The dictionary definition of an attribute is "something attributed as belonging to a person, thing, group, etc.; a quality, character, characteristic, or property: Sensitivity is one of his attributes." But within ArchiCAD, an attribute can be defined as a characteristic or property, such as color, shape, or texture.

For you to be successful in using ArchiCAD, is it essential that you understand what attributes are and how to manage them. The management of attributes can be a full-time job on very large projects. Following is a list of all the attribute types in ArchiCAD, with a brief explanation. The order of the list is based on the order used in the drop-down menu under Options | Element Attributes: