> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs-shpf.bsscommerce.com/bss-b2b-lock-login-password-hide-price/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs-shpf.bsscommerce.com/bss-b2b-lock-login-password-hide-price/lock-core-concepts/control-access-access-and-message.md).

# Control Access (Access & Message)

In Step 2 - Access & Message, you define who can unlock or see the content you targeted.

In **Step 2 - Access & Message**, you define **who can unlock or see the content** you targeted in Step 1.

B2B Lock uses **access rules** made of **conditions** that describe *which visitors are allowed*. Everyone who doesn't match any rule is blocked and sees your lock message. You can use a single condition for simple cases, or combine conditions and rules with **AND / OR logic** for more advanced B2B scenarios.

<figure><img src="https://684288492-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJh4ZJQcYHPWkPeDOGrHj%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-32bb244ca845723a359ff0b556df79bc42461646%2Fstep2-access-rules-empty-chips.png?alt=media" alt="Step 2 Access rules with an empty Rule 1 and the condition chips highlighted"><figcaption><p>Step 2 starts with Rule 1. Pick a condition chip to add the first condition.</p></figcaption></figure>

***

#### How to add a condition

1. Under **Access rules**, go to **Rule 1** and pick a condition chip under **Select a condition to add to the rule**:
   * **User type**
   * **Passcode**
   * **Date & time**
   * **More** → **Email**, **Location**, or **Other condition**
2. In the condition card (**Condition 1: \<type>**), choose the option from the **Select access rule** dropdown and fill in its settings.
3. Tick **Reverse access rule** if you want the opposite (e.g. *everyone except* tagged customers).
4. Click **Done**. To change it later, click **Edit**; to remove it, click **×**.

<figure><img src="https://684288492-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJh4ZJQcYHPWkPeDOGrHj%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-98cae0b2089d36e130ebb696c76499dbcf76d1bf%2Fstep2-condition-types-more.png?alt=media" alt="Condition chips User type, Passcode, Date &#x26; time and More; clicking More shows Email, Location and Other condition"><figcaption><p>Condition chips: <strong>User type</strong>, <strong>Passcode</strong>, <strong>Date &#x26; time</strong> and <strong>More</strong>. Clicking <strong>More</strong> shows 3 more options: <strong>Email</strong>, <strong>Location</strong> and <strong>Other condition</strong>.</p></figcaption></figure>

***

#### 1. User type

**What it is**\
Pick **User type** to decide which kind of customer gets access. The **Select access rule** dropdown offers:

* **Everyone - No restrictions** — rule applies to all visitors. Useful as a baseline rule.
* **Signed-in customers - Must be logged in** — visitors must be logged in with a Shopify customer account.
* **Tagged customers – Must have specific tags** — the customer record must have one of the selected tags.
* **Specific customers – Must match exact email** — only selected customer accounts can view the content.
* **Request access – visitor request, you approve** — visitors submit a request; you approve or reject it.
* **Customer must be in this company name** — the customer must belong to a selected Shopify B2B company.
* **Customer must be in this company location** — the customer must belong to a selected company location.
* **B2B customer – Shopify B2B only** — Shopify must identify the logged-in customer as a B2B customer.

<figure><img src="https://684288492-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJh4ZJQcYHPWkPeDOGrHj%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-ed546e12d1e48d635658d2fbd9f9b22b07dd9e0f%2Fstep2-user-type-options.png?alt=media" alt="User type dropdown listing Everyone, Signed-in customers, Tagged customers, Specific customers, Request access and the company and B2B options highlighted"><figcaption><p>User type options, including the company and B2B customer options.</p></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
To target Shopify B2B companies, use **User type** and choose **Customer must be in this company name**, **Customer must be in this company location**, or **B2B customer – Shopify B2B only**.
{% endhint %}

**Typical uses**

* **Signed-in customers**: hide prices from **guest users**; lock pages or the entire store behind a **login screen**. Tick **Reverse access rule** to target guests only.
* **Tagged customers**: wholesale-only products/collections (tag: `wholesale`, `b2b-approved`); segment-based catalogs (e.g., `silver` vs `gold` customers see different product sets); regional or channel tags (e.g., `EU-distributor`, `JP-partner`).
* **Company name / company location / B2B customer**: grant exclusive pricing or product access to designated corporate buyer companies.
* **Request access**: review who gets in. Approve or reject requests in the admin; customers get automated email notifications.

