---
title: "Attribute Enumeration Management"
slug: "attribute-enumeration-management"
description: "Enable, edit, and disable enumeration for Mapp Engage custom attributes, with examples for the UI, CSV imports, and XML imports."
status: "update"
updated: 2026-10-30T16:39:39Z
published: 2026-10-30T16:39:39Z
canonical: "docs.mapp.com/attribute-enumeration-management"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mapp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Attribute Enumeration Management

Attribute enumeration allows for efficient organization and usage of attribute values by restricting input to predefined options. This guide explains how to create, edit, or remove enumerations for custom attributes in Mapp Engage.

## Overview

Enumeration enables defining specific values for custom attributes, which can be used throughout the system. Enumerated attributes provide the following benefits:

- Appear as drop-down options in tools like the Segmentation Builder.
- Ensure data consistency by restricting input values.

### Prerequisites

- A custom attribute must exist in the system.
- Standard attributes and Boolean-type profile attributes cannot be enumerated.

---

## Enabling Enumeration

1. Navigate to *Administration > Attributes*.
2. Create a new attribute, or click ![](https://cdn.document360.io/554b9b98-6720-4d8b-9919-c7b203d72648/Images/Documentation/edit-pen.svg) to edit an existing one.
3. Activate the toggle switch to enable Enumeration. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/554b9b98-6720-4d8b-9919-c7b203d72648/Images/Documentation/Enumeration_active.PNG)
4. Click **Save & Close**.

---

## Managing Enumeration Values

You can add or delete values in an existing enumerated attribute.

### Adding Values

1. Once the enumeration is enabled, you can add the values one by one in the **Add Value** input field: ![](https://cdn.document360.io/554b9b98-6720-4d8b-9919-c7b203d72648/Images/Documentation/enum_add_value.PNG)
2. Click **Add Value**, then **Save & Close**.

### Deleting Values

1. To delete enumeration values, click the x sign next to it: ![](https://cdn.document360.io/554b9b98-6720-4d8b-9919-c7b203d72648/Images/Documentation/remove_enum.PNG)
2. Click **Save & Close**.

---

## Disabling Enumeration

When an enumeration is no longer required, it can be disabled. This action converts the attribute into a regular attribute, allowing any value to be saved.

1. Deactivate the toggle switch to disable Enumeration: ![](https://cdn.document360.io/554b9b98-6720-4d8b-9919-c7b203d72648/Images/Documentation/disable_enum.PNG)
2. Confirm the action by clicking the **Disable Enumeration** button on the confirmation window.
3. Click **Save & Close**.

---

## Additional Information

- Attributes can have up to 1,000 enumerated values.
- Enumerations can be created automatically via CSV or XML imports:
  - **CSV Import**: An attribute with fewer than 1,000 values during import is automatically enumerated. Exceeding this limit causes the import to fail.
  - **XML Import**: Set `enum="true"` in the `namedattr-definition` element. This only works for attributes that do not exist yet. If you include it for an existing attribute, the import fails.
- Changing an enumerated attribute to a regular one does not delete previously stored values.

---

## Examples

### Example: Consistent store values for segmentation

You want to target contacts by their preferred store. Without enumeration, values are entered as free text, so the same store can appear as `Munich`, `munich`, and `München`. A segment for one store then misses part of the audience.

With an enumerated attribute `PreferredStore` and the values `Berlin`, `Hamburg`, and `Munich`, only these values can be selected. In the Segmentation Builder, they appear as a drop-down list, so every segment uses exactly the same values.

### Example: Create an enumerated attribute with a CSV import

If a CSV import contains a custom attribute that does not exist yet, Mapp Engage creates it as an enumerated attribute and adds every value in the column as an enumeration value.

```plaintext
"user.Email","user.CustomAttribute.PreferredStore"
"jane.miller@example.com","Berlin"
"joe.jones@example.com","Hamburg"
```

Result: The attribute `PreferredStore` is created with the enumeration values `Berlin` and `Hamburg`.

For the full file format, see [CSV Format for Contact Imports](https://docs.mapp.com/docs/csv-format-for-contact-imports).

### Example: Create an enumerated attribute with an XML import

In an XML import, define the new attribute with `namedattr-definition` and set `enum="true"`. Then assign the values to contacts with `namedattr`.

```xml
<userdata xmlns="http://webservices.ecircle-ag.com/ecm">
  <list>
    <namedattr-definition enum="true" type="string" name="PreferredStore"/>
    <user>
      <email>jane.miller@example.com</email>
      <namedattr name="PreferredStore">Berlin</namedattr>
    </user>
  </list>
</userdata>
```

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> You can only set `enum` and `type` for attributes that do not exist yet. For existing attributes, the import fails.

For the full file format, see [XML Format for Contact Imports](https://docs.mapp.com/docs/xml-format-for-contact-imports).

## Related

- [Profile Attributes](/profile-attributes.md)