Pronunciation

A type of metadata that states there can be only one attribute value for an item.

Single value attributes occur when multiple values would be impossible or undesirable. For example, in a category that has <Tool Type> and contains wrenches and hammers, finding an item with a multivalue of {Wrench | Hammer} might signal a need to take a second look at the data. In a more nuanced example, <Safety Vest Color> could be multivalue with values of {Orange | Silver} if the only goal is for all color information to be captured. But if the business wants to know the predominant color of the safety vest only, they could make <Safety Vest Color> single value and stipulate that in the definition, resulting in the value of "Orange." Then, there is the option of capturing the "Silver" lining in a different attribute like <Reflector Color>, thus gathering the same information in a more refined manner.

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