Feature Request: Items in subcollections should automatically appear in parent collections

Hello Zotero community,

I'm a master's student using Zotero extensively for my research, and I'm encountering a workflow issue with collections and subcollections that I believe could be improved. When I add a reference to a subcollection, it doesn't automatically appear in the parent collection, which requires manual duplication of entries across collections.

Feature request: Could Zotero implement an option to have items added to subcollections automatically appear in their parent collections? This would work similarly to how traditional folder hierarchies function in file systems, where subfolders are truly "contained" within parent folders.

This would be especially valuable for academic work like mine, where organizing references by chapters, subtopics, and themes is essential. As a master's student managing hundreds of references, this feature would significantly improve my workflow efficiency and help me better organize my research materials.

Potential implementation options:
1. A global toggle in preferences
2. A per-collection setting
3. An inheritance system where parent collections can "see" all items in subcollections

Has anyone else encountered this limitation? Any workarounds until this might be implemented?

Thank you for considering this request.
  • View → Shows Items from Subcollections
  • Hi, was this function removed?? I can't find it anymore and I need it I am due my thesis soon!
  • No, still there -- note it's only available in the desktop tool, not the web version
  • edited 4 days ago
    Sure, the desktop tool, but I can't see it in the View drop-down menu. Now I have to manually do it through the config (toggling false to true). should it be always in the same place?
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    View → Show Items from Subcollections is definitely still there. You have to be in the library tab, not a reader or note tab.
  • Now it seems to be there. Weirdly yesterday the View tab was showing as a much longer menu (but no Show Items from Subcollections). Oh well. Thanks though for the speedy responses.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    There’s a different menu when you’re in a reader or note tab.
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