**Examples**

* “Tagged customers: `wholesale`” → show wholesale catalog.
* “Tagged customers: `silver`” → show only products tagged `silver`.

**Tagged customers** is one of the most powerful conditions for B2B because it works perfectly with **B2B & Wholesale Solution** registration/approval flows.

***

#### 2. Passcode

**What it is**\
Pick **Passcode** → **Passcode - Must enter the correct passcode** to require visitors to **enter a passcode** before they access the locked content.

* If they enter a correct passcode → grant access.
* If not → show the passcode prompt again.

**Settings**

* **Passcode** — type a passcode and click **Add passcode**. You can add several passcodes. Leave the field empty and click **Add passcode** to generate a random passcode. Use **Import** to add passcodes in bulk and **Clear** to remove them.
* **Passcode case-sensitive** — choose **Yes** or **No**.
* **Enter passcode once** — choose whether one passcode entry unlocks all locked items (e.g. **Enter passcode once to access all prices**) or each item separately (e.g. **Enter passcode once to access each prices**). The wording follows your Step 1 target.

**Typical uses**

* Private landing pages for specific partners or campaigns.
* Temporary locked content shared only with certain groups.
* Simple “invite-only” areas without needing accounts or tags.

***

#### 3. Date & time

**What it is**\
Pick **Date & time** to open the content only inside a time window.

* **After date/time → Visible from** — access starts at the date and time you pick.
* **Before date/time → Visible until** — access ends at the date and time you pick.

Pick the date in the calendar and set the time. Time is based on your Shopify store's time zone, which you can check in **Store details**.

**Typical uses**

* Pre-launch pages that are only accessible to partners before a public release.
* Time-limited campaigns where VIP customers get early access to collections.

***

#### 4. URL Parameter (Query string)

**What it is**\
Pick **More** → **Other condition** → **URL parameter – For UTM, affiliate** to allow access based on specific **URL query parameters** (such as UTM campaign tags, affiliate tracking parameters, or promo tokens) without modifying theme code.

* **Operators supported:**
  * `Is exactly`: URL query must match the parameter and value exactly (e.g. `?ref=affiliate_vip`).
  * `Contains`: URL contains the specified substring (e.g. `utm_campaign=wholesale_summer`).
  * `Starts with`: URL parameter begins with a specific prefix.
  * `Has any value`: Triggers as long as the parameter key exists in the URL regardless of value.
* **Options:**
  * **Ignore Case:** Case-insensitive comparison option.

**Typical uses**

* Create dedicated campaign landing pages accessible only from specific KOL, influencer, or affiliate links.
* Restrict catalog or pricing access to users arriving from a targeted email campaign (`utm_source=newsletter_b2b`).
* Personalize locked content for private promotional campaigns.

***

#### 5. Location

**What it is**\
Pick **More** → **Location** to restrict access based on the visitor's detected country or region.

* Features a **searchable dropdown** with country flags and multi-select capability.
* Allows you to quickly select multiple allowed countries. Tick **Reverse access rule** to block them instead.

**Typical uses**

* Restrict wholesale catalogs to domestic or authorized export markets only.
* Block visitors from unsupported shipping regions.

***

#### 6. Secret link

**What it is**\
Pick **More** → **Other condition**, then choose **Secret link – Must access via a special link** in **Select access rule**. This condition only allows access if the visitor arrives via a **special URL** that includes a secret token.

* The rule generates (or expects) a URL like:\
  `/collections/wholesale?token=123@`
* If the visitor uses this URL → grant access.
* If they come via any other link → deny access.

**Typical uses**

* Hidden collections or pages for **VIP or early access** campaigns.
* Secret sales where only people with the link can see products/prices.
* “Soft-gated” content you don’t want to show in navigation or search.

