# Sidebar Nav

The vertical navigation panel for portals with a sidebar layout. Group navigation into sections, each with its own list of items, sub-items (rendered as collapsibles), and icons.

This is the canonical block for the Sidebar Navigation module type — typically the most common navigation pattern for SphericalBRM portals.

![Sidebar Nav rendered with two grouped sections, each containing nav items with icons](/files/5gNNRaoifFkmincGoi8f)

## Available in

* Sidebar Navigation modules **only**

For top-bar navigation, use [Header Nav](/client-admin-guide/active-workflows/getting-started/layout-components/header-nav.md) instead.

## When to use

* Internal admin portals where users move through many distinct workspaces.
* POS workflows where the operator switches between Place Order, EOD, Reports, etc.
* Any workflow that uses the Sidebar Navigation module type.
* Whenever the navigation has more than \~5 items — vertical lists scale better than horizontal nav.

## Settings

| Setting                 | Description                                                                |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Navigation Sections** | Array of sections. Each section has a title and its own list of nav items. |

Each section has:

* **Section Title** — the section header shown above the items.

Each item inside a section has:

* **Label** — the text shown.
* **Page ID** — dropdown of available pages in the workflow (auto-populated).
* **Icon** — Lucide icon name.
* **Sub Items** — optional nested array, rendered as a collapsible group. Same fields as parent items.

## How it works

Sections render as grouped headers in the sidebar with their items beneath. Items with sub-items collapse and expand on click; items without sub-items navigate directly.

The **Page ID** dropdown is populated dynamically from the current workflow's modules — only pages, not nav modules, appear in the list.

Active state is applied automatically to the item matching the current route.

{% hint style="info" %}
Group related items into sections (e.g. *Sales* / *Reports* / *Settings*) — sectioned sidebars scan faster than long flat lists.
{% endhint %}

## Examples

**Cashier sidebar.** One section "Main" with items *Place Order*, *Pay Invoice*, *Customer Lookup*, *EOD Reports*.

**Store Manager sidebar.** Three sections — *Sales* (Place Order, Pay Invoice), *Reports* (EOD, Sales Summary, Inventory), *Admin* (Users, Settings).

**Sales Rep sidebar.** Sections *Customers* (Search, Recent), *Orders* (New, History, Drafts), *Account* (Profile, Targets).

## Related

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Header Nav</strong></td><td>The horizontal alternative for header layouts.</td><td><a href="/pages/Ttw6RF5yUZ70D8EONa1P">/pages/Ttw6RF5yUZ70D8EONa1P</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Module Types</strong></td><td>Why Sidebar Navigation is a separate module type.</td><td><a href="/pages/g2JG7KMppsgCgHq9QDJ3">/pages/g2JG7KMppsgCgHq9QDJ3</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Active Workflows</strong></td><td>How the sidebar reflects the user's active workflow.</td><td><a href="/pages/qnQ3PwOBvOrT2nKQqt0g">/pages/qnQ3PwOBvOrT2nKQqt0g</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


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