Chapter 10: Managing Attributes . Naxa AC-1
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Chapter 10:
Managing Attributes
Attributes are the building blocks of your product catalog, and describe specific characteristics of a product. Here are a few ways you can use attributes to enhance the shopping experience: l l l l l l
Input controls for product options
Provide additional information on product pages
Search parameters
In product comparison reports
As layered navigation “Shop By” parameters
In catalog and shopping cart price rules
Each attribute contains a value that describes a characteristic of a product, such as
“color” or “fabric.” The “color” attribute with the “dropdown” input type might contain many values, although only a few apply to any given product. Because a single attribute can be used with multiple products, your store needs to have only one attribute for color.
You can create as many attributes as you need, and assign the most common value as the default, to make it easy for your customers to select the option.
The attributes that make up a product are combined into an attribute set, which is used as template to create new products. The attribute set determines which fields are included in a product, and how they are grouped in the Product Information panel. Magento has a default attribute set with a standard selection of product attributes such as Name, Price, Description, and so on. If you want to keep it simple, you can use the default attribute set for your entire catalog.
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Attribute Input Types Chapter 10: Managing Attributes
Attribute Input Types
When viewed from the Admin, attributes are the fields that you complete when you create a product. The input type that is assigned to an attribute determines the type of data that can be entered and the format of the field or input control.
From the standpoint of the customer, attributes provide information about the product, and are the options and data entry fields that must be completed to purchase a product.
Property
Text Field
Text Area
Date
Yes/No
Dropdown
Multiple Select
Price
Media Image
Fixed Product Tax
Description
A single line input field for text.
A multiple-line input field for entering paragraphs of text such as a product description. You can use the WYSIWYG Editor to format the text with HTML tags, or type the tags directly into the text.
Fields used for entering date values are followed by an icon that displays either a calendar or list of dates when clicked.
Depending on your system configuration,a date can be typed directly into the field, or selected from the calendar or list.
Displays a drop-down list with pre-defined options of “Yes” and “No.”
Displays a drop-down list of values. Only one item can be selected at a time. The Dropdown input type is a key component of configurable products.
Displays a drop-down list of values. To select more than one option, hold the Ctrl key down and click each item.
This input type is used to create price fields that are in addition to the predefined attributes, Price, Special Price, Tier Price and Cost. The currency used is determined by your system configuration.
Gives you the ability to associate an image with a product, that is something other than a product image. For example, you might include the product logo, care instructions, or an image of the ingredients from a food label. When you add a media image attribute to the attribute set of a product, it becomes an additional image type, along with Base, Small, and Thumbnail.
The media image attribute can be excluded from the thumbnail gallery, but is still available to be used.
Lets you define FPT rates based on the requirements of your locale. To learn more, see:
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Chapter 10: Managing Attributes Creating Attributes
Creating Attributes
The properties of an attribute determine how it can be used in your catalog and how it appears throughout your store. In addition to the basic properties, there are additional properties for drop-down and multiple-select input types, their values, and associated labels. The title, or label, identifies the attribute in the Admin and your storefront. If your store is available in multiple languages, you can enter a different translated label for each language.
Attributes can be created using the Manage Attributes tool, and also from inside a product record.
Manage Attributes
Step 1:
Define the Attribute Properties
1.
On the Admin menu, select Catalog > Attributes > Manage Attributes . Then, click the
Add New Attribute button.
2.
In the Attribute Properties section, complete the following required (*) properties: a.
Enter a unique Attribute Code to identify the attribute internally. The code should be all lowercase characters without spaces.
b.
In the Apply To list, choose each product type that is associated with the attribute.
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Attribute Properties
3.
Complete the remaining
as needed.
a.
Set Scope to the indicate where the attribute can be used.
b.
Set Catalog Input Type for Store Owner to the type of
used by the store administrator during data entry.
c.
If you want to prevent duplicate values from being entered in this field, set Unique
Value to “Yes.” d.
To require that a value must be entered in the field before the record can be saved, set Values Required to “Yes.” e.
To run a validity test of data entered into the field, set Input Validation for Store
Owner to the type of data the attribute should contain.
4.
In the
section, complete as many of the settings as needed.
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Frontend Properties
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Chapter 10: Managing Attributes Creating Attributes
Step 2
: Define the Label and Values
1.
In the Attribute Information panel on the left, select Manage Label / Options . Then, do the following: a.
In the Manage Titles section, under Admin, enter a descriptive label to identify the field during data entry.
b.
The next column determines how the label appears in your storefront. You can leave the box blank to use the Admin label as the default.
c.
If your store is available in multiple languages, enter a translated label into each box, as needed.
2.
For drop-down or multiple-select input types, do the following: a.
In the Manage Options section, click the Add Option button.
b.
In the new row, under Admin , type the value you want to use in your store's Admin.
c.
