{{tag>Index Glossary Reference_Attribute Attribute Business_Object}}
===== Reference attribute =====

Unlike attributes of the [[glossary:attribute_type|basic attribute types]], a reference attribute, or simply reference, describes a [[glossary:object_relation_type|relation]] between the [[glossary:business_object|business object]] to which the [[glossary:attribute|attribute]] belongs and some other business object or [[glossary:business_object_group|business object group]]. For example, to register a relation between an account and its holder the [[glossary:configurator|configurator]] may define Holder attribute for Account object as a reference to Person object.

A reference attribute can be single, as in the example above, or multiple. Multiple references are useful for linking an object with several other objects, for example an account and transactions applied to the account. It is usually beneficial to configure a [[glossary:matching_attributes|matching attribute]] on the related object. In the first example it could be an Accounts attribute on Person object listing all accounts held by the person, which, incidentally, would be a multiple reference.