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# Create and manage animal groups

Groups keep animals that you manage together on one page. Start by deciding whether each animal already has a profile or whether you only need a head count for now.

## Create a group

Open **Dashboard > Animals & Groups > Groups**, then select **Create group**. You can also go directly to [Create group](https://creatures.com/animals/groups/new).

1. Enter a useful **Name**, such as “Spring heifers” or “Show string.”
2. Choose the **Owner**. Pick your personal profile for your own animals or an organization for animals managed by that team. This choice controls who can manage the group and which animals can be included.
3. Under **What are you tracking?**, choose:
   - **Animal profiles** when every animal already has, or should have, its own Creatures profile and history.
   - **Count group** when you are tracking a litter, flock, clutch, batch, colony, pond, or pen by number first.
4. For **Animal profiles**, choose how animals should be added. You can select them yourself, keep the list updated with rules, or use rules plus animals you add yourself. See [Manual, smart, and hybrid groups](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/manual-smart-and-hybrid-groups-xjmhru/).
5. Add an optional **Location note** and **Notes**, then select **Create group**.

![Create group choices for owner and tracking method](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/fd3/8fa/ad4/09315.png?width=1760)

The owner and tracking choice are fixed after creation, so check both before saving. If you need individual records from the beginning, use **Animal profiles**. If individual profiles can wait, see [Track animals without individual profiles](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/track-animals-by-count-with-count-groups-nbado5/).

## Use the group page

Open a group from [your Groups dashboard](https://creatures.com/dashboard/groups). The tabs keep different kinds of work separate:

- **Overview** shows the group summary and is where you start a shared record.
- **Activity** keeps the group history, including membership and other changes.
- **Animals** shows included profiles or lets you create individual profiles for animals tracked by number.
- **Records** shows records made through the group and the animals included at that moment.
- **Financials** keeps group income and costs together.
- **Settings** holds public options for eligible groups tracked by number, notification and watcher choices, split and merge tools, and archive controls.

![Group overview with tabs, summary, and membership explanation](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/6eb/ec1/b5e/d7190.png?width=1760)

To change the group's details, select **Edit** above the tabs. In **Edit group**, update the name, location note, or notes, then select **Save group**.

## If an animal is missing

First check the group **Owner**. The animal must be manageable by that person or organization. For a rule-managed group, also check the rule and the animal's species, breed, sex, age, status, or withdrawal state.

Archiving a finished group hides it from active work without deleting its history. Records already written to individual animal profiles remain with those animals.

### Related information

- [Track animals without individual profiles](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/track-animals-by-count-with-count-groups-nbado5/)
- [Manual, smart, and hybrid groups](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/manual-smart-and-hybrid-groups-xjmhru/)
- [Apply records and track activity for a group](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/apply-records-and-track-activity-for-a-group-xhe5f5/)