Document Attributes

Document attributes are the metadata fields that documents can carry — things like a contract's Effective Date, an invoice's Amount, or a policy's Department. The Document Attributes screen is where administrators define those fields, choose their data type, decide whether they're required, and organise them by document category.

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How to open this screen

From the left navigation, open Administration → Document Attributes (under Management). The application route is /management/document-attributes.

• Access required: You need the DOCUMENTS.MANAGE_ATTRIBUTES permission.

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What you see on this screen

Header and summary

The header has a New Attribute button, plus summary counters:

• Total attributes defined.
• Categories they're spread across.
• Lookups — how many use a fixed list of choices.
• Required — how many are mandatory on documents.

Toolbar

• A search box filters attributes by name.
• A category filter limits the list to one document category.
• A type filter limits the list to one data type.
• A result count shows how many attributes match.

Attributes table

Each row shows the attribute's name and description, its category, its data type, any lookup values (for choice lists), whether it's required, and who last modified it. Attributes that are part of the system are marked Built-in with a lock icon and are protected from certain changes. Click a row to edit it, or use the row's Edit and more actions buttons.

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Categories and data types

Attributes are organised by document category. The built-in categories are:

Policy, Contract, Report, Invoice, Manual, Form, Presentation, and Other. An attribute can also apply to all categories at once.

Each attribute has one of five data types, which controls how values are entered on a document:

Data type	Use it for
Text	Free-text values, e.g. a reference code.
Number	Numeric values, e.g. an amount or count.
Date	Calendar dates, e.g. an effective or expiry date.
Boolean	Yes/no or true/false flags.
Lookup	A fixed list of choices you define (a dropdown).

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Creating an attribute

1. Click New Attribute in the top-right.
2. In the dialog, fill in:
   • Name (required) — the field label users will see.
   • Category (required) — which document category it applies to (or all categories).
   • Description (optional) — a short note on what the field is for.
   • Type (required) — Text, Number, Date, Boolean, or Lookup.
   • Required — tick this if every document in the category must have a value.
3. If you chose Lookup, a value editor appears. Add each choice (type a value and press Enter or click Add), and remove any with the × button.
4. Click Create.

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Editing an attribute

1. Click an attribute row, or use its Edit action.
2. The dialog opens pre-filled. Adjust the name, description, type, required flag, or lookup values.
3. Click Save.

Note: When editing an existing attribute, the Category can't be changed — an attribute stays in the category it was created for. Create a new attribute if you need it in a different category.

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Lookup values

For Lookup attributes, the list of choices you define becomes a dropdown on the document detail screen. In the attributes table, the first few values are shown as chips with a +N indicator if there are more. Keep lookup lists short and unambiguous so they're easy to pick from.

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Built-in attributes

Some attributes are built-in to the system. They're marked with a lock icon and a Built-in tag, and are protected so core document behaviour stays consistent. You can view them, but the system limits which changes are allowed.

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Tips

• Mark an attribute Required only when a document genuinely can't be complete without it — required fields must be filled in before users can finish.
• Prefer Lookup over free Text when the answer should be one of a known set of values; it keeps data clean and reportable.
• Use the category and type filters together to audit, for example, every required field on Contracts.

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Troubleshooting

Problem	What to check
The page or menu item isn't visible	You may not have the DOCUMENTS.MANAGE_ATTRIBUTES permission.
The Category field is locked while editing	Category can't be changed after creation — create a new attribute for a different category.
I can't fully change an attribute	It may be Built-in (lock icon); the system protects certain fields.
My lookup choices don't appear on documents	Confirm the attribute's type is Lookup and that you added and saved the values.
Create / Save is disabled	Make sure the name, category, and type are all set (and lookup attributes have at least one value).