Attributes are variables that are calculated by the system. Unlike parameters, attributes are never set directly by the user, instead they are calculated by the system every time a user changes a parameter that affects an attribute.
The purpose of an attribute can be to display the calculated value directly in the CPQ app or use it in other configuration logic like prices, bill of materials, integrations or graphics. Another purpose is to use an attribute as a rule, see warning attribute.
Sequential calculation of attributes
Attributes are calculated sequentially in the order that they are listed as linked to a product. This allows for using the result from the calculation of one attribute as in-data in the calculation of another attribute as long as the attribute comes in the correct order.
Sequential calculations also allow the same attribute to be linked multiple times to the same product with different formulas for calculation. This can be used for overriding the first calculation if some logical condition is met, for summarizing the result from different calculations or finding the min or max value from different calculations.
Different methods for calculations
The most common way of defining how an attribute shall be calculated is by creating a product-attribute-link and writing a formula for its calculation.
Attributes can also be set based on matrices where the left side of the matrix defines when a setting shall be done and the right side defines which values attributes shall be set to. An attribute matrix can be driven by values of both parameters and attributes, but it's only attributes that can be set. A simplified version is the parameter bound attribute matrix that is tightly linked to a lookup parameter. Different values of the lookup parameter then drive the setting of attributes to predefined values.
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Read about attributes and methods for calculation.
Parameter bound attribute matrix
