Exclude filters are a powerful feature used to dynamically remove or restrict options based on previous user input or existing customer data. Below are three common use cases that show how to implement exclude filters effectively in subscription flows, inclusion logic, and product selection.
How to Remove Items from a Text List Based on Existing Subscriptions
Use Case 1: Subscriptions
This scenario involves preventing users from selecting a product they already own in a new subscription quote. For example, if a client already has Product A from a previous subscription, it should not appear in the current selection list.
Instructions
- Create a dedicated question group for exclude logic.
- For each product in your picklist, create a text answer question.
- Configure conditional answers based on whether the product exists in the client's current subscription.
- Then, create a text list question that includes all possible products.
- Add the previously created text answers as exclude filters on this text list.
Sales Mode Behavior
- Without Existing Subscriptions: All products appear in the list.
- With Existing Subscriptions: Products already owned by the client are automatically removed from the selection list.
This setup allows sales users to focus only on products not yet subscribed to, reducing errors and simplifying renewal flows.
How to Use Exclude Filters as Inclusion Logic
Use Case 2: Displaying Only Selected Product Families
In some business scenarios, users select multiple products in a repeatable table, and each product belongs to a specific product family. The goal is to show additional information or terms only for the families that were actually selected.
Instructions
- In the repeatable group, create a text answer that outputs the product’s family name, followed by a semicolon and space (e.g., Security; ).
- Outside of the repeatable group, create a mapping question that collects and aggregates all selected families.
- This mapped question now holds a backend-compatible string resembling a multi-select format.
To filter:
- Create a second text list question containing all product families.
- On that question, enable the exclude filter.
End Result
Only product families that have been selected will appear. This is particularly useful for dynamically showing terms and conditions, product notes, or configuration blocks in the output document.
How to Prevent Duplicate Product Selection Using Exclude Filters
Use Case 3: Prevent Selecting the Same Product Twice
In product selection scenarios, you may want to prevent users from selecting the same product multiple times within a quote.
Instructions
- In the advanced filtering question group, create a text answer that outputs the selected product’s SKU with ; formatting.
- Outside the repeatable group, create a question that maps and aggregates all selected products. This replicates how multi-select lists are formatted in the backend.
- Create a text list question containing all available products (e.g., Product A, B, C, D) and mark all options as default.
- Enable the exclude filter on the text list and link it to the aggregated question from Step 2. This will cause selected products to be excluded from future selection.
- Define a text product attribute to return each product’s SKU.
- In the advanced filtering question group, filter the product selection table using this product attribute and the filtered list from the text list question.
Sales Mode Behavior
Step 1: No products selected → All products are available in the selection list.
Step 2: Product A and B are selected → Only C and D remain available.
Step 3: The user is prevented from selecting A or B again.
Note: The product selection table supports up to 13 filters, so keep this limit in mind when applying multiple exclude conditions.