Materials, Colors, and Component Options
Understand the difference between finishes, defaults, and selectable upgrades
Materials, Colors, and Component Options
These settings shape what customers can choose and how your templates behave.
Materials and colors
Use materials and colors for finish choices such as:
- interior color
- exterior color
- shared inside/outside color
- premium finish options
Choose names customers recognize. Internal codes are useful operationally, but customer clarity matters more.
Component defaults
Component defaults are the baseline rules for how a component behaves, such as:
- size constraints
- opening type
- default imagery
- locked or inherited properties
Use defaults when the rule should apply broadly across your catalog.
Component options
Component options are the selectable upgrades customers can actively choose, such as:
- glass type
- hardware grade
- threshold type
- security options
- accessories
Use options when the customer should make the choice in the configurator.
How to keep them clean
- defaults define the starting rules
- options define selectable variation
- materials and colors define finish surfaces
If the same concept appears in multiple places, simplify it before the catalog becomes hard to maintain.