Wire and cable product attributes

Wire and cable records carry a lot of meaning in short codes. A type designation such as THHN/THWN-2 states insulation, temperature and wet-location ratings at once, and a size such as 12 AWG or 500 kcmil sets the conductor area. Supplier files write both in many ways, drop half of a dual rating, or mix conductor size with conductor count, as in 12/3 with ground, which describes a multiconductor cable rather than a single wire.

Physical and packaging details are the other hard part. Stranding class affects flexibility and termination. Outside diameter and weight drive conduit fill and pulling calculations. The same wire is sold on reels, in coils, in boxes and cut to length, and suppliers often treat these put-ups as separate products or as one product with a length in the title. Ampacity is frequently quoted without the table or temperature column it came from.

This template keeps construction, ratings, dimensions, put-up and evidence in separate fields. Buyers can then compare cable from different mills on the same basis, and estimators can pull diameter and weight directly. Each value should come from the manufacturer's specification sheet or the print legend on the cable jacket.

The wire & cable attribute template

18 candidate fields in 4 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 13 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number manufacturer_part_number	Identifier	Core	THHN-12-STR-GRN-R2500
GTIN-14 / UPC gtin_14_upc	Identifier	Core	10812345122500

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Conductor Size conductor_size	Controlled list · AWG/kcmil	Core	12 AWG
Voltage Rating voltage_rating	Number · V	Core	600
Temperature Rating temperature_rating	Text · °C	Core	90 °C dry and wet
Reference Ampacity (with table basis) reference_ampacity_with_table_basis	Text · A	Buyer decision	25 A (NEC Table 310.16, 75 °C column, Cu)
Nominal Outside Diameter nominal_outside_diameter	Number · in	Buyer decision	0.135
Approximate Weight approximate_weight	Number · lb/1,000 ft	Buyer decision	24

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Cable Type Designation cable_type_designation	Controlled list	Core	THHN/THWN-2
Conductor Material conductor_material	Controlled list	Core	Soft annealed copper (ASTM B3, B8)
Conductor Count conductor_count	Text	Core	1 (single conductor)
Stranding / Strand Count stranding_strand_count	Controlled list	Core	Stranded, Class B, 7 strands
Insulation / Jacket Construction insulation_jacket_construction	Controlled list	Core	PVC insulation with nylon jacket
Insulation Color insulation_color	Controlled list	Core	Green/Yellow
Put-Up put_up	Controlled list	Core	2,500 ft reel

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Core	United States
UL Standards & File Number ul_standards_file_number	Text	Channel / evidence	UL 83; UL 1063; ASTM B3, B8
Flame & Fire Test Rating flame_fire_test_rating	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	VW-1; CT use (1/0 AWG and larger)

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Ampacity (with NEC table basis)
• Nominal Outside Diameter
• Sunlight Resistant / Direct Burial
• Approximate Weight per 1,000 ft
• Buy American / BABA / ARRA status

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing wire & cable ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Is this THHN also rated THWN-2 for wet locations?
• How many of these conductors fit in 3/4 in EMT?
• Can I get this in a 500 ft box instead of a 2,500 ft reel?
• Is this stranded or solid, and what stranding class?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