The recording of the document prime identifier and associated attribute values as metadata that represents the document master record, the purpose thereof to uniquely and unambiguously identify the specific document.

The document class determines the attribute set and range of attribute values to be maintained as indexing data.

The sum of defined attributes and its specified values to the document constitute the index to the document object which is applied in describing, searching, finding and controlling the document.

See also IDENTIFICATION and ATTRIBUTES.