Enter the value you want your customers to see. (Leave blank to use the Admin value as the default.) d.
If applicable, enter a translated value for each language supported.
e.
Enter a number to determine the Position of this value in relation to other options in the list.
f.
Select Is Default to automatically select this value.
g.
Repeat these steps for each value you want to add to the list.
Manage Label / Options for Dropdown Input Type
3.
When complete, click the Save Attribute button.
The attribute appears in the Manage Attributes list, sorted in alphabetical order by
Attribute Code. Use the
to view each page of the list.
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Deleting Attributes Chapter 10: Managing Attributes
Deleting Attributes
If you created sample data while setting up your store, it is possible that you now have some attributes that aren’t needed for your catalog.
When an attribute is deleted, it is removed from any related products and attribute sets.
System attributes are part of the core functionality of your store and cannot be deleted.
To delete an attribute:
1.
On the Admin menu, select Catalog > Attributes > Manage Attributes .
2.
In the list, find the attribute and click to open the record.
3.
Click the Delete Attribute button.
4.
When prompted to confirm, click OK .
Creating an Attribute Set
One of the first steps when creating a product is to choose the attribute set that is used as a template for the product record. The attribute set determines the fields that are available during data entry, and the values that appear to the customer.
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Manage Attribute Sets
Your store comes with an initial attribute set called “default” which contains a set of commonly-used attributes. If you would like to add only a small number of attributes, you can add them to the default attribute set. However, if you sell products that require specific types of information, such as cameras, it might be better to create a dedicated attribute set that includes the special attributes (fields) needed to describe the product.
A single attribute can be used by as many different attribute sets as is necessary. For example, the attribute “color” can be included in an attribute set for clothing, paint, or for any number of different products.
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Chapter 10: Managing Attributes Creating an Attribute Set
To create an attribute set:
1.
On the Admin menu, select Catalog > Attributes> Manage Attribute Sets .
2.
Click the Add New Set button. Then, do the following:
Edit Set Name a.
Enter a Name for the attribute set.
b.
In the Based On field, select another attribute set from which this attribute set is to inherit attributes. This option enables you to reuse the attributes already defined in a set to build other attribute sets. The simple option is to leave the Default option that appears in this field.
3.
Click the Save Attribute Set button. The next page displays the following: l l l
The top left of the page shows the name of the attribute set defined earlier. You have the option to edit the name because this value is for internal use.
The center of the page shows a hierarchical tree representing Groups for attributes.
The right side of the page shows a list of defined attributes that are not assigned to this attribute set.
4.
Select the attribute to be assigned to this Group by dragging them from the Unassigned
Attributes area on the right into the relevant Group in the middle of the page.
5.
When the attribute set is complete, click the Save Attribute Set button.
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Edit Attribute Set
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Attribute Quick Reference Chapter 10: Managing Attributes
System Attributes are marked with a dot and cannot be removed from the Groups list.
However, you can drag them to another Group in the attribute set.
To create a new attribute group:
1.
In the Groups section of the attribute set, click the Add New button.
2.
Enter a Name for the new group, and click OK .
3.
Do either of the following: l l
Drag Unassigned Attributes to the new group.
Drag attributes from any other group to the new group.
The new group becomes a section in the Product Information panel for any product that is based on this attribute set.
Attribute Quick Reference
Product Type Properties
Property Description
Apply To
Use to Create Configurable Product
Identifies the product types that can use the attribute. Visibility must be set to include the catalog.
Identifies the attribute one that will be used to create a dropdown list of options for a configurable product.
Data Entry Properties
Property Description
Default Value
Unique Value
Displays a common entry as a starting value.
Prevents duplicate values from being entered.
Values Required
Input Validation
Requires a value to be entered before the record can be saved.
Performs a validation check of the data, based on data type, or format.
Search and Navigation Properties
Property Description
Use in Quick Search Lets customers use the Search box to find items based on the
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Property Description
Use in Advanced Search Includes the attribute as a field on the Advanced Search form.
Use in Layered Navigation
Use in Search Results
Layered Navigation
Position
Includes the attribute in the layered navigation that is displayed for category lists.
Includes the attribute in the layered navigation that is displayed for search results lists.
Use in Product Listing
Use for Sorting in
Product Listing
Determines the position of the attribute when listed with others in the layered navigation list.
(Depending on theme) Includes the attribute in the product listing.
(Depending on theme) Includes this attribute as an option in the Sort By list, which can be used to sort a product list.
Rules and Comparison Properties
Property Description
Comparable on Frontend
Use for Promo Rule
Conditions
Includes the attribute in the Compare Products report.
Allows the attribute to be used as the basis of a condition that triggers a promotional Price Rule or Shopping Cart rule.
Presentation Properties
Property Description
Visible on Product View
Page
Allow HTML Tags on
Frontend
Includes the attribute on the Additional Information tab of the product view page.
