How to Build Validation Rules?

In this article, we're going to explore the Rules Builder and learn how to build validation rules for campaigns. 

Contents

1. How does it work?
1. Basic builder
2. Advanced builder
2. Create validation rules with Validation Rules Manager
3. Create validation rules with Campaign Manager
1. Define discounted (included) and excluded products
2. Create redemption limits
4. Create validation rules with metadata
5. Create validation rules with event metadata

How does it work?

Rules Builder overview

There are two ways you can access the Rules Builder and create validation rules:

You can create limits for redemptions and earning rules using the basic or advanced Builder. Choose the basic Builder to see a shortcut to the most common rules and create popular limits. Choose the advanced Builder to see all possible validation rules you can create.

Basic rules builder

Choose a rules category and define the limit by using available conditions. You may notice that some rules are unavailable (greyed out). This is because they are context-specific. For example, rules that only make sense to be applied on bulk code campaigns are not available for standalone codes.

Expand the rules from the category you're interested in and build a restriction using available operators.

Advanced rules builder

Define the logic between rules (1). Additionally, you can specify a fallback error message that will be used when there is no error message defined for the particular rule (2).

You may notice that some rules are unavailable. This is because they are context-specific. For example, rules that only make sense to be applied on bulk code campaigns are not available for standalone codes.

Expand the rules from the category you're interested in and build a restriction using available operators. To define the error message for a particular rule, you can use the Add error message option.

Confirm each rule with  Add. All active rules will be visible on the grey background below each category. 

Create validation rules with validation rules manager

In this section, you'll see how to use the Rules Builder and create validation rules.

First navigate to Validation Rules manager and click the plus  .

Step 1: Name the rules

Add a name for your validation rule/set of rules. They will be automatically saved in the dashboard.

Step 2: Choose between basic and advanced builder

The Builder has two modes: basic and advanced. Choose the basic Builder to see a shortcut to the most common rules and create popular limits. Choose the advanced Builder to see all possible validation rules you can create.

Step 3: Define the context

Validation rules context defines the purpose of validation rules and their future usage. If you want to use the rules in more than one context or campaign type, choose General Usage.

Step 4: Create validation rules

Create limits that need to be met to make a successful redemption or earn loyalty points.

Validation rules limiting redemptions

Validation rules can be assigned to incentives (discounts, coupons, gift cards, digital rewards, referral codes), and earning rules. 

• If you attach validation rules to discounts or campaign codes, they will limit their redemptions. 
• If you assign validation rules to the earning rules in your loyalty campaign, they will define circumstances that trigger the assignment of new loyalty points. Read more here on creating validation rules for earning new loyalty points.

You can create limits for redemptions and earning rules using the basic or advanced Builder.

Basic rules builder

Choose a rules category and define the limit by using available conditions. You may notice that some rules are unavailable (greyed out). This is because they are context-specific. For example, rules that only make sense to be applied on bulk code campaigns are not available for standalone codes.

Expand the rules from the category you're interested in and build a restriction using available operators.

Advanced rules builder

Define the logic between rules (1). Additionally, you can specify a fallback error message that will be used when there is no error message defined for the particular rule (2).

You may notice that some rules are unavailable. This is because they are context-specific. For example, rules that only make sense to be applied on bulk code campaigns are not available for standalone codes.

Expand the rules from the category you're interested in and build a restriction using available operators. To define the error message for a particular rule, you can use the Add error message option.

Confirm each rule with  Add. All active rules will be visible on the grey background below each category. 

Step 5: Confirm and save rules

When rules are added, click Next Step, and then click Save to confirm. Saved rules will be visible in the main list in the Validation Rules.

You can edit or remove created validation rules by clicking on the three dots to the right. 

Create validation rules with campaign manager

In this section, you'll see how to use the Rules Builder and create validation rules.

Step 1: Choose to create a new rule or use an existing rule

• New: Create rule from scratch; continue to step 2 and the then with the remaining steps listed below
• Existing: Choose predefined rule; continue with step 4 and then with the Campaign Manager steps, the remaining steps can be skipped

Step 2: Choose between basic and advanced builder

The Builder has two modes: basic and advanced. Choose the basic Builder to see a shortcut to the most common rules and create popular limits. Choose the advanced Builder to see all possible validation rules you can create.

In the Campaign Manager, you'll see the basic Builder chosen by default. You can switch to the advanced mode to see all available rules.

