Three levels of the PIM attribute model

An attribute describes a single piece of product information, an Attribute Group groups attributes into an organized entity, and an Attribute Family defines the attribute structure used for a product and the mandatory information for each channel. Build these in this order: first Attributes, then Attribute Groups, and finally Attribute Families.

Product data attributes, attribute groups and attribute families in practice

Attributes, Attribute Groups, and Attribute Families form the common structure of product information. An attribute is a single reusable field, such as material, voltage, or color. An attribute group groups multiple Attributes into an organized data set. An attribute family associates Attribute Groups and, if necessary, individual Attributes with a product, and specifies which information is mandatory in different channels.

The product gets the fields to use through the selected Attribute Family. The definition and Values of one Attribute are common to all groups, families and products that use it. Therefore, correct the field name or selection values in the Attribute, the grouping in the Attribute Group and the product type requirements in the Attribute Family. Only the values for that product are filled in on the product's own Attributes tab.

Avoid copying basic product fields

Use Attributes for product technical and classification information that is not covered by the product's built-in fields. Don't create a new attribute for, for example, SKU, name, URL, price, tax category, balance, or dates if the same information is already included in the product's own field.

Keep one attribute with one clear meaning. Use the same attribute code across all products where the data means the same thing. This way, filtering, comparison, import, and export use a consistent structure.

Create Attribute

Open Attributes /catalog/attributes .

Select New Attribute and specify at least:

• Code used by integrations, filters, and CSV data.
• Language-specific Name .
• Input type that determines the value field of the product.
• The order in which the attribute is displayed.

The input types are Text , Text Area , Decimal , Boolean , Dropdown , and Multiple Choice . Separate Values are added for Dropdown and Multiple Choice attributes, along with their codes and translations.

Visibility and usage are controlled by attribute flags:

• Filterable brings the attribute into the store's catalog filter when products have values.
• Comparable allows the attribute to be used in product comparison.
• The attribute to be listed will be displayed in product listings or in short summaries, depending on the theme's support.
• Highlighted elevates the attribute to important product information.
• Visible in store shows the value on the product's store page.
• HTML allowed in the store allows trusted HTML content in the value.
• Show in product PDF includes the attribute in product PDF exports and printable product pages.

Save the attribute before you associate it with an Attribute Group or Attribute Family. Do not change the meaning of an existing attribute by keeping the same code.

Translate Attribute name and values

Attribute translations are entered in the same Attributes view /catalog/attributes where the Attribute is created. The name is language-specific: a separate name is filled in for each language in the store. Dropdown and Multi-Select attribute values are translated separately, as each value has its own code and a language-specific name alongside it.

The code is never translated. It is a permanent identifier used by integrations, filters, and CSVs, so changing the code breaks them. So what is translated is the Attribute Name and Value Names, not the codes.

When there are many values to translate, it is a good idea to import them all at once using the product attributes CSV import instead of entering them individually. The target languages and monthly limit for automatic translation are defined separately in AI automations → Automatic translation .

Define a metric-based Attribute

Metric-based Attributes are defined in Metric Configurations /pim/metric-configurations .

Use Metric Settings when a value requires a more detailed metric specification than the standard text or number entry. Keep the metric unit and value consistent across all products that use the same Attribute.

Before implementation, ensure that the meter code, name, and unit describe the same quantity. Do not use units that vary with the same Attribute in different products. If old values are already stored, check their compatibility before changing the meter definition and treat the necessary conversion as a separate data change.

Assemble Attribute Group

Open Attribute Sets /catalog/attribute-sets .

An attribute group has an internal Code , a language-specific Name , an Order , and an ordered list of attached Attributes. The lower order number is displayed first.

Create a group for a single, understandable set of data, such as dimensions, electrical specifications, or material data. Add only the attributes that belong to that set to the group and organize them in the order of the customer and the administrator.

An attribute group does not contain product-specific values. It determines which fields make up the group and in what order they are displayed.

Form an Attribute Family

Open Attribute Families /pim/families .

An attribute family has a Code , a language-specific Name , an Order , and an associated attribute structure. Usually, you attach ready-made Attribute groups to the family. If necessary, you can also add a single Attribute.

Mark the attributes in the family as mandatory by channel. AI Commerce channel is part of the requirements structure, and the same attribute can be mandatory in one channel but optional in another. Mandatory applies to product fill rate and missing data tracking.

Saving the group order of an attribute family materializes the group list for the products that belong to the family. When changing an existing family, check the impact on its products before making a large structural change.

Attach Attribute Family to Product

Open Products , select a product, and go to the Attributes tab. Select Attribute Family and confirm the change. The confirmation shows the Attribute Groups that will be used and warns about values that fall outside the new structure. Values that fall outside the structure are not deleted when changing the family.

Fill in the values in groups. Text and number fields are saved when you exit the field; changes to selections are saved automatically. The status indicator on the page tells you whether a change is being saved or whether all changes are saved.

Missing required attributes are displayed as a warning. They reduce the product's Required Data fill rate , but do not prevent other attribute values from being saved. Please fix the missing data before the product is considered ready in the channel.

Import and export structure in a controlled manner

Attributes, Attribute Groups and Attribute Families can be processed in a controlled manner as CSV files in Data Exchange /data-exchange .

Attributes, Attribute Groups, and Attribute Families have their own profiles to handle their definitions. Product attribute value import identifies the product by SKU and attribute code; the language code is only provided for language-specific values. Preview checks the product, attribute, and value type before execution.

When importing attribute families, the channel-specific mandatory attributes form the entire requirements matrix. The implementation replaces the previous matrix, so the omitted attribute will not remain mandatory in any channel. The export attribute list is for review; family membership is changed in Attribute Family Maintenance.

Export your current structure before making any major changes, check the CSV preview, and only import when the codes, languages, and channel-specific requirements are correct.

Checklist

Check Attributes, Attribute Groups, and Attribute Families before deploying the structure widely:

• The attribute does not copy the finished base field of the product.
• The attribute code and Input type correspond to the information being stored.
• Dropdown and Multi-Select Values have permanent codes and translations.
• Attribute groups are clear and their internal order is intentional.
• An attribute family contains the correct groups and individual attributes.
• Mandatory attributes have been defined for each channel.
• Missing mandatory information for products has been corrected.
• CSV preview is approved before the import is performed.