# Create Materials Working with materials and their data begins by creating a material entry with a defined taxonomy, assigned company departments, and all necessary information, which will ensure efficient material management and searchability throughout the system. {% stepper %} {% step %} ### Navigate to Materials in Creator section Navigate to the Materials section under the Creator section in Total Materia Integrator. Before proceeding with material creation, make sure the material does not already exist in the system by performing a search.

**Figure 1:** Screenshot of Creator section and Materials subsection

{% endstep %} {% step %} ### Click the "Create new material" button Click "CREATE NEW MATERIAL"

located at the upper-right of the [Materials](/total-materia-integrator/creator/materials-management.md) section.

**Figure 2:** Screenshot of Creator section and Create New Material window

{% endstep %} {% step %} ### Specify Material designation and other key data Populate mandatory and optional material information. #### Basic Information * **Material Designation** (mandatory): Unique material designation (e.g. 316, 2024, Makrolon 3107) serving as a primary identifier within the system. * **Alternative Designation** (optional)**:** An additional or alternative designation — such as a supplier, local, or trend-specific name, that can improve material searchability within the system. * [**Standard**](https://docs.totalmateria.com/total-materia-integrator/~/revisions/nMAs7A7zgKnbQMWMShfV/creator/data-maintenance/standards) (mandatory): Indicates the specific material standard. Typically labeled as "Internal" for materials governed by internal standards. * [**Material Group**](https://docs.totalmateria.com/total-materia-integrator/~/revisions/nMAs7A7zgKnbQMWMShfV/creator/data-maintenance/material-groups) (mandatory): Specifies the material’s classification within the defined drop down structure. It enables greater material consistency, more effective filtering and search, and ensures that appropriate property sets are automatically assigned to the material. Multiple material group levels can be defined (up to four levels) to provide more detailed granularity. (e.g. Metals / Ferrous Alloys / Stainless steels, Metals / Nonferrous Alloys / Nickel / Nickel alloy or Polymers / Plastics, thermoplasts). To see in more detail how to add/edit material group, click this [link](/total-materia-integrator/creator/data-maintenance/material-groups.md).

**Figure 3:** Screenshot of Basic Information from the Material Information window

{% hint style="warning" %} It is crucial to make an accurate selection of the material group during this process (first level of classification). While materials can be moved between sub-groups, transferring them across main groups is not allowed. {% endhint %} {% hint style="danger" %} Before proceeding to the next step, the material must be created by clicking the "Save"

button. By saving the material, it will be automatically assigned with a "Material ID", "Data Modified" and "Version". For detailed explanation on versions and release status of material, click this [link](/total-materia-integrator/creator/materials-management/release-materials.md). {% endhint %} #### **Additional Information** Additional Information encompasses all optional, customizable data fields defined by users. These fields can include text entries, numeric values, hyperlinks, or multi-select dropdown lists. Common examples of Additional information data are material status, part number, material code, material price, SAP links, and reference numbers, etc. To see in detail how to add/edit parameters, click this [link](/total-materia-integrator/creator/data-maintenance/parameters.md).

**Figure 4:** Screenshot of Additional Information from the Material Information window

#### **Departments** Departments are customizable material departments defining the company-specific governance for managing materials. Assigning different[ Department](/total-materia-integrator/creator/user-management/account-settings.md) values (CAD, CAE, Quality etc.) limits material visibility to designated company departments only. For more details on how to configure departments, please click this [link](/total-materia-integrator/creator/user-management/account-settings.md).

**Figure 5:** Screenshot of Departments from the Material Information window

{% endstep %} {% endstepper %} --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.totalmateria.com/total-materia-integrator/creator/materials-management/create-materials.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.