1. A method of customizing an application software program that during execution communicates with an electronic database of product data, the method comprising: receiving an input indicating a user selection of a predefined database attribute that is defined to be an identifier type of attribute, wherein the selected attribute is associated with a category of products for which data relating to products that are members of the product category are stored in the electronic database; and defining the selected attribute to be used during execution of a selected procedure of the application software program, wherein the selected procedure includes a product-identifying function.