> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.kernel.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.kernel.ai/data/hierarchies.md).

# Hierarchies

How Kernel links entities into corporate trees

Hierarchy data explains how one resolved entity relates to another. Kernel keeps each entity distinct, assigns each one its own KERN ID, and links related entities into a tree.

This matters because a CRM account can mean different things. It might be the global group, a country subsidiary, a holding company, a product brand, or a standalone business. Kernel keeps those boundaries visible instead of folding every related record into one company.

## What hierarchy data answers

Use hierarchy data when you need to know:

| Question                                                       | Use                                                                   |
| -------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Who is directly above this account?                            | CRM parent fields, association actions, and account ownership cleanup |
| What is the top of the corporate tree?                         | Routing, reporting, account-family lists, and rollups                 |
| Is this the highest operating company below a holding company? | GTM views that should skip passive holding companies                  |
| Is this account a regional subsidiary?                         | Territory planning, regional reporting, and duplicate policy          |
| Which scope should a number use?                               | Entity-level vs. consolidated headcount and revenue                   |

## Pages in this section

* [Parent relationships](/data/hierarchies/parent-relationships.md) explains immediate parent, top parent, top operating parent, and standalone companies.
* [State-owned companies](/data/hierarchies/state-owned-companies.md) explains how public ownership connects companies to national, provincial, or local government roots.
* [Regional subsidiaries](/data/hierarchies/regional-subsidiaries.md) explains how Kernel distinguishes a regional subsidiary from a duplicate account.