Global attributes are useful when many products share the same vocabulary, such as a catalogue-wide Size attribute. A custom attribute entered directly on one product suits a detail that will not be reused. Decide on spelling, capitalisation and units before entering many products so filters do not split equivalent values into separate terms.

1. Open Products > Attributes and add the approved attribute name and settings.
2. Configure its terms, such as Small, Medium and Large, using a consistent order.
3. Edit a product and open the Attributes section of Product data.
4. Add the existing attribute and select the terms that apply to that product.
5. Choose whether the attribute should be visible on the public product page.
6. If building a variable product, enable its use for variations and save the attributes before creating variation records.

Not by itself. A displayed attribute can simply describe the item. A variable product also needs actual variation records with valid prices and availability. Check that each selectable combination corresponds to a product you can sell rather than assuming every listed term is automatically purchasable.

Categories usually describe the product's place in the catalogue, while attributes describe its characteristics. Mixing these roles can produce an unwieldy navigation structure. Use the site's filters and theme features with a consistent attribute model instead of creating a category for every variation.

Preview the product's Additional Information area and any catalogue filters. Test attribute ordering and mobile display. Renaming terms or changing slugs may affect saved filters, links and imported variation data, so review dependencies before a large cleanup. For CSV imports, keep parent and variation attribute names and values consistent with the import schema. Maintain a short catalogue vocabulary guide for everyone adding products so future entries match the structure you have established.

• Building a variable product with valid variations
• Organising WooCommerce products with categories and tags
• Exporting a WooCommerce product catalogue
• Creating a simple physical product in WooCommerce

• WooCommerce: Managing Product Taxonomies
• WooCommerce: Variable Product
• WooCommerce: Product Editor Settings