Use the Option Rules Add-On
With Shift4Shop's Options Rules add-on module, you can configure a specific set of options that would display (or not display); based on previous options that are already selected.
For example, let's say your particular base products are available in a range of possibilities like size and color. However, certain sizes are not available in specific colors. For situations like this, you would use Option Rules to designate whether subsequent products will be available or not.
Basic Set-Up and Use of the Module
After purchasing the module, you will receive a notice from your individual Project Manager notifying you that it has been installed on your account. Once you receive this notice, you will be able to set up the rules by following these steps.
From your Shift4Shop Online Store Manager:
Go to Products > Product List.
Locate the item you'd like to add Option Rules for and click on the product's thumbnail, ID, or name to open it up.
Select the item's "Options" tab to view the options.
While viewing the product's Options tab, look to the top right and click on the "Actions" button and select "Option Rules" to open up the popup window.
This popup window will contain two panes. On the left will be the dropdown or radio options that can be selected for the product. The options you select here will be the options that will trigger the rules when they are selected. On the right pane, you will select the options that are either shown or hidden based on the trigger selections chosen on the left.
From this window, you will configure your option rules by either selecting which options are shown (depending on which are selected) or which options are hidden (again, depending on which are selected)
In the following sections, we will go into more specific details about configuring the Option Rules.
Option Rules (Examples)
For this article, we will use a polo shirt as our product. This polo shirt comes with several options for color, size, and the optional embroidering of the shopper's name or initials onto the shirt. The embroidery of the shirt is done in a red thread, and the shopper can select to have the following combinations of their name for the embroidering:
First Name Only
Last Name Only
First & Last Name
First Initial/Last Name
First Name/Last Initial
See the image for what the product's options look like on the storefront.
We will use this product to illustrate how to set up option rules to either show or hide option selections based on the previously selected options.
For the purposes of this article, we will describe the steps as belonging to this specific polo shirt product, but the same basic process can be used for whatever type of product you are using.
Option Rules (Showing Applicable Options)
In our first example, we'll configure a rule to show individual options when specific size options are selected.
In this case, we have an option allowing shoppers to purchase the polo shirt with their first and last name embroidered on it. However, this is something that looks better on larger shirts. On the smaller shirts, the two-name embroidery isn't really ideal, so we'll be adding an option only to show the two-name embroidery when the larger sizes are selected.
To do this:
Go to Products > Product List.
Locate the item you'd like to add Option Rules for and click on the product's thumbnail, ID, or name to open it up.
Select the item's "Options" tab to view the options.
Next, look to the top right and click on the Actions button to select Option Rules.
Our goal is to show the First & Last Name embroidery option only when Large, X-Large, and XX-Large are selected. To do this, continue with the following steps:
5. In the left pane, click on the + symbol next to the Size option to expand the view.
6. Place a mark in the Large, X-Large, and XX-Large checkboxes.
7. On the right pane, select the Show radio button.
8. Now expand the options for "Embroidering."
9. Place a mark in the "First & Last Name" checkbox.
10. Click on Save Rules.
The module will now populate the bottom of the option rules window with a summary of your saved rules. (see above image)
With this saved, shoppers viewing the product will now see the First & Last Name embroidery option only when the configured sizes are selected.
Option Rules (Hiding Non-Applicable Options)
For our next example, we will be hiding options from displaying when a previously selected option is marked.
Previously, we've described how the embroidering of the polo shirt is done in red thread. Therefore, it serves no purpose to make embroidery available to the product when the polo's selected color is also red. So, in this case, we'll be hiding all of the embroidery options when visitors select red as the shirt's color.
To do this:
Go to Products > Product List.
Locate the item you'd like to add Option Rules for and click on the product's thumbnail, ID, or name to open it up.
Select the item's "Options" tab to view the options
Next, look to the top right and click on the Actions button to select Option Rules.
Again, our goal is to hide the embroidery options when the shopper selects red for the polo shirt. To do this, continue with the following steps.
5. In the left pane, click on the + symbol next to the color option to expand the view.
6. Place a mark in the "Red" checkbox.
7. On the right pane, select the Hide radio button.
8. Now expand the options for "Embroidering."
9. Place a mark in each embroidery option checkbox.
10. Click on Save Rules.
The module will populate the bottom of the option rules window with your newly saved rules added to the summary. (see image)
With this saved, shoppers viewing the product will now see the embroidery options. However, when they select the polo's color as red, the embroidery options will disappear.