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Change the Attribute Type (MDS Add-in for Excel)

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Applies to: SQL Server - Windows only Azure SQL Managed Instance

In the Master Data Services Add-in for Excel, administrators can change the attribute type when the data type or number of allowed characters is incorrect.

If you want to change the attribute type to create a constrained list (domain-based attribute), see Create a Domain-based Attribute (MDS Add-in for Excel).

Note

You cannot update the type or length of the Name or Code columns.

Prerequisites

To perform this procedure:

  • You must have permission to access the System Administration and Explorer functional areas.

  • You must be a model administrator. For more information, see Administrators (Master Data Services).

  • There must be an existing model, entity, and attribute.

To change the attribute type

  1. In Excel, load the entity that contains the column (attribute) you want to change. For more information, see Export Data to Excel from Master Data Services.

  2. Click any cell in the column you want to change.

  3. In the Build Model group, click Attribute Properties.

  4. In the Attribute Properties dialog box, update settings as needed.

  5. Click OK.

What happens when you change the attribute type?

If there is any dependency on the attribute, such as the attribute is referenced by any MDS business rule or derived hierarchy, you cannot change the data type of the attribute. You get an error stating that the attribute type cannot be modified because it is referenced by an object.

If there is any error during data type conversion for the attribute values, MDS does the following.

  • Changes the data type of the attribute.

  • Generates a copy of the attribute with the suffix "_old" that contains the previous values. This is called a deprecated attribute.

See Also

Attributes (Master Data Services)
Building a Model (MDS Add-in for Excel)