Short Description Two of Hive9's most useful custom attribute features are attribute dependencies and multi-select with proportion control. This article covers both.
What this article answers
- How dependencies work in practice.
- How multi-select attributes split cost and CVR.
- When to use each.
Dependencies
A dependency lets one attribute's value filter another attribute's available options.
Classic example
- Region (parent) → Country (child).
- Selecting Region = "North America" narrows Country to North American options.
- Selecting Region = "EMEA" narrows Country to EMEA options.
Without the dependency, every Country option appears for every Region — too easy to pick an invalid combination.
How to configure
Dependencies are set up by your admin (and often CSM-assisted for complex chains):
- Identify the parent attribute (the one driving the dependency).
- Identify the child attribute (the one being filtered).
- For each parent value, specify which child values are allowed.
- Save.
Hive9 then enforces the relationship at runtime — child dropdowns repopulate based on the current parent selection.
Dependency chains
You can have chains: Region → Country → State — each level narrows the next.
Chains are powerful but add complexity. Keep them short (2–3 levels) where possible. Document the relationships so future admins understand the logic.
Editing tactics with dependencies
When a user edits a parent attribute on a tactic:
- Hive9 updates the child dropdown to show new options.
- If the previously-selected child value is no longer valid under the new parent, the child value clears or shows a warning.
- The user must pick a new child value before saving.
This is why some tactic edits may reset multiple attributes — the dependency cascade.
Multi-select attributes
A multi-select attribute lets the user pick multiple values from a list — e.g., a tactic active in "US, UK, Germany" rather than just one country.
Cost and CVR proportions
When multi-select is used on cost-relevant attributes, Hive9 assigns:
- Cost proportion — what share of the tactic's planned cost is attributed to each selected value.
- CVR (Conversion / Performance) proportion — what share of performance results is attributed to each value.
Defaults:
- Both Cost and CVR split equally across selected values.
- User can manually edit; total must equal 100% for each.
- Cost and CVR can be set independently — for example, US gets 50% of cost but 75% of CVR.
Reverting to single-select
If you decide a multi-select should really be single-select, there's typically a "< single-selection" link or option at the bottom of the multi-select window. Clicking it switches the attribute back to single-select mode — but forces the user to pick one value, discarding the multi-value state.
When to use which
Use dependencies when…
- One attribute's valid values genuinely depend on another's.
- You want to prevent invalid combinations (Country mismatched with Region).
- You're modeling hierarchical categorization (Region/Country/State).
Use multi-select when…
- A tactic genuinely spans multiple values (multiple regions, multiple channels).
- You want roll-ups and reporting to split correctly across the values.
- Single-select would force a misleading choice.
Don't use multi-select when…
- The attribute should be exactly one value (Tactic Owner, Single Business Unit).
- Splitting costs and performance proportionally doesn't make sense.
Common questions
Can a multi-select attribute be dependent? Yes — multi-select attributes can be dependent on or drive other attributes. The dependency rules apply to whichever values are selected.
Will changing a multi-select attribute trigger re-approval? If the attribute is workflow-driving (used in workflow routing or in a Custom Attribute Group), yes. Otherwise, it depends on your workflow configuration.
How are roll-ups handled for multi-select? Roll-ups respect the cost and CVR proportions per selected value. A tactic with 50% US, 50% UK contributes half its cost to each region's roll-up.
What if my dependency rules need to change? Your admin (or CSM) updates the dependency configuration. Existing tactics keep their values until edited; new tactics see the updated rules immediately.
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