> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.mimeeq.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.mimeeq.com/configurator/options-and-widgets/hiding-options.md).

# Hiding Options

Keep your configurator clean while hidden logic drives pricing and specifications. Learn when to hide options from the option panel, specifications or both.

Mimeeq configurators let you control which options are visible to users and which appear in specifications. Understanding when and how to use these features is crucial for creating effective product configurations.

***

## Two types of hiding options

| # | Setting                      | What it does                                                                                                                          |
| - | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | **Hide in the Option Panel** | Removes the element from the user interface, making it invisible to customers during configuration.                                   |
| 2 | **Hide on Specification**    | Prevents the element from appearing in generated specifications, PDFs or baskets while keeping it functional within the configurator. |

***

## When to use each hiding method

| # | Scenario                                      | Configuration                                                                      |
| - | --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | Complete removal from user experience         | Don't add the option to any group                                                  |
| 2 | Hidden logic control                          | Don't add the option to any group                                                  |
| 3 | Specification visibility without user control | Add to a group, enable **Hide in option panel**, disable **Hide on specification** |
| 4 | Hidden options for pricing and complex logic  | Don't add the option to any group                                                  |

### Scenario 1: complete removal from user experience

* **When to use:** when you don't need a block to appear in either the option panel or specifications.
* **Best practice:** don't add the option to any group at all. This is the simplest solution and prevents the element from appearing anywhere in the user experience.
* **Use cases:** discontinued options, internal testing elements, temporary configurations.

### Scenario 2: hidden logic control

* **When to use:** when you need to control something "under the hood" with hidden logic that affects other configuration elements.
* **Configuration:** don't add the option to any group.
* **Use cases:** animation tracking, opening/closing mechanisms, logic-related fields that influence other options, background calculations.

### Scenario 3: specification visibility without user control

* **When to use:** when you want an option to appear in specifications but don't want users to control it directly through the interface.
* **Configuration:** add the option to a group, enable **Hide in option panel** and disable **Hide on specification**.
* **Use cases:** rule-controlled options, dynamic size changes, automatically calculated dimensions, system-generated specifications.

### Scenario 4: hidden options for pricing and complex logic

* **When to use:** when you need hidden options that rules can reference to control pricing, calculations or other configuration elements.
* **Configuration:** don't add the option to any group.
* **Use cases:** pricing modifiers and calculations, complex cost adjustments based on multiple factors, hidden variables that influence other visible options, background calculations for quotes and estimates, material cost tracking, labour time calculations.

***

## Configuration instructions

### For hidden logic control (scenarios 2 and 4)

1. Create your option/block.
2. **Do not add it to any group.**
3. Set up your rules or logic to reference this hidden element.
4. The element will not appear in either the option panel or specifications.

{% hint style="info" %}
These hidden options are particularly powerful for pricing logic. You can create complex cost calculations based on multiple user selections without exposing the calculation details to customers.
{% endhint %}

### For specification-only visibility (scenario 3)

1. Create your option/block.
2. **Add it to the appropriate group.**
3. In the option settings, enable **Hide in option panel**.
4. Make sure **Hide on specification** is disabled.
5. Configure rules to control the option's behaviour.

***

## Technical implementation

### Group assignment impact

| # | Set-up                                    | Result                             |
| - | ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| 1 | Added to group + hidden from option panel | Will appear in specifications      |
| 2 | Not added to any group                    | Will not appear in either location |
| 3 | Added to group + visible in option panel  | Standard user-controllable option  |

### Rule integration

Hidden options can still be controlled by rules and can influence other configuration elements. This makes them powerful tools for complex product logic.

***

## Best practices

* **Keep it simple:** if an option doesn't need to appear anywhere, don't add it to a group.
* **Document your logic:** when using hidden options for rules, clearly document their purpose.
* **Test thoroughly:** always verify that hidden options behave as expected in both the configurator and specifications.
* **Consider user experience:** make sure hidden logic doesn't create confusing behaviour for end users.

***

## Common use cases

* **Dynamic product sizing:** use hidden options to track size calculations that appear in specifications but aren't directly controlled by users.
* **Animation states:** track opening/closing states of products like cabinets or doors without showing these technical details to users.
* **Rule-based configurations:** create complex product rules where certain specifications are automatically determined based on user selections.
* **Pricing control:** create hidden pricing modifiers that adjust costs based on multiple configuration factors without exposing the calculation complexity to customers. For example:
  * Base material costs that change based on size selections
  * Labour multipliers for complex configurations
  * Shipping cost calculations based on dimensions and weight
  * Discount applications based on order volume
* **Complex cost calculations:** use hidden options to build sophisticated pricing models that reference multiple visible selections and apply business logic transparently.

***

## Troubleshooting

### Option not appearing in specifications

* Check if the option is added to a group.
* Verify **Hide on specification** is disabled.
* Make sure rules aren't preventing the option from being active.

### Option still visible to users

* Confirm **Hide in option panel** is enabled.
* Check if the option is assigned to the correct group.
* Verify there are no conflicting visibility rules.

***

## Related articles

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Button Widget</strong></td><td>Add buttons that reset options, guide steps or fire events.</td><td><a href="/configurator/options-and-widgets/button-widget.md">Button Widget</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Configurator Tabs</strong></td><td>Add tabs for descriptions, finishes, galleries and downloads.</td><td><a href="/configurator/options-and-widgets/tabs.md">Configurator Tabs</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Local &#x26; Global Templates</strong></td><td>Share widget settings across configurators or customise them per product.</td><td><a href="/configurator/options-and-widgets/local-and-global-templates.md">Local &amp; Global Templates</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


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