---
schema_version: "1"
id: 54f43f8063828d176bb0832faacd22223da03dfa3f66e5a172833ff876a57a38
title: Create an Attribute Group in Contact Builder
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_cab_create_an_attribute_group.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_create_an_attribute_group.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 61823bad6cff2ad31240f285f03176006afc58d04f380f3e52f61e1bc019332d
description: Create an attribute group in Contact Builder.
products:
  - Marketing
  - Marketing Cloud Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Create an Attribute Group in Contact Builder

Create an attribute group in Contact Builder.

1. In Data Designer, click **Create Attribute Group**.
2. Enter a name.
3. Click **Save**.
4. Review the information regarding modifying data relationships and click **OK**.
5. To add attributes from existing data extensions, skip to step 10.
6. To create a data extension to contain your new attributes, click **Create New Data Extension**.
    1. Enter the name used to identify the attribute group with Contact Builder in the **Names** field.
    2. Note the external key provided in the **External Key** field. Use the provided external key or enter a unique key of your own in this field. Each data extension must use a unique external key.
    3. Enter a brief description of the attribute group in the **Description** field.
    4. By default, the new data extension exists within the **Data Extensions** folder. Click **Change Location** and choose a different location as necessary.
    5. Click **Next**.
7. To activate a data retention setting for the data extension, click **On**. Marketing Cloud Engagement must enable your account for this feature before you can use it or view this setting:
    1. Click the button in the Apply To heading to determine how the policy applies to your data extension.
        - To apply the policy to the entire data extension, click **Data Extension**.
        - To apply the policy to the data within the data extension, click **Records**.
    2. Enter the Retention Period information.
        - For data extension policies, enter this information.
            1. To set a retention time period, click the first button and enter both the number and type of time units. To reset this time period after every import to this data extension, choose the Reset Retention Period On Import check box.
            2. To choose a specific date on which to delete the applicable data, click the second button.
            3. Click the first button under the Data heading if you wish to delete all records from the data extension after the retention period passes.
            4. Click the second button under the Data heading if you wish to delete the entire data extension.
        - For records policies, enter this information.
            1. To set a retention time period, click the first button and enter both the number and type of time units. To reset this time period after every import to this data extension, choose the Reset Retention Period On Import check box.
            2. To choose a specific date on which to delete the applicable data, click the second button.
8. Click **Next**.
9. Enter a name for the first attribute in the Name field.
10. Choose the check boxes for the properties to add to your attribute.
11. Repeat steps 9 through 10 for each attribute you wish to include in the data extension.
12. Click **Next**.
13. Click **Create**.
14. To link your data extension, click the appropriate button:
    - To link your new data extension to the Contact Record, click **Link to Contact**.
    - To link your new data extension to another data extension, click **Link to a Data Extension**.
        1. Select the data extension to link.
        2. Click **Continue**.
        3. Follow the How to Link Data Extensions procedures to link the data extensions.
            
            - You can’t link a data extension with the "All records and data extensions" retention policy to the Contact model.
            
            - Your existing data extensions remain linked to the Contact model unless you unlink them. You can't relink after they’re unlinked.
            
            - You can’t delete a data extension that’s linked to the Contact model in Contact Builder or by using APIs.
15. Click **Create**.