====== Assign Attributes Types to Categories ======

When an **Attribute Type** is assigned to a **Category**, the **Attribute** will appear in the Attributes Panel. The Attributes Panel is part of the Item Entry screen, and appears after a **Category** is selected. \\ Attributes may be assigned at any **Category** Level - 1, 2, or 3. When an **Attribute** is assigned to a Level 1 **Category**, the **Attribute** Cascades to that Level 1 Categories’ Level 2 and Level 3 Categories. This means the Level 2 and 3 Categories Inherit Attributes from the Level 1 **Category** of which they are a sub-category. \\ When an **Attribute** is assigned to a Level 2 **Category**, that **Attribute** Cascades to its Level 3 (sub)Categories.

Note: It is only necessary to assign an **Attribute Type** to one Level in a particular **Category**. Do not assign an **Attribute** to more than one **Category** Level for a particular **Category**.

Example: Women's Apparel Sizes provides a good example of why one would choose to assign Attributes at a level other than **Category** Level 1. Dresses, Pants, and Tops may all use pretty much the same set of sizes, but shoe sizes are a different matter. Assigning the **Attribute** Women's Size to Dress, Pants and Tops at Level 2, and Women’s Shoe Size to Shoes at Level 2 lets you limit the number of Sizes appearing in each Size list when entering items. In other words, when entering Dresses, which have sizes like 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 etc. you’re not also looking at shoe sizes such as 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, etc. Definitions Of **Attribute** Fields & Buttons

  * **Category**  : Shows the Categories to which **Attribute Types** are associated.
  * **Attribute List**  : Shows which Attributes are associated with the selected **Category**, and the order in which the **Attribute** will appear in the **Attribute** Panel.
  * **Priority List Buttons**  : Use these buttons to place Attributes in their preferred order.
  * **Attribute**  : The **Attribute**’s name.
  * **Display Name**  : Name of **Attribute** as it will appear in the Item Entry screen. Change the name of the **Attribute** here if you wish the **Attribute** to appear with a different name in the **Attribute** Panel.
  * **Use In Title**  : Checking this box causes the **Attribute** to appear as part of Items’ Titles.
  * **Active**  : Check this box to make an Attribute Active. Remove the check to make an Attribute Inactive. (Attributes cannot be deleted from a Category once they have been assigned and used. They can only be made Inactive. See [[:setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:attributeinactive|]] for more information.)
  * **Attribute Kind**  : Select the appropriate description for what the **Attribute** describes by choosing one of the options in the drop down box. "Standard" is the default setting. Choose "Size" to make the attribute print on price tags and labels. Choose "Color","Brand", and “Condition” when appropriate.
      * There are 5 special attribute kinds that can have additional benefits. For example, some reports allow you to filter by Size, Color, Brand, Season, or Condition. This will only work if the Attribute Kind is set to either Size, Color, Brand, Season, or Condition. There are also reports that will specifically break down based on these attributes such as the "[[:reports:topnanalysisreports:brandproductivity|]]" report.
      * The eCommerce platforms (such as Shopify, eBay, and ShopRW) also use the special kinds in various ways and will only work when set appropriately.
  * **Default Value**: This is used to set the default attribute value for the attribute that is associated with the category.
Note: Default Values for attributes can be extremely useful for certain attributes (Condition, Gender, or website specific attributes), but shouldn't be used for highly variable attributes such as Brand, Size, or Color.

  * **Add Button**  : Select to make an **Attribute** appear in the Attributes Panel for the selected **Category**. Upon selecting, the **Select Attribute Type** dialog will appear.
**Delete Button**  : Select to remove the selected **Attribute** in the Attributes Panel for the selected **Category**. (Attributes cannot be deleted from a **Category** once they have been assigned and used. They can only be made Inactive.)

===== To Assign An Attribute To A Category =====

  - From the Main menu, click on **Setup > Categories >** **Attribute Types.** \\ {{setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat_image5.png|image5.png}} \\ The Maintain Attributes dialogue box will open. \\ {{setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat_image6.png|image6.png}}
  - In **Maintain Categories**, select the **Category** to which you wish to assign the **Attribute**. \\ {{setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat_image3.png|image3.png}}
  - Select **Add** under the Attributes window. \\ {{setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat_image2.png|image2.png}} \\ The **Select Attribute Type** dialog window will display. \\ {{setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat_image7.png|image7.png}}
  - Select the **Attribute Type** from the list on the left side of the dialog that you wish to associate with the **Category**. (The list on the right side of the dialog shows the **Attribute** Values for the selected **Attribute Type**.) Select the **OK** button. \\ {{setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat_image9.png|image9.png}} \\ The Edit **Category** **Attribute** dialogue box will open. \\ {{setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat_image10.png|image10.png}}
  - Make any desired changes then select the **OK** button in the Edit **Category** **Attribute** window. \\ {{setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat_image1.png|image1.png}} \\ Note: **Default Value** sets the default attribute for the category that you have selected. Default Values for attributes can be extremely useful for certain attributes (Condition, Gender, or website specific attributes), but shouldn't be used for highly variable attributes such as Brand, Size, or Color.
  - Repeat steps 4 and 5 as necessary until you have selected all desired **Attribute Types**.
  - Use the Priority List Buttons to change the order of the Attributes as they appear in the Attribute List. The order of Attributes in the Attribute List will be the order of Attributes in the Attribute Panel. It is recommended to move frequently used Attributes close to the top of the list. See [[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:changeorderofatts|Change Order Of Attributes On The Item Entry Screen]] for more details. \\ {{setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat_image8.png|image8.png}}
  - Select **OK** in the **Maintain Categories** dialog when finished. \\ {{setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat_image4.png|image4.png}}

For information on adding your own, specific Attributes and Values, please see the sections entitled [[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:addchangedeleteatts|Add, Change, and Delete Attribute Types]] [[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:addchangedeleteatts|and]] [[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:addeditdeleteatts|Add, Edit, And Delete Attribute Values.]]
==== Next Article In Section ====

Click the following link to move to the next article in this section: \\ [[:setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:removeattributescat|Remove an Attribute from a Category]]

==== Related Topics ====

[[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:assignattributestocat]]
[[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:overviewofattributes]]
[[setup:requiredsetupsteps:inventorymodule:categories:categoriesoverview]]
[[setup:requiredsetupsteps:inventorymodule:categories:categoryeditor]]
[[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:attributeinactive]]
[[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:changeorderofatts]]
[[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:addchangedeleteatts]]
[[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:addeditdeleteatts]]
[[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:printingsizeattribute]]
[[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:removeattributescat]]
[[setup:optionalrecsetup:attributes:showattributestitles]]