Understanding Attributes

What is an Attribute?

An Attribute is an identifying label that you attach to a piece of data. For example, you could create an Attribute called first_name and when you capture a customer's first name, it would be attached or bound to the first_name Attribute. Binding names, dates, and numbers to Attributes enables you to organize and manage this data for use and collection during a session.

Benefits to using Attributes

The following are benefits to using Attributes when managing information:

Storing customer information during a session

A customer can provide information once and it can be distributed to all other places in a session where the information is needed. For example, the customer could enter their birth date in a form and the date would automatically appear in multiple documents in the session where a birth date is needed. 

Mapping information to your platform

If you are integrated with a CRM or other software platform that stores customer data, you can map Lightico Attributes to associated fields in your integrated platform. In this case, the birth date could be pulled directly from the integrated platform and the customer would not have to enter it at all. You can also set up your integration to be bi-directional so that if the customer updates information during a session, the associated field is updated in the integrated platform.
For information about how to map Lightico Attributes to your platform, see Map Salesforce data to Lightico.

Setting workflow conditions

Inside a workflow, you can build multiple conditions based on Attributes. For example, you can choose to show customers a payment form only if the customer_age Attribute is greater than 18 or use a customer_address Attribute to show certain legal terms and conditions based on the state in which the customer lives.

For more information, see Setting conditions in workflows.

Attribute entity

When you create an Attribute on the Attributes page, you'll be asked to select an entity. Choose from the following options:

• Data Source - for Dropdown, Radio button, and Checkbox Attribute types only

• Document - for all other Attribute types

• Payment - for payment Attributes only

Note:

It is possible to create Dropdown, Radio button, and Checkbox Attributes as Data source or Document entities, but we recommend using only Data source.

Types of Attributes and when to use them

Depending on the entity and the Attribute type, some Attributes can be used in documents, some can be used in workflows, and some can be used in both. The following table describes which Attributes can be used where.

Categories of Attributes

Attributes fall into the following general categories:

Basic Attributes

Used to manage unique customer data like names, identification numbers, or birth dates. For every basic Attribute in a session, there is one value.

For more information, see Create basic Attributes.

Dataset Attributes

Used to manage data with predefined options like subscription plans, items for sale, or country. Each option can be associated with other values or properties enabling you to make more comprehensive use of the data that you collect. 

For more information, see Create dataset Attributes.

Complex Attributes

An Attribute data structure with a main Attribute and other secondary Attributes nested within it. Using complex Attributes is a way of easily organizing how you build Lightico assets like Forms and PDF Templates. This is also a way of streamlining your data collection process since the pieces of data are now all associated with one another and can be stored and reused more effectively.

For more information, see Create complex Attributes.

List Attributes

Enables holding multiple instances of the same Attribute. Use list Attributes in cases where you need to obtain multiple values for a data point like a list of medications, bank account numbers, or children.

More information, see Create list Attributes.