Attributes

Attributes are used to help surface data, allowing you to more easily search, filter, and organize your records. Within your MDM, you will have the ability to create your own custom Attributes and Attribute Groups, so you can organize your data based on your business needs.

In this article, you'll learn how to use Attributes and Attribute Groups to organize product data.  

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Contents

Attributes

Attribute Groups

Custom Attributes

Custom Attribute Groups

Manage Variants

Primary vs Secondary Attribute Groups

Attributes

Attributes are a way to tag information related to your object record and can be assigned to an Attribute Group for organization.

Attribute Types supported are:

1. Text
2. Number
3. Multi-select
4. Boolean
5. Range
6. Date

Attribute Groups

Attribute Groups are used to organize attributes, so that we can view a record in an organized manner.

Knowde’s Core Attribute Groups include: 

1. Features
2. Functions
3. Identification
4. Processing Methods
5. End Uses
6. Packaging & Availability
7. Properties
8. Benefits & Claims
9. Regulatory & Compliance
10. Applications

Custom Attributes

Custom Attributes can be created, edited and managed by MDM Admins or MDM Editors. Custom Attributes can be added to an existing Attribute Group (including Knowde Core Attribute Groups). 

For example, you may want to create custom attributes such as internal product code, business unit, and product manager name since these might be relevant to your internal organization needs. 

To create a custom attribute:

1. Navigate to Attributes under Configuration in the left hand navigation bar
2. Navigate to the Attributes tab in Attribute Library 
3. Click Create Attribute on the top right
4. Enter in attribute details such as attribute type, name, and group
5. Click Create 

To update a custom attribute:

1. Navigate to Attributes under Configuration in the left hand navigation bar
2. Navigate to the Attribute tab in Attribute Library 
3. Click Edit on the right of the attribute
4. Edit attribute details such as attribute name, description, and group
5. Click Save

To delete a custom attribute:

1. Navigate to Attributes under Configuration in the left hand navigation bar
2. Navigate to the Attribute tab in Attribute Library 
3. Click the dropdown on the right of the attribute
4. Click Delete

Caution: When an attribute is deleted, the attribute is removed across the entire system. As a result, records that use
this attribute will no longer have this data.

Custom Attribute Groups

For example, you may now want to create a custom Attribute Group called “Internal Organization”. Now, you can group the custom attributes such as internal product code, business unit, and product manager name in an organized manner.

To create a custom attribute group:

1. Navigate to Attributes under Configuration in the left hand navigation bar
2. Navigate to the Attribute Groups tab in Attribute Library 
3. Click Create Attribute Group on the top right
4. Name Attribute Group 
5. Click Save

To update a custom attribute group:

1. Navigate to Attributes under Configuration in the left hand navigation bar
2. Navigate to the Attribute Groups tab in Attribute Library 
3. Click Edit on the right of the attribute
4. Edit Attribute Group Name
5. Click Save

Manage Variants

Variants allow you to group attributes that differ only by test method and/or test conditions under a parent.

To create a variant:

1. Navigate to Attributes under Configuration in the left hand navigation bar
2. Navigate to the Attributes tab in Attribute Library
3. Select the Attribute you want to create a variant for 
4. Navigate to the Variants tab and click Create Variant on the top right
5. Select a Test Method using the dropdown and enter a Test Condition in the textfield
6. Click Create in the slideout and click Save on the top right

To edit a variant:

1. Navigate to the Variants tab and click Edit on the variant you want to edit
2. Update the variant
3. Click Save in the slideout

To delete a variant 

1. Navigate to the Variants tab 
2. Click the dropdown arrow next to the Edit button on the right of the variant row 
3. Click Delete

To filter by a variant: 

1. Navigate to the Variants tab and click Filter on the top right 
2. Filter for Test Methods or Test Conditions
3. Click Done in the slideout

Primary vs Secondary Attribute Groups

Any attribute may have one Primary attribute group, but may have any number of Secondary attribute groups.

Primary Attribute Groups are primarily used to group attributes on product records. To manage the primary attribute group for an attribute, use the attribute configuration page.

Secondary Attribute Groups are not used for display purposes, but rather are used to control data access and workflow rules for groups of attributes. They work independently of the primary attribute groups. They can be managed in the attribute groups configuration.

To manage a secondary attribute group: 

1. Navigate to Attributes under Configuration
2. Navigate to the Attributes Groups tab 
3. Select an attribute group and go to the Attributes tab 
4. Click Manage Attributes on the top right
5. Search or select attribute(s) and click Apply in the slideout

Helpful Tips: 

• While an attribute group may be marked Primary for some attributes and Secondary for other attributes in the group, that is not considered best practice. Typically an attribute group is either used for display grouping, and is Primary for all its attributes, or it’s used for data  access or workflow control and is Secondary for all its attributes. 
• If the desired data access or workflow control requirements coincide with an existing Primary attribute group, there is no need to create a Secondary group. Primary groups can also be used for those purposes in addition to controlling grouping in the user interface. 
• Secondary groups are used when you want to set up data access or workflow controls for only some attributes from a Primary group or for attributes across many Primary groups.

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