Working with Question and Answer Rules
When users configure an item, you can dynamically guide them through the configuration process based on the conditions you added to rules. With rules, you can display only features and options that are relevant and available based on the answers currently selected.
Several options to work with question and answer rules are available. You can hide questions or answers, you can make them read-only, or you can mark answers as incompatible.
You can set up rules on the Rules subtab of question and answer records. In the rule fields, you write the conditions by entering question and answer codes separated by the forward slash character. For example, you can add A/1 to the read-only rule of question B. If users select answer 1 for option A, then question B becomes read-only. To combine multiple conditions, you can use operators—for example, A/1&B/2. For more information, see Activating Building Blocks with Rules and Using Rule Operators. When you're finished, save the question or answer record.
For more information, see:
Hiding Questions or Answers
When hiding questions or answers with rules, you can prevent users from viewing unavailable item features or options based on the choices they've made. Using an hide rule, you can also avoid displaying a question before users answer another one. When creating the hide rule, replace the answer code with the double percentage operator (%%). For example, you can add the condition A/%% to the rule of question B. Question B is hidden until users answer question A.
In the Hide Rule field on the Rules subtab, enter the question and answer combination that defines the condition to hide the question or answer.
When applying hide rules, you can clear questions or answers selected by users if they become hidden. This option ensures that unavailable options or features don't remain selected when users change their choices. To apply this option, check the Reset when hidden box on the question or answer record. Questions or answers are also cleared when the parent tab or group becomes hidden.
Making Questions or Answers Read-Only
When making questions or answers read-only, you let users view item features or options that they should read but not interact with, or that may be available if they choose a different answer. Read-only questions or answers appear dimmed on the user interface and can't be selected.
In the Read-Only Rule field on the Rules subtab, enter the question and answer combination that defines the condition to make the question or answer read-only.
Marking Answers as Incompatible
When marking an answer as incompatible, you let users know that their current choice doesn't meet the configuration requirements.
On the user interface, answers marked as incompatible become dimmed, and their graphical element is crossed out. When a previously selected answer no longer meets the configuration requirements, the answer label becomes red.
You can also add a message to explain to users why the answer is incompatible with their current choices and how they can correct the configuration. This message is displayed when users point to the answer marked as incompatible.
In the Incompatible Rule field on the Rules subtab, enter the question and answer combination to determine when this answer doesn't meet the configuration criteria. In the Incompatible Rule Message field, you can add a message to help users understand why the selection doesn't meet the configuration requirements and what option to choose instead.
To guide users in the configuration process, you can also add validation messages to the information bar and make sure they don't submit incorrect or incomplete configurations. For more information, see Displaying Validation Messages on the User Interface.