# About Collections

Collections group together related logins, notes, cards, and identities for [secure sharing](https://bitwarden.com/help/sharing/) within an organization. Collections can be created and managed by any organization type. Collections are organization-equivalents to [folders](https://bitwarden.com/help/folders/), with a few key differences:

- Organizations can define [access to collections](https://bitwarden.com/help/collection-permissions/), allowing users or [groups](https://bitwarden.com/help/about-groups/) to access only the items they need.
- Items stored in an organization's collections(s) do not belong to any individual user, but rather to the organization.
- Organization-owned items **must** be included in at least one collection.

Your vault centralizes everything you have access to, like collections, [shared items](https://bitwarden.com/help/sharing/), and personal items. To open a specific collection, select it from the vault's filter menu:

![Open collection](https://bitwarden.com/assets/3uvlVv4JZdBPVkC6yQtmlB/e27ac5ec3d8fe46dbefdae0377144505/Open_collection.png)
*Open collection*

## Nested collections

When you nest a collection, it becomes hierarchically organized under another collection. Select where to **Nest your collection under** when you first create it or later by going to **Collections** → ⋮ **icon** →**Edit info**:

![Nested collection](https://bitwarden.com/assets/4WE9iu5h5WwMh2hTbMV0Q6/f3cfc507b06de6e8243a76685d598066/Nested_collection.png)
*Nested collection*

This only changes how your collection list appears in the filter column. Nested collections don't inherit items, access, or permissions from their "parent" collection.

## Next steps

- [Create a collection](https://bitwarden.com/help/create-collections/) that you can add shared items to.
- [Share items with organization members](https://bitwarden.com/help/sharing/) through your new collection.
- [Assign groups and members](https://bitwarden.com/help/assign-users-to-collections/) access to your new collection.
- [Configure the permissions](https://bitwarden.com/help/collection-permissions/) your groups and members have to the collection.
- [Configure collection management settings](https://bitwarden.com/help/collection-management/) for your organization.