Product attributes

Route: /org/inventory/attributes · Module: org_inv_attributes — 6 permissions Permission to view: View Product atributes

The permission prefix does not match the module name

This module is org_inv_attributes, but its permissions are all org.inventory.prodcat.attribute.* — under the product category prefix, not an attributes one. The permission to grant is View Product atributes. See Permissions.

1. What a product attribute is

A reusable option set. Spice Level is an attribute; Mild, Medium, Hot, Extra Hot are its values. Attributes are defined once here and then used across many products.

They exist to produce variations. A product with a Serving Size attribute of Single / Half / Full has three sellable rows, each with its own SKU and price.

	Attribute	Category	Unit
Answers	Which version of this product?	What kind of thing is this?	How is it counted?
Structure	Flat list of values	A nested tree	A single code
Customer sees	The variation selector	Navigation	"6 Pieces"

The Attribute Library showing six attribute cards — Cooking Method, Main Ingredient, Dietary Preference, Cuisine Type, Serving Size and Spice Level — each listing its values as chips — Figure 1 — The Attribute Library. Six attributes, values shown as chips.

2. How attributes spread through the application

Surface	Uses attributes to
Product editor	Bind values to each variation
Variations	Distinguish one sellable row from another
Storefront product page	Render the option selector a customer picks from
External API	Expose the option set under `inventory:config:read`

3. Step by step

Step 1 · Read an existing attribute

One attribute card: a checkbox, a tag icon, the name Cooking Method, the technical code cooking_method beneath it, the description, and four value chips — Fried, Grilled, Steamed, Curry — Figure 2 — One card: name, technical code, description, values.

Each card carries four things.

The name is what staff read. The technical code beneath it — cooking_method — is the stable identifier used by analytics and the API.

The description explains the attribute's purpose to whoever picks values later.

The chips are the attribute's values, in order.

The code, not the name, is the stable handle

Renaming Cooking Method to Preparation changes the label everywhere. The code cooking_method stays, and it is what an API consumer or a report is matching on. Change the code only if you are prepared to update those.

Step 2 · Create an attribute

The New Attribute drawer showing Attribute Name, a Technical Code field with placeholder 'e.g. spice_lvl' and helper text 'Technical identifier used for analytics', an Active toggle, a Description box, and an empty Attribute Values section with an Add Value control — Figure 3 — The create drawer. Values start empty.

Create Attribute opens a right-hand drawer.

Attribute Name and Technical Code — the code's helper text says "Technical identifier used for analytics", and the placeholder suggests the convention: spice_lvl, lower snake case.

The Active toggle defaults on.

Attribute Values starts empty — "No values defined yet." — with Add the first value.

Step 3 · Add values

Add Value appends a row; the counter beside the section heading tracks how many. The helper line states the intent plainly: "Values define the options available for this attribute (e.g., Red, Blue for Color)."

An attribute with no values does nothing

It saves happily, appears in the library, and produces no variations — because there is nothing to choose between. An attribute is only useful once it has at least two values.

Step 4 · Use it on a product

Attributes are not assigned to products on this screen. Binding happens in the product editor, per variation.

4. Field reference

Field	Type	Required	Notes
Attribute Name	text	✅	The staff-facing label
Technical Code	text	✅	Lower snake case by convention. Used by analytics and the API
Active	toggle	—	Defaults on. Inactive attributes are not offered on new variations
Description	textarea	—	Shown on the card
Attribute Values	repeating rows	—	Added one at a time; the count shows beside the heading

Language Context

English · Bengali · Hindi, in the header. As on the other master-data screens, it selects which stored translation is displayed rather than translating anything.

5. The admin contract

Must be true	Or else
A project is selected	The library renders empty
The role holds View Product atributes	The screen is not reachable
The attribute has ≥ 1 value	It produces no variations
The attribute is `Active`	It is not offered on new variations

6. Downstream — what changes when this changes

Change	Effect
Rename the attribute	Label changes everywhere, including the storefront selector
Change the technical code	Analytics and API consumers matching on the old code stop matching
Add a value	Available immediately for new variations; existing variations unchanged
Remove a value	Variations already bound to it keep their binding
Deactivate	Existing variations unaffected; not offered for new ones

7. Don't confuse this with…


Categories	Classify products against each other. Attributes distinguish variants within a product
Variations	The sellable row that results from attribute values
Tags	Free labels on a product, used for filtering only

8. Troubleshooting

Symptom	Cause
Library is empty	No project selected
A role with "attributes" permissions sees nothing	The prefix is `prodcat.attribute.*` — see the warning at the top
The attribute produces no variations	It has no values
A value is missing from the variation editor	The attribute is inactive, or the value was added after the variation was built
Deleting an attribute is refused	`DELETE` is gated on `prodcat.attribute.edit`, not `.delete` — the `.delete` permission is never checked. See Permissions

1. What a product attribute is​

2. How attributes spread through the application​

3. Step by step​

Step 1 · Read an existing attribute​

Step 2 · Create an attribute​

Step 3 · Add values​

Step 4 · Use it on a product​

4. Field reference​

Language Context​

5. The admin contract​

6. Downstream — what changes when this changes​

7. Don't confuse this with…​

8. Troubleshooting​