Creating Custom Attribute Sets in Magento

Why Attribute Sets

Have you ever browsed an online store that has rows and rows of pics of the same product, each product differing only by size or colour?

That's why you need attribute sets!

Say that you have a range of exotic condoms in exotic colours. Like:

  • Action Purple
  • Moody Blue
  • White Night
  • Green Monster

When a customer selects this product you need a single image and product description, that has a dropdown or check box list with the four colur options listed.

Easy to do in Magento! What's hard to do properly is to work out how to list your attributes that will make shopping easier. Getting your product types (attributes) right takes time, so think hard and ask your customer before setting them up as explained below!

Step 1 – Create an Attribute

Navigate to: Attributes – Manage Attributes

  • Click Add New Attribute
  • Name your attribute cfg_<Attribute Name>  - EG cfg_size
  • Set scope to Global
  • Input type to Dropdown
  • Unique value to No
  • Values Required to No
  • Apply to All Product Types
  • Use to create configurable products Yes

Frontend Properties

  • Use in layered nav Filterable with results
  • Use In Search Results Layered Navigation Yes

Go to: Manage Label Options

  • Name your attribute as you want in to appear in the frontend EG: Size
  • Add some Option values – you need only to enter an Admin value

Step 2 – Attribute Set 

Use the default attribute set to keep it simple.

Drag your new attribute from the right panel – Unassigned Attributes to a suitable position in the left panel Groups.

Save the attribute set.

Step 3 - Reindex

Navigate to System – Index Management, and reindex the required indexes.

Step 4 – Check your work

Navigate to Manage Products

  • Click Add Product
  • Leave defaults and click Continue
  • You should see your new attribute in the list of input fields
  • It should appear as a dropdown with the option values you added in Step 1

Your work should be done.

Now you can add or import some products!

If you want to do a Magmi import – there is a special EXCEL import format that once saved as a csv file, will automatically create your configurable products.