Adding an attribute
A new attribute can be added by clicking [Add] in the Attribute button group. Clicking on that button opens the form of attribute. The button itself is active when the tab List of Attributes is open.
Figure 27 Attribute form.
Mandatory fields are:
Name – attribute name can be composed of up to 50 characters (letters or digits). It allows the easy identification of an attribute. Attribute name must be unique. It means that it is not possible to add two or more attributes with the same name. If such situation occurs, an appropriate message will be displayed. It is possible to define the translations of the attribute name into languages available in the system. The Name field is a context field – the entered name is given in language selected from the drop-down list located on the right side of the field
Type – type of values that will be added to a given attribute. Possible options are:
Text – if selected, attribute value can be composed of any sequence of characters
Number – if selected, attribute value can be a positive or a negative number
Directory – if selected, attribute value will be retrieved from among the values of an assigned generic directory. Upon selecting this type, the button [Directory] becomes active. By clicking on that button, it is possible to select a value from the list of defined generic directories. Selected directory can be materialized, i.e. all its values are then assigned to the attribute as the attribute values and any changes, that will be made in selected directory, will have no affect on the attribute values. If the directory is not materialized, then the attribute values are updated each time the changes are made in the directory
Logic Value – if selected, attribute values can be checked or unchecked
List – if selected, attribute value will be the value selected from a dropdown list of values. New values cannot be added to the list if the parameter Closed List has been checked
Date – if selected, attribute value will be a date in format: yyyy-mm-dd
Customer/Vendor – if selected, attribute value will be a customer/vendor selected from the defined list of customers/vendors
Employee – if selected, attribute value will be an employee selected from the defined list of employees
Binary Data – if selected, attribute value will be a graphical file selected by the user
Item – if selected, attribute value will be an item selected from the defined list of items
Purchase Invoice – value of attribute will be purchase invoice selected from the list of available purchase invoice
Format – format of selected attribute type. This field is active only if one of the following values is selected in the Type field:
Number – data formats, available for this type, are the following: 123 (integer), 123.34 (decimal number with two decimal places), 123.3456 (decimal number with four decimal places)
List – data formats, available for this type, are the following: Text, 123 (integer), 123.34 (decimal number with two decimal places), 123.3456 (decimal number with four decimal places), SQL query (values of the list will result from an executed SQL query). Upon selecting the last format, the field: SQL query becomes active and then an appropriate query text can be entered
Note: Attribute type and format can be changed until its value has been defined or until it has been assigned to an object.
Other fields:
Active – determines attribute activity status. This parameter is checked, by default. If unchecked, selected attribute becomes unavailable in the system
Analytical – if checked, a given attribute will be transferred to data warehouse and then used in the controlling analyzes
Polyvalent – if checked, it becomes possible to add more then one value (selected from a list or entered manually) of an attribute assigned to an object
Default Value – value which is added by default to an attribute after it is assigned to an object
Directory – upon clicking on this button, a list of defined generic directories is displayed. One of them can be then assigned to selected attribute. Description of the directory format can be found by the description of the Type field
SQL query – in this field the content of SQL query is entered
Description – field for additional information about the attribute. Attribute description can be composed of any sequence of characters