name: type: string description: The stable name of the optional account. display_name: type: string description: The display name of the optional account. subCategories: $ref: '#/components/schemas/NestedApiSubCategories' description: The subcategories of the account. NestedExclusionCategorization: type: object description: >- A category that represents an exclusion type in the business's chart of accounts. properties: type: type: string description: Resource type. Value will always be `ExclusionNested`. example: ExclusionNested id: type: string description: >- The ID of the exclusion type. This is not a UUID and is equivalent to the `category` field. enum: - PERSONAL_EXPENSES - PERSONAL_INFLOWS - DUPLICATE_TRANSACTION - OTHER_EXCLUSION category: type: string description: >- The category of the exclusion type. This is equivalent to the `id` field. enum: - PERSONAL_EXPENSES - PERSONAL_INFLOWS - DUPLICATE_TRANSACTION - OTHER_EXCLUSION display_name: type: string description: The display name of the exclusion type. enum: - Personal spending - Personal income sources - Duplicate transaction - Other exclusion NestedApiSubCategories: type: array items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/NestedApiCategorization' nullable: true securitySchemes: BearerAuth: type: http scheme: bearer bearerFormat: JWT ````