Attribute: definition and role in PIM

In PIM practice, attributes are the building blocks of the data model. Each attribute has a code, a label per locale and a data type such as text, number with unit, list or date. Rules define required channels and allowed values. Some attributes vary per locale or per channel, and others hold one value for all.

Illustrative example: an attribute called nominal_width stores a number in millimetres for the product family Cable trays. It is required for the webshop and the ETIM export. The PIM rejects values without a unit or outside the allowed range.

In a selection, attribute handling separates PIM products clearly. Buyers should test attribute types they actually need, such as numbers with units, multi-select lists, localisable texts and attributes that differ per channel. Bulk editing of attributes across thousands of products deserves its own demo scenario.