## Documentation Index

Access the complete documentation index at:
https://www.zoho.com/en-fr/books/help/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available documentation pages before proceeding.

# Layout Rules for Custom Modules

With layout rules, you can control which fields are shown or hidden, enabled or disabled, and made mandatory on a custom module’s record form. When a user creates or edits a record, the form changes based on the conditions in your layout rules.

**Scenario:** Zylker uses a custom module called Purchase Requests to manage procurement across departments. The Marketing team needs a Campaign Name field on the form, while the Sales team needs a Client Name and Deal Reference field. Bailey, Zylker’s Procurement Manager, creates separate layout rules for each department. For the first rule, she sets the condition Department is Marketing to show the Campaign Name field. In the second rule, she sets the condition Department is Sales to show the Client Name field and set Deal Reference as mandatory. Now, when a user selects a department on the form, only the relevant fields are displayed.

**Note:** This feature is available only for certain plans of Zoho Books. Visit the [pricing page](https://www.zoho.com/books/pricing/) to check if it’s available in your current plan.

## Create a Layout Rule

You can create a layout rule for a custom module by defining conditions and associating layout actions. Here’s how:

*   Go to **Settings** on the top right corner of the page.
*   Select the required custom module under _Custom Modules_.
*   Go to the **Rules** tab.
*   Select **Layout Rules**.
*   Click **\+ New Layout Rule** in the top right corner.
*   Enter a **Layout Rule Name**.
*   Click **Next**.

![The New Layout Rule pop-up to enter a name for the layout rule.](/books/help/images/custom-module/layout-rules/new-layout-rule.png)

You will be redirected to the layout rule configuration page where you can define conditions and configure actions.

### Define Conditions

A condition determines when layout actions take effect. Each condition consists of one or more criteria based on the fields in your custom module.

*   Click **New Condition** on the layout rule configuration page.
*   In the side pane that opens, select a **field** from the dropdown.
*   Select a **comparator** (e.g., is, isn’t, is empty, is not empty).
*   Select or enter a **value** for the condition.
*   Click **Done**.

![The Condition pane to select a field, comparator, and value for the layout rule condition.](/books/help/images/custom-module/layout-rules/layout-rule-condition.png)

The condition will now appear in the **When** section of the layout rule (e.g., “Department is Sales”).

**Note:** You must define Condition 1 before you can add additional conditions.

**Add multiple criteria within a condition:**

If you want the condition to be based on more than one criterion, click **Add Criteria** in the condition side pane and configure the additional criteria.

**Add multiple conditions:**

If you want to define additional conditions for the same layout rule, click **New Condition** and repeat the steps above.

### Configure Layout Actions

After defining a condition, you can associate layout actions that apply when the condition is met.

*   Click **Layout Actions** next to the **True** label under the condition.
*   In the side pane that opens, select an **Action Type** from the dropdown:

Action Type

Description

**Show Fields**

Shows selected fields when the condition is met. If the condition is not met, those fields are hidden.

**Enable Fields**

Enables selected fields when the condition is met so users can edit them. If the condition is not met, those fields stay disabled.

**Set Field Value**

Automatically sets a specific value for a field when the condition is met.

**Set Field as Mandatory**

Makes one or more fields mandatory when the condition is met.

*   Based on the selected action type:
    *   For **Show Fields**, **Enable Fields**, or **Set Field as Mandatory**: Select the required fields from the multi-select **Fields** dropdown.
    *   For **Set Field Value**: Select a **Field** from the dropdown and enter or select the **Value** to be set.
*   To add more actions, click **Add Action** and repeat the steps above.
*   Click **Associate**.

![The Add Layout Actions pane to select an action type and the fields to apply it to.](/books/help/images/custom-module/layout-rules/layout-rule-action.png)

*   Click **Save** on the layout rule configuration page.

**Note:** You can associate multiple actions of different types within the same condition. For example, you can show a field and make another field mandatory when the same condition is met.

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## Edit a Layout Rule

You can modify the conditions and actions of a layout rule. Here’s how:

*   Go to **Settings** on the top right corner of the page.
*   Select the required custom module under _Custom Modules_.
*   Go to the **Rules** tab.
*   Select **Layout Rules**.
*   Click the layout rule name you want to edit. Alternatively, click the **More** icon next to the rule and select **Edit**.
*   Make the necessary changes to the conditions or actions.
*   Click **Save**.

To rename the layout rule, click **Edit Layout Rule Details** on the layout rule configuration page, update the **Layout Rule Name**, and click **Save**.

![The More Actions dropdown of a layout rule with the Edit option highlighted.](/books/help/images/custom-module/layout-rules/edit-layout-rule.png)

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## Mark a Layout Rule as Inactive

You can temporarily disable a layout rule by marking it as inactive. An inactive rule will not apply when users create or edit records. Here’s how:

*   Go to **Settings** on the top right corner of the page.
*   Select the required custom module under _Custom Modules_.
*   Go to the **Rules** tab.
*   Select **Layout Rules**.
*   Click the **More** icon next to the layout rule you want to disable.
*   Select **Mark as Inactive**.

![The More Actions dropdown of a layout rule with the Mark as Inactive option highlighted.](/books/help/images/custom-module/layout-rules/mark-layout-rule-inactive.png)

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## Mark a Layout Rule as Active

You can re-enable an [inactive layout rule](/en-fr/books/help/custom-modules/layout-rules.html#mark-a-layout-rule-as-inactive) by marking it as active. Here’s how:

*   Go to **Settings** on the top right corner of the page.
*   Select the required custom module under _Custom Modules_.
*   Go to the **Rules** tab.
*   Select **Layout Rules**.
*   Click the **More** icon next to the inactive layout rule you want to enable.
*   Select **Mark as Active**.

![The More Actions dropdown of an inactive layout rule with the Mark as Active option highlighted.](/books/help/images/custom-module/layout-rules/mark-layout-rule-active.png)

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## Delete a Layout Rule

You can permanently delete a layout rule that is no longer needed. Here’s how:

*   Go to **Settings** on the top right corner of the page.
*   Select the required custom module under _Custom Modules_.
*   Go to the **Rules** tab.
*   Select **Layout Rules**.
*   Click the **More** icon next to the layout rule you want to delete.
*   Select **Delete**.

![The More Actions dropdown of a layout rule with the Delete option highlighted.](/books/help/images/custom-module/layout-rules/delete-layout-rule.png)

*   Click **Yes, Delete** in the pop-up to confirm your action.