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You can either create your own custom Data Marking Categories, use DoD Data Marking Categories (DoD Data Markings library), or combine both options based on your needs via the Data Markings shortcut menu. Choosing either one of the two options automatically invokes the usage of the Data Markings Profile and the Variability Profile (if they are not used already) needed to create and use Data Markings and their Categories. To learn more about DoD Data Marking Categories, see the DoD Data Marking Categories and Data Markings page.

We recommend that you create custom Data Marking Categories and their Data Markings in a separate project. This project would then be used in projects where the Data Markings would be added and viewed. To learn more about the recommended project structure and work process, see the Process page.

Creating custom Data Marking Categories

To create custom Data Marking Categories


  1. Create a new project for the Data Marking Categories.

  2. Right-click the root package in the Containment tree. In the shortcut menu, select Data Markings > under Specification, click Create. The Specification of Data Marking Category dialog opens.

    Once the Data Marking Category is created, a new package called Data Markings/Classification, containing the Data Marking Category element, is created in the Containment tree.

  3. Specify the Name for the new Data Marking Category in the Name field.
  4. Specify the priority for the new category.
  5. Specify the rankings for the new category.
  6. Specify the Data Markings for the new category.
  7. Specify the representation attributes for the new Data Markings.
  8. (Optional) To create additional Data Marking Categories with their own sets of Data Markings, repeat steps 2-7.

Removing custom Data Marking Categories

If a Data Marking Category is not needed, you can simply delete it from the project. Keep in mind that all the Data Markings that belong to the category will be deleted as well. All of the Data Markings added to the elements of the project will be removed.

Rather than permanently deleting a category from the project, you can add it to an Ignored Data Marking Categories list.


To remove an individual custom Data Marking Category


  • Right-click the Data Marking Category element in the Containment tree. In the shortcut menu, click Delete.


To remove all custom Data Marking Categories


  • Right-click the Data Markings/Classification package in the Containment tree. In the shortcut menu, click Delete.