Step 3: Name the rule

Add a name for your validation rule/set of rules.

Step 4: Define discounted (included) and excluded products

This step is context specific. There are two components in the Rules Builder within the Campaign Manager when you choose to apply a rule on an item level versus a whole cart level.

1. The first lets you select which items the discount or gift card can be applied to and which items the discount/gift card can't be applied to. Read more.

   

2. The second component enables you to create limits that need to be met to make a successful redemption or earn loyalty points. Read more.

   

Select discounted (included) and excluded products

Selecting discounted or excluded items doesn't define required cart items, but defines which items the discount or gift card will be applied to if all validation rules are met.

How to define discounted (included) items?

First, you can choose between Discount Each or Discount Selected. If you choose to discount each, a discount or gift card will be applied to every order line item in the cart, except for the items defined in excluded products.

If you chose Selected, click  Add items to define items to which the discount will be applied to.  Next, click to choose a discounted item or product collection. You'll see a Filters Builder that enables you to define discounted items in the following ways: 

1. Select existing products from your list. 
2. Create a products collection(s) that defines what criteria items have to match to qualify for a discount. 
3. Choose from an existing product collection(s).
4. Choose the built-in collection All Products to choose all items that a customer provides in the cart.

After choosing products or collections, you can decide if the discount will be applied to all qualified items or only to the cheapest or most expensive of the qualified products.

Note that you can add another component defining discounted items and combine many effects. For example, the discount can be applied to the cheapest and most expensive product in the cart.

Likewise, you can use the same methods to define excluded products. As a result, the discount won't be applied to the selected items. Read more.

Step 5: Create validation rules

Create limits that need to be met to make a successful redemption or earn loyalty points.

Validation rules limiting redemptions

Validation rules can be assigned to incentives (discounts, coupons, gift cards, digital rewards, referral codes), and earning rules. 

• If you attach validation rules to discounts or campaign codes, they will limit their redemptions. 
• If you assign validation rules to the earning rules in your loyalty campaign, they will define circumstances that trigger the assignment of new loyalty points. Read more here on creating validation rules for earning new loyalty points.

You can create limits for redemptions and earning rules using the basic or advanced Builder.

Basic rules builder

Choose a rules category and define the limit by using available conditions. You may notice that some rules are unavailable (greyed out). This is because they are context-specific. For example, rules that only make sense to be applied on bulk code campaigns are not available for standalone codes.

Expand the rules from the category you're interested in and build a restriction using available operators.

Advanced rules builder

Define the logic between rules (1). Additionally, you can specify a fallback error message that will be used when there is no error message defined for the particular rule (2).

You may notice that some rules are unavailable. This is because they are context-specific. For example, rules that only make sense to be applied on bulk code campaigns are not available for standalone codes.

Expand the rules from the category you're interested in and build a restriction using available operators. To define the error message for a particular rule, you can use the Add error message option.

Confirm each rule with  Add. All active rules will be visible on the grey background below each category. Continue on with the Campaign Manger steps.

Step 6: Confirm and save campaign

When rules are added, they do not automatically get created. You must go through the steps of the Campaign Manager and click  Save to confirm. The rules are created when you save a campaign.

Custom validation rules with metadata

Metadata enables you to add custom attributes to your Voucherify project. Metadata added to products, order line items, customers, orders, and redemptions can be used when creating validation rules. Supporting many metadata types and validation operators gives you flexibility in creating custom limits and rules which aren't available out-of-the-box. 

To create a custom limit with metadata follow the steps below:

1. Add new metadata definition to the respective metadata schema. Read more.
2. Open advanced Rules Builder in the Validation Rules menu or in the Campaign Manager.
3. Expand the rules from a chosen category, build the rule with metadata and available conditions.
4. Confirm with Add.

Take a look at the examples below to see popular validation rules with metadata. Navigate to the respective section by clicking on the link below.

Product metadata

Product metadata in the Rules Builder has two goals:

1. What's in vs. what's out: You can define custom product attributes that qualify or disqualify a product from applying the discount or gift card. Go here for the detailed instructions.
2. Order Structure: You can also define the required cart structure. It comes down to defining the specific custom attributes that products in a customer's cart need to have or can't have to redeem the code/ earn loyalty points. In addition to metadata, you can set additional criteria for matching items, such as items count and subtotal.  We’ll show you how to do this in the steps listed below.

