Domain-Based Attributes (Master Data Services)
A domain-based attribute is an attribute with values that are populated by members from an entity.
Domain-based attributes prevent users from entering attribute values that are not valid. To select an attribute value, the user must pick from a list.
In the following example, the Product entity has a domain-based attribute called Subcategory. The Subcategory attribute is populated by values from the Subcategory entity.
The Subcategory entity has a domain-based attribute called Category. The Category attribute is populated by values from the Category entity.
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In many cases, the name of the domain-based attribute is the same as the name of the entity. However, it does not have to be.
You can use the same entity as a domain-based attribute for multiple entities. For example, you can create an entity called YesNoIndicator with the members: Yes, No, and Maybe. You can create a domain-based attribute named InStock and use the YesNoIndicator entity as the source. Or you can create a domain-based attribute named Approved and use the YesNoIndicator entity as a source. Any time you want users to choose from a list of the YesNoIndicator entity's members, you can use the entity as a domain-based attribute.
Domain-based attribute relationships are the basis for derived hierarchies.