Attribute Configuration Tool

Updated July 02, 2024 15:56

This article will introduce you to the Attribute Configuration Tool, which allows admin users to configure existing attributes as well as create new custom attributes (with a picklist, if applicable). This article includes basic step-by-step instructions. Check out our Attributes and Picklists: 12twenty On-Demand Training!

To ensure data quality on your platform, please review this article in full and watch the introductory video before utilizing the Attribute Configuration Tool.

Introduction to Attributes

An attribute is any field that exists on the site. For students, examples of attributes are "Graduation Year", "Gender" or "Work Authorization." On the outcome survey, examples of attributes are "Industry," "Job Source" or "Is this job full-time?"

There are two different types of attributes:

Standard Attributes - These are attributes that come with the system "out of the box," and have different configuration options depending on its location. Examples of "Standard" attributes are "Graduation Year" or "Work Authorization" on the student account.
Custom Attributes - These are attributes that are created by you, the school administrator, and have a broader range of configuration options depending on their location. A custom attribute can be added to many different areas of the site.

Introduction to the Attribute Configuration Tool

What does the attribute configuration tool do?

The Attribute Configuration Tool allows you to make updates to the attributes on your platform, for example, making an attribute required, changing the help bubble text, adding a new custom attribute, and much more. Please keep in mind that attributes have different customization capabilities depending on the type of attribute, its location on the site, and whether or not it is a "core" part of the platform.

Where can I configure attributes for a given part of the platform?

Attributes are broken out by module and can be found on the Site Settings page.

Please Note: You must be a School Administrator to access the Site Settings page for your platform.

Module	Site Settings Section
Students & Alumni (Background, Account)	General Configuration - "Students & Alumni"
Outcome Survey	Outcome Data and Analytics
Employer Relations Module (Employer & Contact Profile)	General Configuration - "Employer Relations"
OCI & Job Listings	Career Services Management - "OCI and Job Listings"
Events	Career Services Management - "Events"
Appointments	Career Services Management - "Appointments"
Experiential Learning	Career Services Management - "Experiential Learning"

Table of module and corresponding site settings section

Overview of the Attribute Configuration Tool Tab

Form - If applicable, a form drop-down will allow you to select different forms within a module. For example, the "OCI and Job Listing" site setting section has "OCI" and "Job Listing" form options, which correspond to the OCI Registration and Job Listing form respectively.
Show Enabled Only - By default, only enabled attributes are shown on the page. To include disabled attributes, select this toggle.
Form Section - The majority of forms have "Sections," to whom the attributes are grouped. Custom fields can be moved between form sections.
Form Section Ellipses Menu - If available, the ability to add a new attribute to the section can be found in the ellipse menu for the selected form section.
Standard Attribute (Non-Configurable) - This is an example of a standard attribute that is not configurable. Standard attributes that are configurable are not in bold.
Standard Attribute (Configurable) - This is an example of a standard attribute that is configurable. Standard attributes that are configurable are in bold.
Custom Attributes - This is an example of a custom attribute, denoted by the green "Custom" tag, and in bold.

How to Configure Existing Standard Attributes

Note: Standard attributes are listed at the top of each section, and are in bold if they are configurable. If they are not in bold, you can still click on the attribute to see information such as "field type."

Select your Site Settings
Select the site settings section that corresponds to the module where the attribute you would like to configure exists. Not sure where to look? Check out the table in the section "Introduction to the Attribute Configuration Tool" for a complete listing.
Select a standard attribute in the list. If the attribute name is in "Bold," it supports one or more configurations. If it is not in bold, the attribute cannot be configured.

Example of a Non-Configurable Standard Attribute	Example of a Configurable Standard Attribute

How to Configure Existing Custom Attributes

Please Note: Custom attributes are listed at the bottom of each section, and are denoted by a tag

Select your Site Settings
Select the site settings section that corresponds to the module where the attribute you would like to configure exists. Not sure where to look? Check out the table in the section "Introduction to the Attribute Configuration Tool" for a complete listing.
Select a custom attribute in the list, denoted with a green "Custom" tag.

How to Create a New Custom Attribute

Please Note: The ability to create new custom attributes is based on the type of 12Twenty platform you have pushed. The majority of 12Twenty customers have this feature. If you are unable to create new attributes and would like to learn more about this capability, please submit a ticket.

