What Are Show/Hide/Require Rules?
Show/Hide/Require Rules determine:
Who can see a product
When a product appears
Whether a product is optional or mandatory
Think of these rules as filters that control product visibility and requirements on member accounts.
The Three Rule Types
Show (Optional)
When you set a product to Show, it appears on qualifying accounts as an optional purchase. Members can choose whether to buy it. Use Show for products like guest passes, parking passes, social event tickets, optional add-ons, locker rentals, or any product members can choose to purchase.
Hide (Blocked)
When you set a product to Hide, it is completely hidden from qualifying accounts. Those members cannot see or purchase it. Use Hide when you need to exclude specific account types from products, hide products from accounts that already purchased them, prevent certain members from accessing products, or create exclusive products for specific groups.
Require (Mandatory)
When you set a product to Require, it becomes mandatory for qualifying accounts. The account remains marked as Unpaid until this product is paid. Use Require for annual membership dues, mandatory initiation fees, required capital assessments, mandatory facility fees, or any charge that must be paid before an account is considered current.
How to Set Up Rules
Step 1: Open Show/Hide/Require Rules
Edit your product (or create a new one), then scroll down to the Show/Hide/Require Rules section and click to expand it.
Step 2: Choose Your Rule Type
Select Show, Hide, or Require from the dropdown menu based on whether you want the product to be optional, blocked, or mandatory.
Step 3: Add Rule Conditions
Click Add Rule and configure your conditions. You'll need to select a Rule Type (what you're filtering by), a Comparison (how to compare), and a Field (the specific value).
For Rule Type, you can filter by Account Type, Account Tag, Payment Status, or Selected Products (advanced). The Comparison options include Is (matches exactly one value), Is Any Of (matches any of multiple values), or Is Not (excludes a specific value). The Field dropdown will show available options based on what you're filtering by, such as your account types or tags.
Step 4: Add Multiple Conditions (Optional)
You can add multiple rules using AND or OR logic. When you use AND logic, all conditions must be true. For example, if you show a product to Family accounts AND accounts tagged "Board Member," only Family accounts who are also board members will see it. When you use OR logic, any condition can be true. For example, if you show a product to Family accounts OR Couple accounts, both Family and Couple accounts will see it.
Common Rule Examples
Example 1: Membership Dues (Required for Everyone)
Recommended Fee Type: Membership Fee (slug must be membership-fee)
Rule Type: Require
Condition: Account Type Is Any Of All Account Types
Result: All accounts must pay this to be marked Paid
Example 2: Initiation Fee (Required for New Members Only)
Recommended Fee Type: Initiation Fee
Rule Type: Require
Condition: Account Type Is Offered Membership
Result: Only New Member accounts must pay this. Other account types don't see it at all.
Example 3: Parking Pass (Optional for All)
Recommended Fee Type: create new fee type called Parking Fee
Rule Type: Show
Condition: Account Type Is Any Of All Account Types
Result: All accounts can optionally purchase a parking pass
Example 4: Guest Passes (Hide from Non-Member Account Types)
Recommended Fee Type: Guest Fee (slug must be guest-fee)
Rule Type: Hide
Condition: Account Type Is Non-Member
Result: Non-Member accounts cannot see or purchase guest passes
Example 5: Specific Tag AND Payment Status (AND Logic)
Military Discount (Show to Military Members Who Are Unpaid)
Recommended Fee Type: create new fee type called Discount
Rule Type: Show
Condition 1: Account Tag Is Military
AND
Condition 2: Payment Status Is Unpaid
Result: Only accounts tagged as Military who haven't paid yet can see and purchase this military discount
Understanding Payment Status Impact
How Payment Status Works
An account's payment status (Paid or Unpaid) is controlled entirely by products using the Membership Dues fee type (slug: membership-fee). When a product with the Membership Dues fee type is paid, the account is automatically marked as Paid. No other fee type affects payment status.
Require Rules and Payment Status
When you use Require on a product, you're making that product mandatory for purchase. However, whether that product affects payment status depends on its fee type:
Products with Membership Dues fee type:
Account shows as Unpaid until the product is paid
Once paid, account automatically switches to Paid
This controls member access if you restrict services to Paid accounts
Use Require for annual membership dues or any charge that should control Paid status
Best Practices
Start Simple
Use basic rules first (just Account Type)
Add complexity only when needed
Test thoroughly before going live
Use Consistent Logic
Decide on AND vs OR logic carefully
Document complex rules for future reference
Keep rules as simple as possible
Test Your Rules
Create test accounts for each account type
Log in as each test account
Verify products appear (or don't appear) correctly
Test payment status changes when required products are paid
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using Require when you mean Show (makes products mandatory)
Using Hide when you should just not add the rule (simpler to not show at all)
Creating circular logic that prevents any accounts from qualifying
Forgetting to test with actual member accounts
Advanced: Selected Products
The Selected Products rule type is an advanced feature that creates conditional logic based on other product purchases.
Example Use Cases:
"If member purchases Product A, hide Product B"
"If member hasn't purchased membership, require them to purchase it before showing this add-on"
"If member purchased early bird pricing, hide regular pricing"
This is complex and should only be used when simpler rules won't work. Contact Member Splash support for guidance on selected products rules.
Troubleshooting
Product doesn't appear on any accounts
Check that you're using Show or Require, not Hide
Verify your conditions match actual account types/tags in your system
Confirm the product is Published, not Draft
Check that account types haven't been renamed
Product appears on wrong accounts
Review your AND/OR logic - may need to switch
Check for typos in account type names or tag names
Verify you're filtering by the right field (Account Type vs Account Tag)
Required product doesn't mark account as Unpaid
Confirm you're using Require, not Show
Check that the fee type is configured correctly
Verify the product is published and active
Product appears on ALL accounts when it shouldn't
Check if you accidentally set "All Account Types" as the condition
Remove or modify the rule to be more specific
Use Hide rules to exclude specific accounts
Account stays Unpaid even after paying
Check if there are OTHER required products still unpaid
Verify the payment actually processed (check order history)
Confirm the correct fee type was used
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have both Show and Require rules on the same product?
No. You must choose one: Show, Hide, or Require. You cannot combine them. If you need a product to be required for some accounts and optional for others, create two separate products.
What happens if I don't add any rules?
Without rules, the product follows default behavior based on its fee type. Most products without rules will show to all accounts as optional purchases.
Can I change rules after the product is published?
Yes. Edit the product and modify the rules. Changes take effect immediately. However, this may affect which accounts see the product, so communicate changes to your members if needed.
Do rules apply retroactively?
Rules control current visibility. If you change rules to hide a product, accounts that already purchased it keep the purchase. If you add a Require rule, accounts become Unpaid if they haven't paid that product yet.
How do I make a product available to multiple account types?
Use multiple conditions with OR logic:
Account Type Is Family OR
Account Type Is Couple OR
Account Type Is Single
Can I use rules to create early bird pricing?
Rules control WHO sees products, not WHEN. For time-based pricing, use Price Variations instead. See Price Variations: Early Payment Discounts for instructions.