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

# Ticket attributes

> Attributes are the form fields on a ticket type: order ID, severity, store, and anything else your process needs.

Title and description live on every ticket. Everything else on the form is an **attribute** you add to the type.

Open a type at **Settings → Contact Center → Tickets → Ticket Types**, then add fields in the attributes section.

## Formats

Pick a format when you create the field. **Format cannot change later.** Archive the field and create a new one if you chose the wrong format.

| Format       | Use it for                                                                                                   |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Text**     | Order IDs, names, free-form notes. Turn on multiline for longer answers.                                     |
| **List**     | A fixed set of choices. Required for [conditional attributes](/guides/tickets/types/conditional-attributes). |
| **Number**   | Whole numbers                                                                                                |
| **Decimal**  | Money or measurements with a fraction                                                                        |
| **Boolean**  | Yes / no flags                                                                                               |
| **Datetime** | Dates and times. Teammate-only on customer-facing forms.                                                     |
| **File**     | Uploads. Teammate-only on customer-facing forms.                                                             |

## Visibility and required flags

Each attribute has switches that control who sees it and when it must be filled.

| Flag                             | Meaning                                                                       |
| -------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Visible to teammate**          | Shows in the inbox compose and ticket detail. On by default.                  |
| **Required for teammate**        | Teammates must fill it to create or save.                                     |
| **Visible to customer**          | Shows on shared customer / back-office tickets. Always off for tracker types. |
| **Required for customer submit** | The customer must fill it to submit a hosted form.                            |
| **Required to close**            | Prompt for this field when resolving.                                         |
| **Show description on form**     | Show the helper text on the form, not only in settings.                       |

<Tip>
  Keep customer-visible fields short and stable. Internal investigation notes belong on teammate-only fields or in [internal notes](/guides/tickets/working/messages).
</Tip>

## List options

List attributes need options. Each option has:

* **Label** — what people see in the picker
* **Slug** — stable key
* **Sort order** — dropdown order
* **Archived** — hide from new forms without breaking tickets that already stored that option

Add options on the attribute. Prefer archive over delete so historical values still point at a real option.

## Create an attribute

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the type">
    Go to **Ticket Types**, open the type, and click to add an attribute.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name it and pick a format">
    Use a teammate-friendly name (`Order ID`, not `ord_id`). Choose the format you will still want a year from now.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set visibility">
    Turn on customer visibility only for fields the customer should fill or read. Tracker types cannot show fields to customers.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Mark required carefully">
    Required for teammate slows create if you overuse it. Required to close is better for data you only need at resolve time.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add list options">
    If the format is list, add every choice the process allows. You can archive later; you cannot change the format.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Archive an attribute

Archiving hides the field from new forms. Existing tickets keep the stored value, and history still shows it.

Use archive when a field is retired. Do not delete historical list options that tickets already used.

## How attributes appear on a ticket

When you [create](/guides/tickets/working/create) or open a ticket:

1. Oration loads attributes for the type.
2. Conditional rules hide fields until their controlling list value matches.
3. Teammates see teammate-visible fields; customer-visible fields follow sharing rules.
4. Saving writes values onto the ticket. Changing a controlling list value [clears hidden dependents](/guides/tickets/types/conditional-attributes) so stale answers do not linger.

See [Fill ticket attributes](/guides/tickets/working/attributes) for the inbox side of this.