Permits text fields and areas to be manually tagged with
HTML.
Enable WYSIWYG Editor Makes the WYSIWYG Editor available for tagging a text field or text area with HTML.
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Attribute Properties
The Attribute Properties define the individual characteristics that determine how an attribute can be used in the product catalog.
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Attribute Properties
Property Descriptions
Property Description
Attribute Code
Scope
(Required) A unique identifier for internal use. The Attribute
Code must begin with a letter, but can include a combination of lowercase letters (a-z) and numbers (0-9).The code must be less than thirty characters in length and cannot include any special characters or spaces, although an underscore (_) can be used to indicate a space.
Limits the use of an attribute to a specific store view or website. Options include:
Store View
Website
Global
Catalog Input Type for
Store Owner
Determines the data type and input control that is used to manage the product from the store Admin. Options include:
Text Field
Text Area
A single line input field for text.
A multiple-line input field that can display paragraphs of text formatted with HTML.
Date
Yes/No
Dropdown
An input field for date values. The date can be typed directly into the field, or selected from a list or calendar.
A drop-down list with pre-defined options of “Yes” and “No.”
A drop-down list of configurable options,
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Chapter 10: Managing Attributes Attribute Properties
Property
Default Value
Description
Multiple Select
Price
Media Image
Fixed Product
Tax from which only one can be selected.
Displays a drop-down list of configurable options. To select more than one option, hold down the Ctrl key and click each item.
An input type that can be used to create price fields in addition to the predefined attributes: Price, Special Price, Tier Price and Cost.
An additional image that can be included in the attribute set of a product.
An input type that gives you the ability to define FPT rates based on the requirements of your locale.
Assigns a starting value to the attribute to help during data entry. To assign a default value for Multiple Select or Dropdown input types, see:
.
A default value cannot be set for Multiple Select,
Dropdown, or Fixed Product Tax input types.
Unique Value
Values Required
To prevent duplicate values in a data entry field, set Unique
Value to “Yes.” Options include: Yes / No
To require that a value to be entered in this field before the record can be saved, set Values Required to “Yes.” Options include: Yes / No
Input Validation for Store
Owner
Apply To
Performs a validation check of the data entered in the field, based on the following options:
None
Decimal Number
Integer Number
URL
Letters
Letters (a-z, A-Z) or Numbers (0-9)
(Required) Identifies the product types to which this attribute applies. Options include:
All Product Types
Selected Product Types
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Property
Use to Create Configurable Product
Description
(Dropdown input type only) Select “Yes” if this attribute will be used to create a drop-down list for a configurable product.
Options include: Yes / No
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Chapter 10: Managing Attributes Attribute Frontend Properties
Attribute Frontend Properties
The Frontend Properties determine how an attribute can be used in your store. You can specify how attributes are used in search, layered navigation, product comparisons, price rules, and sorting. For text attributes, you can enable the WYSIWYG editor and specify if
HTML tags can be used to format the value.
Frontend Properties
Property Descriptions
Property Description
Use in
Select “Yes” if you want people to be able to search the catalog based on the value of this attribute. Options include: Yes / No
Use in
Gives shoppers the ability to enter their search criteria through a form. Options include: Yes / No
Using too many attributes can slow down search.
Comparable on Frontend
Use In
Select “Yes” to include this attribute as a row in the Compare
Products report. Options include: Yes / No
(Dropdown, Multiple Select and Price input types only)
Includes the attribute as a filter in the “Shop By” section of layered navigation. Options include:
No
Filterable (with results)
The attribute is not used in layered navigation.
Lists only products that match the filter value.
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Property
Use In Search Results
Layered Navigation
Position
Allow HTML Tags on
Frontend
Visible on Product View
Page on Front-end
Used in Product Listing
Used for Sorting in
Product Listing
Description
Filterable (no results)
Lists all attribute values, even those that do not apply to any product in the list.
Layered navigation appears on a category page only if there are filterable attributes available.
To include the attribute in the layered navigation for search results, select “Yes.” Options include: Yes / No
To make the attribute available for use in price rules, select
“Yes.” Options include: Yes / No
Determines the position of the attribute in layered navigation in relation to other filterable attributes.
(Text Area input type only) To display the editor when entering or editing the attribute value, select “Yes.” The editor can be used to format field descriptions with HTML tags. Options include: Yes / No
(Text Field and Text Area input types only) To be able to format the attribute value with HTML tags, select “Yes.”
Options include: Yes / No
(Simple and virtual products only) To include the attribute on the Additional Information tab of the product page, select
“Yes.” Options include: Yes / No
Depends on the theme. To include the attribute in product summaries that appear in catalog listings, select “Yes.”
(Depends on theme)
To include this attribute as a “Sort By” option for catalog listings, select “Yes.“
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