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Field

A field is an input that may be created to collect additional information from customers.

The word field may refer to an input device on a webpage, or to an input created using one of the store's customer field editors. The custom field editors include the Checkout Field Editor, the Customer Field Editor, and the Product Field Editor.

Available field formats include checkbox, dropdown menu, list, radio button, and text field.

An attribute is another type of input that may be created to display information to customers.

The creation and configuration of fields and attributes is very similar -- many of the options within the various field editors are identical to options within the corresponding attribute editors.

The difference between fields and attributes is that fields accept input from customers and display the result to store admins, while attributes accept input from store admins and may display the result to customers.
 

example
One common form of input is a group of checkboxes. For instance, a checkbox group might be titled Colors, and include six checkboxes labled Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple.


In order to display the group of checkboxes on the product page for several different products, first create a product field in the Product Field Editor, and then assign the field to the desired products in the Product Editor. The product field would be of the Checkbox type, would be named Colors, and would have option values of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple.

As a result, the group of checkboxes will be added to the product page for each product to which the field is assigned. When a customer views a product that includes the Colors product field, the customer will be able to select any of the Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple checkboxes before adding the product to the basket. The customer's selections will be saved in the order record. The customer could order multiple units of the product, and select different checkboxes for each unit. Each set of checkbox selections would be recorded with the specific line item in the order record.

Once the order has been placed and the field selections have been recorded, those selections may not be altered for that line time. Product values are only accepted within the storefront, and may not be edited within the store's admin area.

Other types of fields, such as checkout fields and customer fields may be edited within the store's admin area.


In order to display the group of checkboxes within the Product Editor, to allow store admins to quickly choose color values from the set group, first create a product attribute in the Product Attribute Editor. The product attribute would be of the Checkbox type, would be named Colors, and would have option values of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple.

As a result, the product attribute will then be available to be assigned to products in the Product Editor. Once the product attribute has been assigned to a product, the store admin will also be able to select any of the Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple checkboxes from within the Product Editor, to assign those attribute values to a specific product.

When a customer views the product page for a product that has the Colors product attribute assigned, the Additional Info section of the page will contain the Colors header followed by the text values of the checkboxes that were selected by the store admin. If the store admin selected the Red, Orange, and Blue checkboxes, then the Additional Info section of that product's storefront page would contain the Colors header, followed by the text Red, Orange, and Blue.

The store admin would be able to assign the same attribute to many different products, and select different combinations of checkboxes for each product. Customers would be able to view the text associated with the selected checkboxes, but would not be able to change the selections. Attribute values are only accepted within the store's admin area, and may not be edited within the storefront.


 



— Last Edited - 03/21/2013 1:56pm PDT
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