Deleting attributes from catalog entries

You can delete an attribute from a catalog entry if conditions change. For example, if the manufacturer no longer makes a product in various sizes and the product is now available only in one size fits all.

About this task

You can delete the following types of attributes from catalog entries:
  • Attributes assigned to catalog entries from the attribute dictionary
  • Attributes that are contained within catalog entries

WebSphere Commerce EnterpriseIf you are working in an extended site store, you cannot delete inherited attributes from inherited catalog entries. To delete these inherited attribute assignments, you must delete the assignment from your asset store.

If you delete an attribute dictionary attribute from a catalog entry, only the relationship that assigns the attribute to the catalog entry is deleted. The attribute still exists in the attribute dictionary and any assignment of the attribute to other catalog entries remains intact.

To delete an attribute from a catalog entry, you must edit the properties of the catalog entry. When you are editing the properties for the catalog entry, you can delete any attributes that are assigned to the catalog entry.

You can delete an attribute assignment from multiple catalog entries in the References tab for the attribute under certain conditions. By deleting the attribute assignments in the References tab, you can quickly delete many assignments for an attribute without needing to edit the properties view of each catalog entry. The References tab for an attribute dictionary attribute includes a Catalog entries table that lists the catalog entries that are assigned the attribute. You can edit this table to delete the assignment of the attribute to a catalog entry when the following conditions are true:
  • The attribute is a descriptive attribute for the catalog entry.
  • The catalog entry is not locked in a workspace by another user.
  • WebSphere Commerce EnterpriseThe attribute and catalog entry both belong to the store that you are working within. If you are working in an extended site store and the attribute and catalog entry are inherited from your asset store, you cannot delete the assignment. If either the attribute or the catalog entry belongs to your extended site store, you can delete the assignment within the References tab for the attribute.
When you delete an attribute assignment in the Catalog entries table, the attribute and all of its values are deleted for that catalog entry. If you want to delete specific values for the attribute assignment, you must edit the attribute assignment within the catalog entry properties view.

Procedure

  1. Open the Catalogs tool.
  2. Complete one of the following steps:
    OptionDescription
    Delete defining attributes from a catalog entry
    1. Find the catalog entry that includes the assignments that you want to delete.
    2. Right-click the catalog entry. Click Open to open the properties view for the catalog entry.
    3. Click the Defining Attributes tab.
    4. In the Defining Attributes or Defining Attributes (Attribute Dictionary) table, right-click the defining attribute that you want to delete from the catalog entry. Click Delete.
      Note: After you delete a defining attribute from a catalog entry, any SKUs that were defined by that attribute continue to exist and use the deleted attribute. If you want a SKU to stop using an attribute, you must either delete the SKU, or assign a new attribute as the defining attribute of the SKU.
    Delete descriptive attributes from a catalog entry
    1. Find the catalog entry that includes the assignments that you want to delete.
    2. Right-click the catalog entry. Click Open to open the properties view for the catalog entry.
    3. Click the Descriptive Attributes tab.
    4. In the Descriptive Attributes or Descriptive Attributes (Attribute Dictionary) table, right-click the descriptive attribute that you want to delete from the catalog entry. Click Delete.
    Delete a descriptive attribute from multiple catalog entries
    1. Find the attribute that includes the assignments that you want to delete.
    2. Right-click the attribute. Click Open to open the properties view for the attribute.
    3. Click the References tab.
    4. In the Catalog entries table, right-click the descriptive attribute assignment that you want to delete. Click Delete.
      Note: If the attribute has multiple values that are assigned to the catalog entry, when you delete the assignment, you delete all of the values for that assignment. To delete a single attribute value, edit the properties for the catalog entry to delete the value from the Descriptive Attributes tab.
  3. Click Save or Save and Close.