About Custom Attributes
In the Producer Portal, custom attributes occur in three different groups, and each group is managed from a different page:
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Type |
Description |
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Custom attributes or entity-specific custom attributes |
Custom attributes that apply to entities like users, accounts, products, and so forth are referred to simply as custom attributes, or entity-specific custom attributes when necessary to distinguish them from the other two groups. Entity-specific custom attributes allow producers to capture extra information and associate it with a user, account, product, entitlement, entitlement line, download package, or file. Producers manage these attributes from the Custom Attributes page. Note:See Managing Custom Attributes for details. |
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Custom host attributes |
Custom attributes that apply only to host types of custom license technologies are called custom host attributes. Custom host attributes provide a way for producers to capture information that can be used to generate host IDs for custom license technology fulfillments. Producers manage these attributes from the Custom Host Attributes page. Note:See Managing Custom Host Attributes for details. |
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Custom license attributes |
Custom attributes that apply to license generators or license models of a particular license technology are called custom license attributes. These include custom license generator attributes and custom license model attributes.
Producers manage these attributes from the Custom License Attributes page. Note:See Managing Custom License Attributes for details. |
Required Attributes and Optional Attributes
When you create a custom attribute, you can define it as required or optional. Generally, you must supply a value for each required custom attribute when creating or editing the entity to which it is associated; the value for optional custom attributes can be left blank.
When considering whether to make a product-specific custom attribute required, for example, be aware that the custom attribute is also required on any existing product the next time that product is edited.
The Required setting can be toggled on and off for entity-specific custom attributes; however, the Required setting is permanent for custom host attributes and custom license attributes after they are created.
For custom license model attributes, when a custom attribute is required, it means that the value of the custom attribute must be set at the specified time in the entitlement lifecycle (license model creation time, entitlement time, or activation time). However, the value of an inactive custom attribute is not asked for at the specified time.
Tip:License model attributes can be defined as optional when they are created, but later can be defined as required when they are enabled on individual license models.
Custom Attribute Status
Entity-specific custom attributes can have a status of either active or inactive. All active custom attributes defined for a particular entity are automatically displayed on Producer Portal and End-User Portal pages on which those entities are created or edited.
Note:Entity-specific custom attributes have a Status setting. Custom host attributes and custom license attributes do not.
Only entity-specific custom attributes can be made inactive. Custom host attributes and license generator attributes can only be active.
Likewise, custom license model attributes can only be active but, unlike other groups of custom attributes, active custom license model attributes are not automatically displayed. When you create a custom license model attribute, you can specify the possible times the attribute’s value can be set (license model creation time, entitlement time, or fulfillment time). A custom license model attribute is not displayed on a license model unless at least one setting is enabled for When to Request this Attribute Value.
Inactive custom attributes are hidden in the End-User Portal and Producer Portal pages; however, they remain visible in the Producer Portal under Administer > Custom Attributes so that they can be managed. (Click the Show All link to view both inactive and active custom attributes.)
A custom attribute is not required to be inactive to be deleted. However, after a custom attribute is in use, with values recorded on related entitlements, users, or other entities, it cannot be deleted from the system.
Custom Attribute Data Types
When you create a custom attribute, you choose the data type for that attribute. (A custom attribute’s data type cannot be changed after it is set.)
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Data Type |
Description |
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Number |
A numeral, for example, 33452. (The value must be an integer.) |
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Text |
An alphanumeric string. If you choose this option, the Producer Portal reveals additional controls for Max. Length and Text Type.
Free Form: If you select this option, your custom attribute takes a typed-in alphanumeric string. When the Text Type is Free Form, also choose a Display Type to determine how the text attribute is displayed: Text Field or Text Area. Single Select: If you select this option, your custom attribute takes the value of an item from a drop-down list. When the Text Type is Single Select, also specify Valid Values with the Add Value button. Valid Values determine the list of values a user can choose for this attribute. Multi Valued Text: If you select this option, your custom attribute takes the value of several selected boxes next to items in a specified list. When the Text Type is Multi Valued Text, also specify Valid Values with the Add Value button. Valid Values determine the list of values a user can choose for this attribute. |
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Long Text |
An alphanumeric string that can be up to 16384 characters. The value can be typed or pasted into the text box. When the attribute’s Type is Long Text, also choose a Display Type to determine how the text attribute is displayed: Text Field or Text Area. |
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Boolean |
A pair of options for mutually exclusive choices, such as Yes or No. |
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Date |
A calendar date. |
Most but not all custom attributes can be copied to the data warehouse. The Copy to Data Warehouse setting flags attributes to be included in the reporting transformation process. Those attributes that are copied to the data warehouse are subsequently available for reporting.
Entity-specific custom attributes for Download Packages and Download Files are not transformed to the reporting data warehouse. Also, custom host attributes and custom license generator attributes cannot be copied to the data warehouse. In addition, some custom attributes are also unavailable for reporting due to the data type used for the attribute. For example, custom license model attributes that use a Long Text data type are not allowed to be copied to the data warehouse.
Specifically, the following conditions apply:
| • | Download Package and File-specific custom attributes cannot be transformed. |
| • | Attributes of all data types except Long Text are available for reporting. |
| • | There is a limit of 30 attributes for a single entity and single tenant. |
| • | In Reporter, the maximum length for custom attribute labels and values is 256 characters. Custom attribute labels or values longer than 256 characters will be truncated in the Reporter interface. |
| • | If there are more than 30 attributes, or if the attribute type is set to Long Text, the Copy to Data Warehouse check box is not visible. |
| • | After it is selected and saved, the option cannot be reverted (the Copy to Data Warehouse check box is disabled) nor can the attribute modified. (However, the attribute can be deleted if it has not yet been used, and then re-created as a new attribute.) |
| • | Multi Valued Text type is supported, but only allows 255 characters, with all the values separated by a vertical bar (a | pipe character) as a delimiter. For example, if the values are Address,Email,Phone, then the value in the data warehouse is transformed into Address | Email | Phone format. |
See Also