Option Attributes are a powerful administrative tool used to attach hidden metadata to your financial codes. While the end-user (the buyer) only sees and selects the standard account code, Unimarket "tags" the transaction with these additional attributes in the background.
Why Use Option Attributes?
The primary benefit is capturing complex financial data without requiring the buyer to have specialized accounting knowledge.
Tax Classification: Automatically tag a cost center as "Taxable" or "Exempt" based on the selection.
CAPEX vs. OPEX: Identify if an expenditure is Capital or Operational using a Y/N flag attached to the account part.
ERP Integration: Pass these hidden values to your Finance/ERP system to drive automated accounting logic.
Key Rules to Remember
Hidden from Users: End users cannot see, edit, or select these attributes during checkout; the data is captured silently.
Reporting: These attributes are available for use in exports and reporting, providing deeper insights into spend classification.
Define Option Attributes (Manually)
Navigation: Administration > Settings > Management > Account Codes tab.
Select or Create Format: Open an existing Account Code Format or click +Add Account Code Format.
Edit the Part: Within the format, click +Add Part (or edit an existing one).
Add the Attribute: In the pop-up box, select +Add Option Attribute.
Name the Attribute: Give it a clear name (e.g.,
Tax_ClassorCapex_Flag) and select OK.
Define Option Attributes (via Upload)
Instead of creating this manually, it is best to download the system-generated version.
Go to Administration > Settings > Management > Account Codes.
Select your specific Account Code Format.
Click More Actions > Upload.
Click Download template. Unimarket will automatically include the correct columns for every Option Attribute you have defined.
Once the file is updated, select Browse and Upload.
Uploading Attribute Values
Once the attribute is defined in the system, it changes the structure of your upload template.
Template Change: An additional column for each attribute will automatically appear in your Account Code upload template.
Data Entry: When you fill out your CSV, you will now provide the standard Part, Value, and Description, plus the specific attribute value for that row.
Sample Account Code CSV Template
Here is an example of how your upload file should be structured if you are tracking Tax Classification and CAPEX/OPEX flags as attributes.
| Part | Parent | Value | Description | Tax_Class | Capex_Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Centre | 100 | Marketing Dept | FULL | N | |
| Cost Centre | 200 | Research Lab | EXEMPT | Y | |
| Account | 5510 | Office Supplies | N | ||
| Account | 7001 | Lab Equipment | Y |
Breakdown of the Structure
Standard Columns: The first four columns (Part, Parent, Value, Description) remain mandatory as per standard account code requirements.
Attribute Columns: The new columns (Tax_Class and Capex_Flag) must exactly match the Name you gave the Option Attribute when you defined it in the "Add Part" pop-up.
-
Data Mapping:
Row 1 shows that if a user selects Cost Centre 100, the system silently records that the tax is FULL and it is not a CAPEX item.
Row 2 shows that Cost Centre 200 is EXEMPT and is a CAPEX item.
Empty Cells: If an attribute only applies to "Cost Centres" and not to "Accounts," you can leave the attribute cells for the "Account" rows blank (as seen in Row 3 and 4).