Attribute Field Properties
Attribute fields (columns in an attribute table) have individual properties such as their data type as well as whether and how they are displayed within your software.
Included in this tutorial:
Accessing the fields table in Layer Properties
Viewing and changing field properties
Software version in examples: QGIS-LTR 3.40.5-Bratislava
Tutorial Data: The tutorial includes demonstration with sample data available here.
Credits: Sally Kaye and L. Meisterlin (2025)
This tutorial reviews accessing and changing those properties.
Fields Table in Layer Properties
Right-click on a layer name in the Layers Panel and navigate through Properties > Fields to bring up the layer’s list of field properties.
The Fields table displays information about each field in the attribute table of a feature class, including its name and data type.
accessing information about attribute fields
Viewing and Changing Field Properties
Field properties include:
Alias: An optional descriptive name for the field, which does not change the field name but replaces it as the displayed label in the Attribute Table.
Type: The data type of a field.
Type name: The display format for field data types.
Length: Sets the number of characters or digits allotted for values in a field.
Precision: Sets the decimal place accuracy for decimal data types.
Of the field properties, only the Alias can be changed. To do this, click the Attributes Form tab in the Layer Properties window. In the list of field names under Available Widgets, pick the field to be edited. In the Alias text box, type the desired display name of the field, and save by clicking Apply, OK, or the enter key.
The example below demonstrates changing the field alias (the display name of a field) of CT2010, then reopening the fields window and the attribute table to check the edited field.
changing the field alias of a field
Other field properties include configuration, which affects how fields can be interacted with when shared in web servers.