Object Attributes
- [Object Values] Populating the object with data
- [Object Versions] Managing multiple versions of attributes attached to object values
- [Object Structures] Grouping and structuring object values in hierarchies
Attributes are additional properties that can be attached to the object values. For example, product color or department type. The attributes can be used when creating reports or forms to group or filter data. By default, an attribute will show up as an extra column in the object value administration form where it is possible to enter data. An [attribute list] can be used to better control what attribute values can be assigned. Then, the attribute value is assigned using a drop-down list with pre-defined items.
Access Object Attributes by selecting Client administration > Objects > Object attribute setup > Object attribute.
On the left side of the window there is a list of all objects within the client. On the right side, you can create and attach one or more attributes to the object.
To create a new attribute, select the Create new attribute link at the top left of the window. Enter the below information and click Save.
Below is a list of available fields when creating an object:
Field |
Description |
Example |
Note |
|---|---|---|---|
Attribute ID |
The ID of the attribute |
PC |
Keep short, no spaces. |
Description |
The description of the attribute. |
Product Color |
|
Template type |
Which data type the attribute should store. |
Text |
Can be text or numeric. Normally text is used. However, if you want to store, for example, weight or size as numeric values attached to an object value, then use numeric. |
You can create and add multiple attributes to the same object.
To attach an attribute to an object, select the object in the object list and click the drop-down in the Attribute ID column in the attribute list.
Below is a list of available fields when attaching an attribute to an object:
Field |
Description |
Example |
Note |
|---|---|---|---|
Attribute ID |
Select the attribute you want to attach to the object |
PC Product Color |
|
Data view |
Attribute list attached to limit which values can be assigned to the attribute. |
LP List of colors |
|
Active |
Indicates whether the attribute is currently active or not. |
|
You cannot delete an attribute with values attached to any object values. Instead, inactivate the attribute. |
Mandatory |
Defines if the attribute is mandatory when creating an object value. |
|
|
Additional Information
If you want the attribute to be limited to a specific number of values (i.e. color Red, Green, Blue), you should create an [Attribute list] in the form of a Data view.
Usage
Object attributes have some similarities to object trees and parent-child structures, but there are differences. An attribute is just an extra property describing an object value more in detail. An object tree also assigns more information to the child object by grouping the child object into a higher level parent object. The difference here is that the parent object is also an object. This becomes important in input forms where data can be saved related to objects, but not related to object attributes. When an object attribute is used in a form, no data is saved connected to the attribute, but only connected to the object value itself. This implies that 'product color' probably should be an object attribute, but 'product group' probably would be a separate object attached to products via an object tree.
Parent-child structures (Parent attributes) are a special type of object attributes. For each object value they describe what other object value within the same object is the parent.
Object attributes (and parent attributes) are not inherited between clients when using derived objects. But objects trees are inherited.