# Custom Attributes

## Overview

Avantra allows you to define Custom Attributes to fulfill your business needs. These attributes can be defined for any of the monitored object types (e.g. Server, SAP System, SAP Instance, Business Objects, Database, Cloud Service).

Additional attributes you define will become visible and can be populated in the System details dialog. They can also be used in Selectors.

Although not shown by default, you also have the option to show Custom Attributes in System lists. You can use the list configuration action to display the Custom Attributes in System lists.

Custom Attributes can also be used in Notifications Output Channels.

## Setup of Custom Attributes

Custom Attributes must be defined in an `XML` file. Please see below how to write such an `XML` file. Once you have the `XML` file, login to Avantra WebUI, select Administration Settings, and navigate to the Custom Attributes tab. On the Custom Attributes tab, click on Upload Custom Attributes definition button. Find your `XML` file and upload it. After that, you will see the list of available Custom Attributes.

### Custom Attributes XML File Definition

| You have to be familiar with editing `XML` files to configure your own Custom Attributes.

| You can find a solution document here with an example `XML` file. You can also find a `XML XSD` definition file describing the exact schema definition for the `XML` file. We recommend using this `XSD` in your preferred `XML` editor for validation checks.

Here your find the description of the `XML` nodes and attributes:

XML Node Name | Purpose | XML Attributes | Purpose | XML Subnodes
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
`custom_attributes` | Root node | `version` | set the version attribute to `1` | `custom_attribute`
`custom_attribute` | Attribute definition | `id` | the unique id of the custom attribute, it cannot be changed. | `systemtype`,`name`,`defaultvalue`, `values`
|  | `datatype` | the datatype of the attribute, possible values are `text` and `enum`. |
|  | `length` | the length of the attribute, only for `text` attributes. |
|  | `mandatory` | set to `true` or `false` to set whether the attribute is mandatory or not. |
`systemtype` | Limit to monitored system types |  |  |
`name` | Attribute name |  |  |
`defaultvalue` | Attribute default value |  |  |
`values` | Enumeration values (only for `enum` attributes) |  |  | `value`
`value` | Enumeration value |  |  |