---
title: Create a File Attribute
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/15/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: "mds"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: master-data-services
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "creating file attributes [Master Data Services]"
  - "attributes [Master Data Services], creating file attributes"
ms.assetid: d224886b-2ef1-4658-8b01-2213cc4b8df6
author: lrtoyou1223
ms.author: lle
---
# Create a File Attribute (Master Data Services)

[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md-winonly](../includes/appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md-winonly.md)]

  In [!INCLUDE[ssMDSshort](../includes/ssmdsshort-md.md)], create a file attribute to populate attribute values with files.

## Prerequisites
 To perform this procedure:

-   You must have permission to access the **System Administration** functional area.

-   You must be a model administrator. For more information, see [Administrators (Master Data Services)](../master-data-services/administrators-master-data-services.md).

-   An entity must exist to create the attribute for. For more information, see [Create an Entity (Master Data Services)](../master-data-services/create-an-entity-master-data-services.md).

## Attribute Information
 For each created attribute, a row with seven columns is added to the grid. The following table describes the columns.

|Column|Description|
|------------|-----------------|
|Status|The attribute status.<br /><br /> When you click Save, the ![Icon for updating status](../master-data-services/media/mds-statusicon-updating.png "Icon for updating status") image displays, indicating that the attribute is updating.<br /><br /> If there are errors when creating or editing an attribute, the ![Icon for error status](../master-data-services/media/mds-statusicon-error.png "Icon for error status") image displays.<br /><br /> Otherwise, the status is OK and the ![Icon for OK status](../master-data-services/media/mds-statusicon-ok.png "Icon for OK status") image displays.|
|Name|The attribute name.|
|Display Name|The attribute display name.|
|Description|The attribute description.|
|Display Pixel Width|The attribute width.|
|Type and Properties|The type and data type information of the attribute.|
|Enable Change Tracking|Specifies whether the attribute is enabled for change tracking and shows the group number in parentheses.|

 When you click an attribute, the following information displays.

-   **Created By**: The name of the user who created the attribute.

-   **On**: The date and time when the attribute was created.

-   **Updated By**: the name of the user who last updated the attribute.

-   **On**: The date and time when the attribute was last updated.

### To create a file attribute

1.  In [!INCLUDE[ssMDSmdm](../includes/ssmdsmdm-md.md)], click **System Administration**.

2.  On the **Manage Model** page, select a model from the grid and then click **Entities**.

3.  On the **Manage Entity** page, select the row for the entity that you want to create an attribute for.

4.  Click **Attributes**.

5.  On the **Manage Attributes** page, do one of the following and then click **Add**.

    -   If the attribute is for leaf members, select **Leaf** from the **Member Types** list box.

    -   If the attribute is for consolidated members, select **Consolidated** from the **Member Types** list box.

    -   If the attribute is for collections, select **Collection** from the **Member Types** list box.

6.  In the **Name** box, type a name for the attribute. For a list of words that should not be used as attribute names, see [Reserved Words &#40;Master Data Services&#41;](../master-data-services/reserved-words-master-data-services.md).

7.  Optionally, type a display name, and type a description for the attribute in the **Description** box.

8.  In the **Display pixel width** box, type the width of the attribute column to be displayed in the **Explorer** grid.

9. From the **Attribute type** list, select **File**.

10. From the **File extension** list, select a file type that a user can upload, or accept the default value (*.\*) to allow all file types.

11. Optionally, select **Enable change tracking** to track changes to groups of attributes. For more information, see [Add Attributes to a Change Tracking Group &#40;Master Data Services&#41;](../master-data-services/add-attributes-to-a-change-tracking-group-master-data-services.md).

12. Click **Save**.

## See Also
 [Attributes &#40;Master Data Services&#41;](../master-data-services/attributes-master-data-services.md) 
 [Change an Attribute Name and Data Type &#40;Master Data Services&#41;](../master-data-services/change-an-attribute-name-and-data-type-master-data-services.md) 
 [Create a Domain-Based Attribute &#40;Master Data Services&#41;](../master-data-services/create-a-domain-based-attribute-master-data-services.md) 
 [Create a Text Attribute &#40;Master Data Services&#41;](../master-data-services/create-a-text-attribute-master-data-services.md)