> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.incident.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How do you use enums in the Catalog Importer?

**What is an enum?**

Enums are a way to better support categorical attribute types. This allows you to create child catalog types from a parent catalog type.

```json theme={null}
{
  "outputs": [
    {
      "name": "Teams",
      "description": "Team in org",
      "type_name": "Custom[\"Teams\"]",
      "source": {
        "name": "goal",
        "external_id": "external_id"
      },
      "attributes": [
        {
          "id": "description",
          "name": "Description",
          "type": "Text",
          "source": "description"
        },
        {
          "id": "email",
          "name": "Email list",
          "source": "emails",
          "array": true,
          "enum": {
            "name": "List of emails",
            "type_name": "Custom[\"ListOfEmails\"]",
            "description": "List of all team members"
          }
        },
        {
          "id": "name",
          "name": "Goal",
          "type": "Text",
          "source": "goal"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

In the sample above a `Team` catalog type will be created with `name`, `description`, and `email` attributes. The `List of emails` attribute will be created as a child attribute catalog type from the parent `Teams`.

#### Why does this matter?

Having child catalog types for these attributes allows workflows to know which options that attribute supports and gives you a drop-down instead of being textual.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/incidentio-18bb4170/tPmSVrlbFOkpuwyO/images/help-centre/how-do-you-use-enums-in-the-catalog-importer/screenshot-1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=tPmSVrlbFOkpuwyO&q=85&s=ac26c0b9fda01da455217fa71b88d3b2" alt="" width="2110" height="1532" data-path="images/help-centre/how-do-you-use-enums-in-the-catalog-importer/screenshot-1.png" />