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Why isn't my display rule or content block showing in an email?

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Display rules show a content block only to registrants who match a condition. When the block doesn't show, one of these is usually the reason.

How it works

Content blocks and display rules are both under Plan > Event Setup > Content Display.

Plan menu with Content Display, Content Blocks and Display Rules under Event Setup

  1. Create the content block in Plan > Event Setup > Content Display > Content Blocks. It shows in the Event Content Blocks list. In this example there are two: one for registrants who match and one for those who don't.
    Event Content Blocks list with two test content blocks
  2. Go to Content Display > Display Rules and click Add New (or the pencil icon to edit a rule). The List of Display Rules shows each rule's name and how many conditions it has.
    List of Display Rules with two rules
  3. Under Rule Conditions, choose Apply ONLY if these conditions are met and set the condition. In this example the condition is Last Name = test. Under Rule Action, move the content block from Available Sections into Active Sections. Click Save.
    Display rule with Apply ONLY if these conditions are met, the condition Last Name = test, and a content block in Active Sections
  4. In your email template, pick the Display Rule: tag in the Append list, then click Message to add it to the email. Put the Display Rule tag in the email, not the Content Block tag. A Content Block tag shows the block to everyone.
    Email template with a Display Rule tag picked in the Append list and Display Rule tags in the message

Use Append to add tags: If you type or paste a tag and get "You have not correctly entered the following Data fields" when you save, delete the tag and add it again with Append.

1. The test registration doesn't match

The rule checks the registration the email is sent to. If you test with your own registration, make sure it has the attendee type, status or answer the rule looks for.

Preview won't show it: The preview (eye icon) in your email template list doesn't apply display rules. It shows the tags as plain text, like <{Display Rule: name}>. To check a rule, send the email to a test registration that matches it.

Template preview showing Display Rule tags as plain text

2. The condition is set up wrong

Open Plan > Event Setup > Content Display > Display Rules (see Display Rules Event Setup), click the pencil icon on the rule, and check:

Check the operator first: This is the most common mistake. = (equals) only matches one exact value. Most rules need is one of or contains instead. For example, a rule set to Attendee Type = Speaker shows the block to Speakers only, not Keynote Speakers. To include both, use is one of and select every attendee type that should see it, or use contains Speaker to match any value with "Speaker" in it.

Also check:

  • Is one of and is not one of give opposite results. Make sure you picked the one you meant.
  • With is one of, every attendee type or answer that should see the block is selected.
  • With contains, the text doesn't also match values you didn't want. For example, contains "Speaker" also matches "Speaker Guest."
  • The content block is in Active Sections, not only in Available Sections.

3. The wrong confirmation text is used

Each form's Confirm page chooses one of three under Select Confirmation: Use the event confirmation text, Use form-specific confirmation text, or Use email Template for confirmation email. If one form shows the wrong content, compare its Confirm settings to a form that works.

Select Confirmation with the three confirmation choices

4. No primary form

Display rules in emails read from the primary form. With no primary form, you get a server error when the email sends. Edit the form, click Setup, and check This is the primary form for the event. See What's a "Primary Form"?

Form Setup with the This is the primary form for the event setting

5. Special characters in names

Some characters in the name of a display rule or content block can stop your email from working. When you name one, stick to letters, numbers, spaces and the characters listed as safe below.

Characters to avoid in names: & (ampersand) or , (comma): your email template won't save, and no error message appears. " (double quote): the tag can't be added to your email correctly. { } (curly braces): registrants see the tag code, like <{Display Rule: name}>, instead of your content. < or >: these are removed from the name when you save, and the content won't show in your email. ( ) (parentheses) in a display rule name: the content won't show in your email.

You can safely use these characters in names: ' (apostrophe), : (colon), - (hyphen), / (slash), # (number sign) and . (period).

If a template won't save or a block doesn't show

  1. Check the names of the display rules and content blocks the email uses for any of the characters above.
  2. Rename the rule or block without them.
  3. Delete the old tag from the email and add it again with Append, then click Save.
  4. Send a test email to check it.

Next step: Send a test email to a registration that should match the rule.

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