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Administration: Smart Quote Attributes

Attributes are the core variables of a Smart Quote configuration. They store user selections (e.g., Frame Color, Bolt Length) or calculated values (e.g., Total Surface Area) that drive the behavior of rules and the final Bill of Materials.

Attribute Types

  • SELECTED: These are inputs provided directly by the user during the configuration process.
  • GENERATED: These are calculated or assigned by Rules. For example, a "Shipping Weight" attribute might be generated by summing the weights of all selected components.

List (The Attribute List view provides a summary of all variables used in a product configuration)

Valid Values and Dynamic Queries

While simple attributes use a fixed list of values (e.g., Red, Blue, Green), many configurations require dynamic data or conditional logic to filter the available options.

For a detailed guide on setting up dynamic dropdowns with "Applies When" conditions, see Attribute Valid Values Examples.

Dependency-Based Values (Cascading Dropdowns)

Attributes can depend on previous selections. For example, if a user selects a "Grade" of steel, the "Condition" dropdown can automatically filter to show only valid options for that specific grade.

[!NOTE] Conditional filtering can be achieved via Static Value Sets or the SQL-based approach shown here.

Best Practices for Attributes

  1. Consistent Naming: Use clear, uppercase names (e.g., WIDTH, MATERIAL_TYPE) to make your Rules easier to read.
  2. Use Default Values: Provide sensible defaults for optional selections to speed up the quoting process.
  3. Validate via Rules: Use Error Logging to alert users if an attribute combination is technically impossible.
    • Pro Tip: Whenever possible, use Attribute Valid Value sets to filter options before a selection is made, rather than relying on error messages after the fact.