Select your Site Settings
Select the site settings section that corresponds to the module where you would like to create a new attribute. Not sure where to look? Check out the table in the section "Introduction to the Attribute Configuration Tool" for a complete listing.
Find the section you would like to add a new attribute to and select the ellipses icon alongside that section, then +Add New Attribute.
Please Note: Custom attributes can be added to most sections of the site. If the particular section of the site does not support adding custom attributes, you will be unable to select "+ Add New Attribute" alongside the section in the ellipse menu.
Complete the required fields, which may differ depending on the module you are adding an attribute to. The following tables list out the purpose of each field on the Add New Attribute form, by section:

Basics

Field	Purpose	Notes
Enabled	Enables or disables the attribute. Attributes are enabled by default.	Disabling an attribute simply hides the attribute from the site and does not affect existing data.
Group	Indicates the group the attribute is associated with. This field is read-only.
Short Display Name	This text is used for filters and detail pages	The text in this field should be as short as possible as it will be used for filters, as well as detailed page view (i.e., when selecting a job listing, you land on the detail page).
Long Display Name	This text is used for the input form	The text in this field should be in question format if the attribute is a question. If it is not a question, the field can have the same text as the "Short Display Name."
Help Text	If applicable, add help text to show the user a "?" bubble next to the field on the input form	Recommended length not to exceed 100 characters
Field Type	The following field types are available when adding a new attribute to the site: Text (Single Line) Text (Multi-Line) Picklist (Single Select) Picklist (Multiple Select) Radio Button (Yes/No) Email Address URL Date Date (Past Only) Checkbox Number (Whole Number) Number (Decimal)	When selecting either Picklist option, you will have the opportunity to associate the new attribute with an existing attribute or create a new picklist. Email Address field type enforces the "XXX@YYY.ZZZ" format URL field type enforces the "HTTP://WWW.ABC.ZZZ" format Date field type enforces the MM/DD/YYYY format, and provides the user with a calendar date picker Date (Past Only) field type enforces the MM/DD/YYYY format and provides the user with a calendar date picker. Only dates in the past can be added
Outcome Associations Available in Outcome Survey site settings section only	Determines which outcome form(s) the attribute will appear on per 'Outcome Phase.' You can add or delete associations from this section.	By default, the attribute will apply to ALL outcome phases and types, unless an association is specified
Type Association Available in Events site settings section only

Permissions and Visibility

Field	Purpose	Notes
Student - Visible	Determines if the student can see the attribute	This configuration alone does not allow the student to edit the attribute on a form. Please make sure to enable "Visible," as well as the "Editable" option if you want students to be able to add data to this attribute.
Student - Required	Determines if the attribute is required for students to complete
Student - Editable	Determines if the student can add data to this field on a form
Student - Shared	Allows students to share information for specific attributes.	This is related to the Student Engagement Directory. Marking attributes as "Shared' means they will be visible to other students who are viewing the student profile or the outcome. At the bottom of their outcome, there is a blue banner where they can determine if they are okay with sharing this information or not.
Student - Filterable*	Determines if the student can filter data on a list page using this attribute	Available on all modules except for outcomes
Student - Display on Signup*	Determines if the attribute appears on sign up	Only available for student attributes "General Configuration General"
Employer - Visible*	Determines if the employer can see the attribute	This configuration alone does not allow the employer to edit the attribute on a form. Please make sure to enable "Visible," as well as the "Editable" option if you want employers to be able to add data to this attribute. Available on all modules except for outcomes and appointments
Employer - Required*	Determines if the attribute is required for employers to complete	Available on all modules except for outcomes and appointments
Employer - Editable*	Determines if the employer can add data to this field on a form	Available on all modules except for outcomes and appointments
Admin - Required	Determines if the field is required for career center users when completing a form

* This option may or may not show depending on the site settings section you are adding an attribute to. For example, when adding an attribute to the "Outcome" survey, employer permissions and visibility options are not available.

Parent Attribute (aka, "Conditional Question")

Field	Purpose	Notes
Parent Attribute	Select the attribute that you would like the attribute you are creating to key off of. The attribute value is selected in the next option, "Attribute Value."	The parent attribute determines which attribute the attribute you are creating will look at in order to appear on the page. Example - Lets say you want to ask a student if they had a good experience, and if they select "No," show them a text box to complete asking them why they did not have a good experience. You would first create an attribute with the field type "Radio button Yes/No," with a long display name of "Did you have a good experience?" Then you would create a 2nd attribute with field type "Text (Multi-Line), with a long display name of "Why did you have a bad experience?" The parent attribute of "Why did you have a bad experience" would be the first attribute, "Did you have a good experience," with an attribute value of "No."
Attribute Value	Select the attribute value for the parent attribute that will trigger the attribute you are creating/configuring to appear on the form