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Attributes are the building blocks of rule logic. Every condition in the Rule Engine references an attribute — a named piece of data that carries a value at evaluation time. Loyalife supports four categories of attributes, each serving a different purpose. Rule conditions combine attributes from both transactions and members in a single rule — what happened in the transaction and who the member is.

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Attribute categories

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Global transaction attributes

The seven global transaction attributes are built into every Loyalife program and are present on every transaction. They cannot be removed.
Product Code and Sub Product Code are selection type — the allowed values are a configurable picklist. For these attributes, the “Match attribute” comparison is not available; only fixed value selection is supported.

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Custom transaction attributes

Beyond the seven global attributes, you can define additional transaction attributes specific to your program. These are configured in Rule Engine → Attributes and must be submitted with each transaction via API or TXN file. Common examples: To create a custom transaction attribute, go to Rule Engine → Attributes → Add Attribute and select “Transaction” as the attribute type. Once saved, the attribute appears in the Rule Engine condition builder and must be supplied in every transaction submission that should have it evaluated.

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Member attributes (global)

The nine built-in member profile fields available in every program. These are set at enrollment and updated via API or the member profile in the admin portal.

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Custom member attributes

Any additional member-level fields you define for your program — occupation, product preference, dealer tier, etc. Configured in Members → Attributes. Once created, they appear automatically in the Rule Engine condition builder and in Segment filters.

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Aggregate attributes

Computed metrics derived from transaction history. The Rule Engine calculates these dynamically at evaluation time. Aggregate attributes appear automatically in the Rule Engine condition builder and in Segment filters. Any new aggregate attribute you define will appear in both places without additional configuration. Key aggregate evaluation rules:
  • The current transaction is included in the aggregate count/sum before rule evaluation
  • Reversals and refunds are automatically subtracted from aggregates
  • Aggregation runs at the account level — transactions from primary and supplementary cards are counted together

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Aggregate time periods

When creating an aggregate attribute, you select the time window over which it is calculated:
Choose Billing Cycle for programs where the calculation period aligns with statement or billing periods rather than calendar months. The billing cycle start date is configured in Configuration → Calculation Settings.

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Aggregate functions

Each aggregate attribute applies a statistical function across qualifying transactions in the selected time window:

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Using attributes in rule conditions

In the Rule Engine condition builder, every condition selects:
  1. An attribute (from any category above)
  2. An operator (equals, greater than, between, is multiple of, etc.)
  3. A value — either a static input or another attribute (for dynamic comparisons like birthday rules)
Date attribute type modifiers: When a date attribute is selected, you can further specify what part of the date to compare: This allows rules like “transaction on the same day-of-month as the member’s birthday” without needing to know which month.

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Accessing the Attributes Manager

Manage Attributes screen showing Global Attributes (Transaction Id, Transaction Date, Transaction Amount, Product Code, Sub Product Code, Relation Reference, Transaction Type) and Local Attributes section below for custom transaction attributes
1

Navigate to Rule Engine

Select Rule Engine from the left sidebar.
2

Open the Attributes Manager

Click the settings icon in the upper-right corner of the Rule Engine screen.
3

Browse existing attributes

The Attributes Manager lists all attributes configured for your program, organized by category.

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Creating a custom attribute

1

Click Add Attribute in the Attributes Manager

Choose the attribute category: Transaction (local) or Member (custom).
2

Fill in attribute fields

3

Save

Click Save. The attribute is immediately available in rule conditions and segment filters.
New aggregate attributes you create are automatically available in both the Rule Engine condition builder and in Segment filters — no additional steps required.
An attribute’s data type cannot be changed after it has been used in a live rule. Plan your data model carefully before publishing rules that depend on a new attribute. A wrong data type will require creating a new attribute and migrating any rules that referenced the old one.

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Attribute data types and compatible operators

Operator notes: Date condition type modifiers (for recurring date rules): When using date attributes in recurring or comparative conditions, you can specify which portion of the date to evaluate:

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Troubleshooting

An attribute is not appearing in the Rule Engine condition builder.
  • Verify the attribute is saved and active in the Attributes Manager.
  • Check that the data type is compatible with the condition you’re trying to build.
Aggregate values are not matching expected transaction totals.
  • Remember that the current transaction is included in the aggregate before evaluation.
  • Reversals and refunds are subtracted — check whether any reversals occurred in the calculation period.
  • Verify the aggregate’s period definition (MTD means month-to-date, which resets on the first of each month).