3DEXPERIENCE Tutorial: Creating and managing custom attributes on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform

3DEXPERIENCE offers a handy set of attributes for users to use out of the box, however usually users want to have more attributes that the platform offers. This guide describes how to do this correctly on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

Please note that attribute management can only be done by Administrator on 3DEXPERIENCE, so this is not something normal users are capable of doing.

Most of our users are using Physical Products as the main type of their objects on the platform, so this guide covers mapping for Physical Product-attributes, this is also applicable to other object types also. Please also note if you have objects on the platform already these objects might not automatically gain the new attributes.

1. Accessing the "Attribute Mapping" settings in Platform Management role
   
   All attribute management on 3DEXPERIENCE is done under the "Platform Manager"-role, so we will start by finding this role under the Compass and finding the Attribute Management from there:
   
   
   The "Collaborative Spaces Control Center" contains most the the admin settings that affect the daily use of the platform.
   
   The right side of this application contains the Configuration Center, that let's you apply most of these settings, when this guide was created "Attributes Management" was on the top of this application, select this to move to the Attribute Management settings:
   
   
   
   
2. Finding Physical Product from the Attributes Management
   
   You can either user the magnifying glass icon to search the Physical Product from the list or you can manually scroll to find the Physical Product item (VPMReference)
   
   
   Select the Physical Product from either of these to move the to actual attribute management menu.
   
   
3. Create a new attribute to platform from the attribute management menu
   
   Before we create the attribute, it is recommended to avoid using special characters as attribute names also the attribute name should not be one of the default attributes that the platform has, these values are the following ones:
   
   type
V_Name
PLMExternalID
revision
V_versionComment
V_description
originated
V_fromExternalID 
V_Scale
policy
modified
current
owner
organization
project
reservedby
V_IsManufacturable
   
   You can start creating of a new attribute by pressing the "+"-icon on top right corner on the management menu, this should open the "Add Attribute"-dialog
   
   
   
   Fill the attributes by your preference and confirm creation of the attribute with the "OK"-button, this creates a row for the attribute on the menu:
   
   
   
   This attribute is not deployed yet in the platform, there are indicators on the right side of the menu (might have to scroll a bit from the bottom of the menu)
   
   
   
   First button is used to edit values on the attribute (Use this to modify attribute values), second button is to delete the attribute and the third icon displays the deployment status of the attribute.
   
   cogwheel = not deployed
   green checkmark = deployed
   
   To deploy the attribute, press the "Apply"-button on bottom of the menu.
   
   
4. Updating the platform Cache and Index Model to apply attribute changes
   
   To make sure your attributes are available for everyone on the platform or that the updates to attributes are applied, the platform cache and index model should be refreshed, this can be done from the "Configuration Deployment"-settings from the "Collaborative Spaces Configuration Center". Move to these settings and under "Configuration and Server Utilities" run two following two commands by pressing the buttons:
   
   

For a more in depth guide, watch the 3DEXPERIENCE Property Mapping guide from SOLIDWORKS