Assigning attributes to categories and classifications

After configuring master data for item-related attributes, assign these attributes to categories and classifications.

When you assign an attribute to a category, the attribute is inherited by child categories, classifications, and items within the categories. Inherited attributes allow you to easily assign attributes to large numbers of items. For example, if you assign the Hard Drive Size attribute to the Computer category, the categories and item listed in the following table inherit the Hard Drive Size attribute.

When assigning attributes to categories and classifications, you can also define usages for attributes, such as attributes for filtering or comparing items. For example, by defining Port Type as a filterable attribute and Port Type, Hard Drive Size, and CPU Type as specification attributes, customers can search a business organization’s Web site for computers by Port Type and view a computer’s Port Type, Hard Drive Size, and CPU Type on the specifications page.

You can assign the following usages to an attribute:

• Searching specifies that this attribute is used for searches.
• Filtering specifies that this attribute is used to narrow the search results on a business’ Web site.
• Specifications specifies that this attribute is displayed as an item specification on the business’ Web site.
• Distinct Attribute specifies that this attribute is used to define Items with Variations.