# How to Show or Hide Content Automatically

Use this tutorial when one template must generate different output for different records.

## What it looks like

After setup, one quote can produce all of this:

* A VIP message only for high-value customers
* A phone line only when `Contact.Phone` has a value
* A California clause only for active contracts
* A finance compliance note only for matching industries
* Reusable rule patterns for other templates

This works well for quotes, contracts, and renewal documents.

## When to use conditional logic

Use conditional logic when content should appear only when record data passes a rule.

**Best for:**

* Hiding empty labels and optional sections
* Showing regional or industry-specific clauses
* Reusing one template across several customer scenarios

Use another feature when the job is different:

* Use [Template Attributes Tutorial](/quick-start/template-building/how-to-format-text-dates-and-currency.md) when you need formatting only.
* Use [Get Started with Calculations](/quick-start/template-building/get-started-with-calculations.md) when you need thresholds or derived values.
* Use [Creating Your First Named Query](/quick-start/template-building/creating-your-first-named-query-tutorial.md) when you need reusable query output.

## Build a quote template with conditional logic

### What you'll configure

* A basic `RENDER` block
* Empty-field checks with `!= 'NULL'`
* Multi-part rules with `&&` and `||`
* Keyword matching with `CONTAINS`
* A quick test plan for validating output

**Estimated time:** 20 minutes

### Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

* Access to **S-Docs Templates**
* Permission to create or edit templates
* An S-Docs template related to `Account`, `Contact`, or `Opportunity`
* Test records with known field values
* Basic familiarity with merge fields such as `{{!Account.Name}}`

If you are brand new to S-Docs syntax, start with a merge field tutorial first.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Step 1: Open or create the template

Start with a template that should change by record data.

1. Go to **S-Docs Templates** in Salesforce.
2. Open an existing template or click **New Template**.
3. Set the correct base object.
4. Open the template editor.
5. Click **Source** if you want to paste syntax directly.

You now have a place to add conditional blocks.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Step 2: Add a simple equality check

Start with one short block. This confirms the syntax works before you add more logic.

Add this where the VIP note should appear:

{% code title="vip-message.html" %}

```html
<!--RENDER='{{!Account.Customer_Type__c}}' == 'High Value' -->
<p><strong>VIP customer:</strong> Thank you for your continued business.</p>
<!--ENDRENDER-->
```

{% endcode %}

What you just did:

* Compared `Account.Customer_Type__c` to one exact text value
* Used `==` for an equality check
* Rendered the paragraph only when the condition passes

How to read the syntax:

* `{{!Account.Customer_Type__c}}` is the field being checked
* `==` means the value must match exactly
* `'High Value'` is the required text
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Step 3: Hide a blank phone line

Use a null check when the label and value should appear together.

Add this block in the contact section:

{% code title="phone-line.html" %}

```html
<!--RENDER='{{!Contact.Phone}}' != 'NULL' -->
<p>Phone: {{!Contact.Phone}}</p>
<!--ENDRENDER-->
```

{% endcode %}

What you just did:

* Used `!=` for a not-equal check
* Compared the field to `NULL`
* Prevented an empty `Phone:` label from printing

This pattern works well for phone, email, title, and address lines.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Step 4: Require two conditions with AND

Use AND logic when both checks must pass before showing content.

Add this clause below the customer summary:

{% code title="regional-clause.html" %}

```html
<!--RENDER=( '{{!Account.BillingState}}' == 'CA' && '{{!Account.Active_Contract__c}}' == 'True' ) -->
<p>Include the California active-contract clause in this quote.</p>
<!--ENDRENDER-->
```

{% endcode %}

What you just did:

* Used `&&` for AND logic
* Grouped both checks with parentheses
* Rendered the clause only when both values match

Read the condition in order:

* `BillingState` must equal `CA`
* `Active_Contract__c` must equal `True`
* `&&` means both statements must be true
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Step 5: Match either value with OR

Use OR logic when one of several values should show the same content.

Add this example:

{% code title="west-coast-note.html" %}

```html
<!--RENDER=( '{{!Account.BillingState}}' == 'CA' || '{{!Account.BillingState}}' == 'OR' ) -->
<p>Apply the West Coast delivery language.</p>
<!--ENDRENDER-->
```

{% endcode %}

What you just did:

* Used `||` for OR logic
* Allowed either state to trigger the note
* Reused the same field in two checks

Use this pattern for state groups, segment groups, or status groups.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Step 6: Match a keyword with CONTAINS

Use `CONTAINS` when the source text can vary.

Add this block in the compliance section:

{% code title="industry-keyword.html" %}

```html
<!--RENDER='{{!Account.Industry}}' CONTAINS 'Finance' -->
<p>Include the finance compliance checklist with this document.</p>
<!--ENDRENDER-->
```

{% endcode %}

What you just did:

* Searched within the full field value
* Matched text like `Finance Team` or `Global Finance`
* Avoided relying on one exact field value

If you need the inverse, use `NOT CONTAINS`.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Step 7: Save and test the output

Test one rule at a time before combining more patterns.

1. Click **Save** in the template editor.
2. Generate the template from a record that should pass one rule.
3. Generate it again from a record that should fail.
4. Compare the output blocks.

Verify these results:

* The VIP note shows only for high-value customers
* The phone line shows only when `Contact.Phone` is populated
* The California clause shows only when both checks pass
* The finance note shows only when the keyword exists
  {% endstep %}
  {% endstepper %}

### Try these variations

Use these once the base version works.

An amount threshold:

{% code title="amount-threshold.html" %}

```html
<!--RENDER={{!Opportunity.Amount}} > 10000 -->
<p><strong>Manager review required.</strong></p>
<!--ENDRENDER-->
```

{% endcode %}

A negative keyword match:

{% code title="negative-keyword.html" %}

```html
<!--RENDER='{{!Case.Subject}}' NOT CONTAINS 'Urgent' -->
<p>Route this case through the standard workflow.</p>
<!--ENDRENDER-->
```

{% endcode %}

A combined customer and industry check:

{% code title="combined-condition.html" %}

```html
<!--RENDER=( '{{!Account.Type}}' == 'Customer' && '{{!Account.Industry}}' CONTAINS 'Finance' ) -->
<p>Apply the customer finance compliance clause.</p>
<!--ENDRENDER-->
```

{% endcode %}

## Guardrails and limits

### Syntax rules

* **Always** close each block with `<!--ENDRENDER-->`.
* **Always** keep the full label and value inside the same block.
* **Always** use exact field API names.
* If you miss the closing tag, later content can disappear.

### Operator rules

* **Use** `==` for exact matches.
* **Use** `!= 'NULL'` for blank-value checks.
* **Wrap** multi-part conditions in parentheses.
* If the operator is wrong, the block stays hidden.

### Text-matching rules

* **Match** text values exactly when you use `==`.
* **Use** `CONTAINS` when field values vary.
* **Check** capitalization and spacing in test data.
* If the value differs, S-Docs skips the block.

### Testing rules

* **Generate** one document after each major syntax change.
* **Test** one condition alone before combining conditions.
* **Use** records that clearly pass and fail each rule.
* If you skip this, debugging gets much slower.


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