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The benefit of nested menu is to reduce the count of backend menu items and group them into a sub menu.

Define nested menu items

First you need a navigation setup with a lot of items.

$GLOBALS['BE_MOD']['my'] = array(
	'entry1' => array(
		'tables' => array('table1'),
	),
	'entry2' => array(
		'tables' => array('table2'),
	),
	'entry3' => array(
		'tables' => array('table3'),
	),
	'entry4' => array(
		'tables' => array('table4'),
	),
	'entry5' => array(
		'tables' => array('table5'),
	),
	'entry6' => array(
		'tables' => array('table6'),
	),
	'entry7' => array(
		'tables' => array('table7'),
	),
	'entry8' => array(
		'tables' => array('table8'),
	),
	'entry9' => array(
		'tables' => array('table9'),
	),
);

Now you have to define, which item will be nested into another item.

$GLOBALS['BE_MOD']['my'] = array(
	'entry1' => array(
		'tables' => array('table1'),
	),
	'entry2' => array(
		'tables' => array('table2'),
	),
	'entry3' => array(
		'tables' => array('table3'),
	),
	'entry4' => array(
		'tables' => array('table4'),
	),
	'entry5' => array(
		'nested' => 'grouped_entries',
		'tables' => array('table5'),
	),
	'entry6' => array(
		'nested' => 'grouped_entries',
		'tables' => array('table6'),
	),
	'entry7' => array(
		'nested' => 'grouped_entries',
		'tables' => array('table7'),
	),
	'entry8' => array(
		'nested' => 'grouped_entries',
		'tables' => array('table8'),
	),
	'entry9' => array(
		'nested' => 'grouped_entries',
		'tables' => array('table9'),
	),
);

Now a virtual structure will be created, that look like this:

$GLOBALS['BE_MOD']['my'] = array(
	'entry1' => array(
		'tables' => array('table1'),
	),
	'entry2' => array(
		'tables' => array('table2'),
	),
	'entry3' => array(
		'tables' => array('table3'),
	),
	'entry4' => array(
		'tables' => array('table4'),
	),
	'grouped_entries' => array(
		'callback' => 'NestedMenuController',
	),
);

Keep in mind, the entries entry5 till entry9 are only hidden from the user.

The new item grouped_entries now provide a navigation listing, similar to the old navigation listing, known from the Contao 2 backend startpage.

It is also possible to make different groups in the sub menu, just add a :group-name to the nested key.

$GLOBALS['BE_MOD']['my'] = array(
	'entry1' => array(
		'tables' => array('table1'),
	),
	'entry2' => array(
		'tables' => array('table2'),
	),
	'entry3' => array(
		'tables' => array('table3'),
	),
	'entry4' => array(
		'tables' => array('table4'),
	),
	'entry5' => array(
		'nested' => 'grouped_entries:group1',
		'tables' => array('table5'),
	),
	'entry6' => array(
		'nested' => 'grouped_entries:group1',
		'tables' => array('table6'),
	),
	'entry7' => array(
		'nested' => 'grouped_entries:group2',
		'tables' => array('table7'),
	),
	'entry8' => array(
		'nested' => 'grouped_entries:group2',
		'tables' => array('table8'),
	),
	'entry9' => array(
		'nested' => 'grouped_entries:group3',
		'tables' => array('table9'),
	),
);

Now entry5 and entry6 will be grouped, entry7 and entry8 will be grouped and also entry9 get an own group.

Translations

Every sub menu group require a language key in the $GLOBALS['TL_LANG']['MOD'] array, equals to the group name.

$GLOBALS['TL_LANG']['MOD']['grouped_entries:group1'] = 'Group 1';
$GLOBALS['TL_LANG']['MOD']['grouped_entries:group2'] = 'Group 2';
$GLOBALS['TL_LANG']['MOD']['grouped_entries:group3'] = 'Group 3';

Security

Because nested menu is just a visual modification, you can grant or limit access to every single menu item, including the grouped item itself. You will not miss all any permissions Contao provide.