Create order structure validation rules with metadata

Step 1: Go to the Rules Builder and expand Order structure validation rules. 

Step 2: Decide if the metadata has to be attached to every, any, none of the order items or perhaps to the cheapest or most expensive of the order items. Mark the respective checkbox.

Step 3: Click to build filter(s) with metadata added previously to the Product metadata schema.

Step 4: When creating filters , you can combine many metadata and standard product attributes. After you add all filters, click

The collection will save the added filters to validate each product/SKU coming with requests. Only items that meet collection criteria will join the collection list. 

Here's the instruction on how to build product filters with metadata.

Step 5: If you choose Every or Any order item, you can also define the quantity and subtotal of matching items. 

You can also define the required price and quantity of every/any matching order line item.

Rules examples

• Every item in the cart needs to have a metadata category is spring_sale and metadata vendor Levi's or Guess. 
• At least one item in the cart needs to have a metadata category is new_in_stock and the subtotal of matched items needs to be more than $100.
• None of the items in the cart can have a metadata category is premium. 

Order line item metadata

Each order line item can have its metadata attributes on top of which you can create validation rules. To create rules with order line item metadata, follow the steps below:

1. Expand Order structure rules
2. Mark Any order item if at least one order line item needs to match metadata rules or Every order item if all order line items need to match metadata rules. You can also choose the Cheapest of the order items or the Most expensive of the order items. Read more.
3. Click to choose a product collection. In this step, you can narrow down the list of items that will be checked against metadata rules. If you don't want to set additional filters, choose a predefined collection called All Products that gathers all order items. Read more.
4. Choose and define validation rules with the metadata attribute.

Customer metadata satisfy

You can use attributes added to the Customer schema to create custom rules not available out-of-the-box. Using metadata-based segments or single attributes, you can limit redemptions to customers who share a specific metadata value(s). Customer metadata provides personalization, targeting, and geofencing in your promotions.  

Click property and choose a pre-defined metadata property from the list of displayed properties or add a new definition by clicking the option.

Rules examples

• Only customers whose metadata customer_lifetime_value is more than 2000 can redeem the discount.
• Customers whose metadata billing_unpaid is true cannot redeem the discount.
• Customers whose metadata subscription is premium can redeem gift cards from campaign X.

Order metadata satisfy

Orders enable you to pass your transactional data to Voucherify. Using order metadata and validation rules, you can define additional conditions that the customer's order has to match to redeem incentives or earn loyalty points.  

Click property and choose a pre-defined metadata property from the list of displayed properties or add a new definition by clicking the option.

Rules examples

• Voucher can be redeemed only if the metadata Shipping_postal_code starts with 43-.
• Customer gets 50 loyalty points if the order total amount is more than $100 and metadata shipped is true.
• Customers get - 50% if the order metadata takeaway is false and - 25% if the order metadata takeaway is true.
• Customers can redeem the code if the order was placed in July between 10 AM and 1 PM (metadata booking_date is within time-frame 6/1/2021 - 6/30/2021 Every day 10:00 AM to 1 PM).

Redemption metadata satisfy

You can attach metadata to redemption requests. Redemption metadata in validation rules lets you define additional attributes that need to be passed to successfully redeem codes/promotions.  

Click and choose a pre-defined metadata property from the list of displayed properties or add a new definition by clicking the option.

Rules examples

• Voucher can be redeemed only if metadata payment_method is credit_card.
• Customers can redeem a $10 gift card if the metadata booking_channel is homepage.
• Customers get a free item X (unit discount) if redemption was made in July between 10 AM and 1 PM  (metadata booking_date is within time-frame 6/1/2021 - 6/30/2021 Every day 10:00 AM to 1 PM).

Custom validation rules with custom events

Custom events are actions taken by your customers. You can use them to track clients' behavior and then build highly personalized campaigns. Voucherify enables you to create a validation rule for loyalty earning rules based on custom event metadata.

Custom event metadata satisfy

You can attach custom event metadata to a loyalty earning rule's validation rule. Custom event metadata in validation rules lets you define additional attributes that need to be passed to successfully earn loyalty points. Read more here.

Rules examples

• Loyalty points can be earned only if custom event entered_store metadata property customer_entered_store is true.
• Loyalty points can be earned only if custom event visit_website metadata property booking_channel is homepage.
• Loyalty points can be earned only if custom event page_view metadata property page_view_date is on Tuesday.