Attributes

16 min

Attributes are fundamental in organizing and enriching product data, enabling efficient management and seamless customer experiences.

This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of creating attributes in the PIM system. From defining the attributes' properties to configuring their display options, we’ll cover everything you need to know to tailor your product data to your specific needs.

To learn more about Attributes, go to the Key Concepts.

Step 1: Access Attributes

Step 2: View Existing Attributes

The Attribute List View in the portal, showcases:

Attribute ID and Name: For quick identification and reference.
Status: Indicates whether the attribute is Enabled, Disabled, or in Draft.
Scope: Displays if the attribute is at the Product, Variant, or Overridable level.
Last Updated: Tracks when the attribute was last modified for easy monitoring.
Associated Templates: Shows which product templates use the attribute.

At the top of the list, a dropdown filter is visible, allowing you to refine your search efficiently. You can filter attributes based on:

Status (Enabled, Disabled, Draft)
Scope (Product, Variant, Overridable)
Last Updated (date ranges)
Associated Templates

Using these filters helps narrow down your attribute list, making it easier to locate and manage specific attributes within large catalogs.

By clicking an Attribute ID or Name, a details panel opens on the right, enabling you to view, edit, or audit attribute information to maintain consistency across your product data management workflow.

Click on the Attribute ID to view the details of the existing attribute. Once clicked, a side window will appear on the right side of the screen. Here, you can view all the details related to the attribute, along with the associated product templates. To see the full details, click on Open. If you need to modify any of the existing attribute details, click on Edit.

Applying Filters for Efficient Data Search: To streamline data management, you can quickly filter information by selecting your desired fields. For example, you can filter by Status, Last updated, Scope, etc using the dropdown menus to refine your search effectively.

To learn more about Filters, go to the PIM Filters guide.

Step 3: Create and Define Attribute Details

To create a new attribute, click the Create Attribute button located at the top-right corner. Once you've initiated the process, add the following essential details:

Attribute Name: Enter the Attribute Name that describes the attribute you are creating.
Code Friendly Name: Specify a Code Friendly Name for the attribute, ensuring it is easily identifiable and usable in a programming context. By default, it will be set to the Attribute Name entered.
Attribute Type: Choose the appropriate Attribute Type from the list of available options, based on the type of data the attribute will be storing.

For detailed information on types of attributes, refer to the Attribute Data Types guide.

Note: Below is a table explaining the states and their corresponding statuses in PIM, along with whether the products are Purchasable and Available in the Catalog:

State	Status	Purchasable	Available in Catalog
Normal	Published	True	Yes
View Only	Published	False	Yes
Hidden	Published	True	Yes
Archived	Published	False	No

Step 4: Finalizing Attribute Creation

After completing the form, you are presented with two choices:

Create Draft: Click on the Create Draft button to save your attribute as a draft, keeping it unpublished on the portal. This allows you to revisit and edit the attribute details at your convenience before publishing it for user visibility.
Create & Open: Click on the Create & Open button, and you will be directed to the Attribute Detail page. This is the preferred choice when you intend to make the attribute live and immediately utilize it on the UpStart Commerce Portal.

Step 5: Configure Attribute Details

1. On the Attribute Detail Page, configure attribute details by selecting the scope level for your product:

Product: If you set the attribute scope level to Product, the attribute will be added as a product characteristic. This means that the attribute will apply to all products within the system.
Variant: If you set the attribute scope level to Variant, the attribute will be added as a variant characteristic. This means that the attribute will only apply to specific variants of products.
Overridable: Setting the attribute scope level to Overridable allows the attribute to be overridden for both product and variant. This means that the attribute can be customized at both the product and variant levels, providing flexibility in attribute management.

Note: Attributes scoped to “Variant” can also be edited or removed in bulk during draft management of variants, ensuring consistency and efficiency during large catalog updates.

2. Add a Description for your attribute. This description should help others understand its use and relevance.

3. Attribute Input: Enable the Required toggle if the attribute input type needs to be defined. Choose the appropriate Input Type from the dropdown menu, which specifies how the attribute values will be captured (e.g., text, radio buttons, password, month, etc.). Additionally, you can define specific options for the selected input type to ensure accurate data collection in the desired format.

4. Multivalued: Enable the toggle to Yes to allow the attribute to accept and manage multiple values, offering greater flexibility for the product dataset. Additionally, specify the Minimum Inclusive Value and Maximum Inclusive Value for the attribute. You can further refine the attribute's configuration by defining a multiplier in the provided box labeled Multiply Of.

Note: All changes made in the PIM system are automatically saved. Once you have completed entering the necessary details, click the Publish button at the end to make ALL CHANGES LIVE.

Step 6: Portal Display Configurations

In the Portal Display Configuration section, add the following details:

Display Group: Select a Display Group where you want to place your attribute. Display groups help organize related attributes on the portal interface.
Store Front: Specify how you want the attribute to be displayed on the store front. Add a Label, set a Priority, and include any relevant Helper Text as needed.

Note: Attributes not assigned to any Display Group or Section will be automatically removed from the storefront configuration during template or product finalization to maintain clean data structures.

Step 7: Search Configurations

In this step, you will configure the search settings for your attribute according to your specific requirements. For Indexed Search, turn the toggle to Yes if you want your attribute to be searchable within the UpStart Commerce domain. For Misspelling Support, enable the toggle to allow detection and correction of any misspellings related to the attribute. This ensures accurate search results and improves the user experience.

Step 8: Publish Attribute

After adding all the attribute details, scroll up to Publish the attribute. You can also view and modify the status of your attribute by toggling between Enabled and Disabled. When ENABLED, the attribute is active and can be used; when DISABLED, it cannot be used further. Additionally, at the top, you will see the version, date, and time of the created attribute.

Short Window appearing at the bottom-right, shows a preview of how your created attribute will be displayed in the storefront.

Adding this SC here in case you want to add content for it as well.

Note: In PIM, changes are auto-saved, meaning any edits you make to a Published entity will automatically move it to the Edits in Published state. This indicates that a draft or changes exist that need to be published. Your published version remains unchanged until you publish the draft. Whenever needed, you can PUBLISH the edits to ensure your updates are reflected across the PIM system.

NOTE: When you edit and publish an ATTRIBUTE or ATTRIBUTE GROUP, any changes you make are automatically UPDATED across PRODUCT TEMPLATES where they are used. This ensures consistency and accuracy in your product data, eliminating the need for manual updates to individual templates

For detailed information on creating and configuring Attribute Groups, go to the Attribute Groups Guide.