Domain-Based Attributes (Master Data Services)

A domain-based attribute is an attribute with values that are populated by members from an entity.

Domain-based attributes prevent users from entering attribute values that are not valid. To select an attribute value, the user must pick from a list.

In the following example, the Product entity has a domain-based attribute called Subcategory. The Subcategory attribute is populated by values from the Subcategory entity.

The Subcategory entity has a domain-based attribute called Category. The Category attribute is populated by values from the Category entity.

In many cases, the name of the domain-based attribute is the same as the name of the entity. However, it does not have to be.

You can use the same entity as a domain-based attribute for multiple entities. For example, you can create an entity called YesNoIndicator with the members: Yes, No, and Maybe. You can create a domain-based attribute named InStock and use the YesNoIndicator entity as the source. Or you can create a domain-based attribute named Approved and use the YesNoIndicator entity as a source. Any time you want users to choose from a list of the YesNoIndicator entity's members, you can use the entity as a domain-based attribute.

Domain-based attribute relationships are the basis for derived hierarchies.