Category Attributes

Attributes help teams store additional information on services and inventory items. They can be used for technical specifications, serial numbers, IMEI numbers, internal references or other information that is relevant for managing assets and services.

In Equipme, attributes can exist on different levels. To work with them correctly, it is important to understand the difference between product attributes, category attributes and inventory instance values.

Product attributes

Product attributes are defined on the product level.

They can include both an attribute name and a value. This is useful for information that belongs to the product itself and is the same for every instance created from that product.

For example, a product can include attributes such as:

Storage: 128 GB Color: Silver Display size: 13 inch

When a service instance is created from that product, these product attributes can be transferred to the instance.

Category attributes

Category attributes work differently.

A category attribute defines a standard field for all products within a category. It does not include a value yet. The category only defines which information should exist later on the individual inventory instance.

For example, the category Devices can define standard attributes such as:

Serial Number IMEI Internal Reference

The category does not know the actual serial number or IMEI of a specific device. It only defines that this field should be available for devices in this category.

Inventory instance values

The actual value belongs to the individual inventory instance.

For example, a specific iPad in the inventory can have its own serial number. That value is maintained on the individual instance, not on the category.

This means:

The category defines the field: Serial Number The inventory instance stores the actual value: ABC123456

This separation helps teams keep a consistent data structure while still allowing every individual item to have its own values.

How category attributes appear on inventory instances

When a standard attribute is defined on a category, matching inventory instances from that category show the corresponding field in their attributes section.

If the field does not have a value yet, it appears empty. Users can then open the inventory instance and enter the correct value directly on that item.

For example, if Serial Number is defined as a standard attribute for the Devices category, devices in the inventory show a Serial Number field. The actual serial number can then be maintained on each individual device.

Adding attributes later

Category attributes can also be used when information requirements change over time.

For example, a company may decide that all devices should include an additional internal reference or email field. By defining this as a standard attribute on the category, the field becomes available on the relevant inventory instances.

The field appears without a value first. This shows users that information still needs to be completed on the individual instance.

Empty attributes in the inventory list

Empty attributes are visible on the inventory instance itself.

In the inventory list, empty attributes are currently not shown in the attributes column. The list only displays attributes that already contain a value.

This means that users can maintain empty fields from the instance view, but empty category attributes are not currently available as visible values in the inventory list.

Important to know

Product attributes can include predefined values.

Category attributes define standard fields without values.

The actual value is maintained on the individual inventory instance.

If a category attribute is shown on an inventory instance without a value, the value still needs to be added manually.

Empty attributes are visible on the inventory instance, but not in the attributes column of the inventory list until they contain a value.