"parent: Maximum hierarchy level reached" when moving or creating subgroups: restructure the target path to stay within the 5-level limit

Android

Title: "parent: Maximum hierarchy level reached" — restructure groups to stay within the 5-level limit

When creating or moving a device group in the Esper Console, the error parent: Maximum hierarchy level reached appears and the operation fails.

Why this happens

The Esper Console enforces a maximum of 5 levels of group nesting, counting from All Devices as level 1. When the destination path is already at level 5, or when adding a group with children would push the total depth past level 5, the platform blocks the operation to preserve hierarchy integrity.

Steps to resolve

1. Count the depth of your destination path. In the Esper Console, go to Devices & Groups and expand the group tree down to the group where you want to create or move a subgroup. Count each level starting from All Devices as level 1. A valid path looks like this:
   • Level 1: All Devices
   • Level 2: Production
   • Level 3: Region
   • Level 4: Location
   • Level 5: Store
   If your target group is already at level 5, you cannot place anything beneath it and must restructure before proceeding.
2. Determine whether you are moving a leaf group or a parent group. A leaf group has no child subgroups; a parent group contains one or more subgroups beneath it. When you move a parent group, its children move with it and add to the total depth at the destination. For example, moving a two-level parent group into a level-4 destination would result in a level-6 path, which is not permitted.
3. Restructure the hierarchy to bring the target path below level 5. Choose the option that fits your situation:
   • Consolidate intermediate levels: Move the devices or subgroups from an unnecessary intermediate group into its parent, then delete the now-empty intermediate group to reduce overall depth.
   • Move devices individually instead of the group: Go to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Move to Group to assign individual devices directly to the target group, bypassing the need to move the parent group and its children.
   • Choose a shallower destination: Move the subgroup to a parent group at level 3 or above, so the resulting path stays within the 5-level limit.
4. Retry the create or move operation. Once the destination path is at level 4 or shallower, attempt the original operation again in Devices & Groups.

Verify: The subgroup appears nested under the intended parent group in Devices & Groups and the parent: Maximum hierarchy level reached error no longer appears when performing the operation.

If this doesn't resolve it

If the error appears on a path that looks fewer than 5 levels deep, or if restructuring does not clear the error, contact Esper Support. Before reaching out, collect the following:

• The group ID of the intended destination parent group — visible in the URL in the Esper Console when the group is selected (for example, grp_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
• A description of the exact operation you are attempting — whether you are creating a new subgroup or moving an existing group, and the name and current location of that group

Still need help?

If the steps above don't resolve the issue, submit a support ticket with your device model, Android version, Esper Agent version, and a description of what you've already tried — this helps the support team investigate without a follow-up.