***

<figure><img src="https://684288492-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJh4ZJQcYHPWkPeDOGrHj%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-241e55dceaf61e51076cfa036e9e88f25e4a8d0b%2Fstep2-other-condition-secret-link-age.png?alt=media" alt="Other condition: Select access rule dropdown with URL parameter, Secret link, Age verified and Custom code (Liquid)"><figcaption><p>More → Other condition: URL parameter, Secret link, Age verified and Custom code (Liquid). Secret link and Age verified are not offered for the Price and add to cart and Variants targets.</p></figcaption></figure>

#### 7. Other conditions supported

Beyond user type, passcode, date & time, URL parameters, location and secret links, B2B Lock supports several additional conditions for advanced workflows:

* **Email** (under **More**): **Email domain – Must use an allowed email domain** or **Email subscribers – Must be subscribed to your emails**
  * Gate content by the visitor's email, e.g. require visitors to subscribe with their email address before accessing gated content.
* **Age verified – Must confirm age** (under **More** → **Other condition**)
  * Presents an age-gate verification popup (e.g. 18+ / 21+) before granting access to regulated items.
* **Custom code (Liquid) – For advanced setup** (under **More** → **Other condition**)
  * Developers can evaluate custom Liquid conditions for highly tailored storefront gating logic.

***

#### 8. AND/OR logic & multiple rules per lock

Step 2 follows one simple principle: *"A customer must meet every condition in a rule to get access. Add more rules to let different groups in."*

* **Conditions inside one rule are joined by AND** — all must match.
  * Add a second condition to a rule from **Select another condition to add — customers must meet all of them**. An **AND** pill appears between the conditions, and the rule header shows **2 conditions - all must match**.
  * Example: *Signed-in customers* **AND** *Tagged customers: `wholesale`* → only logged-in wholesale customers can see the content.
* **Separate rules are joined by OR** — any rule can match.
  * Click **+ Add rule** ("Set other rule to control access.") to add another rule. An **OR** pill appears between the rules.
  * Example: Rule 1 *Tagged customers: `distributor`* **OR** Rule 2 *URL parameter `?ref=partner`* → either tagged distributors or visitors from the partner link get access.
* To delete a rule, click **Remove rule** under it.

<figure><img src="https://684288492-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJh4ZJQcYHPWkPeDOGrHj%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1e1d4121ecfd105c2ae21c0399d99b8a87bbc557%2Fstep2-and-conditions-both-rules.png?alt=media" alt="Rule 2 with two conditions joined by an AND pill, the badge 2 conditions - all must match, and the Summary showing Rule 1: Signed-in customer and Rule 2: Passcode + URL parameter"><figcaption><p>Conditions inside a rule are joined by AND: customers must meet all of them.</p></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="https://684288492-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJh4ZJQcYHPWkPeDOGrHj%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-817a3adc22e4cfd667441a7a2a160e9637a0e31e%2Fstep2-two-rules-or.png?alt=media" alt="Rule 1 and Rule 2 joined by an OR pill, with the Summary card listing Rule 1 and Rule 2"><figcaption><p>Separate rules are joined by OR: matching any one rule grants access.</p></figcaption></figure>

Use multiple rules to support layered behavior, for example:

* Rule 1: Tagged customers `VIP` → allow full access.
* Rule 2: Passcode → allow temporary access.
* Everyone else → sees your lock message (e.g. with a request access CTA).

{% hint style="warning" %}
**A rule can't be empty.** If you click **Next** while a rule has no condition, B2B Lock shows *"Add at least one condition to this rule before you continue."* Add a condition or click **Remove rule**. To give everyone access in a rule, use **User type** → **Everyone - No restrictions**.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://684288492-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJh4ZJQcYHPWkPeDOGrHj%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-b5ed1be9c8033c82310238ebc0e21372f9a77425%2Fstep2-empty-rule-error.png?alt=media" alt="Validation error: Add at least one condition to this rule before you continue"><figcaption><p>Every rule needs at least one condition before you can continue.</p></figcaption></figure>

The **Summary** card on the right lists your rules as you build them, e.g. *"Rule 1: Signed-in customer"* and *"Rule 2: Passcode + URL parameter"*.

***

#### 9. The lock message (Preview card)

Once a rule has a condition, the **Preview** card appears under the **Summary** card. It shows a live storefront mock of what blocked visitors see, and it updates as you change the rule.

1. Use the message dropdown in the **Preview** card to pick the message to preview (e.g. **Message Hide Price**, **Passcode**, **Access Denied Message**).
2. Click **Customize message** to open **Preview & customize message** and edit the text and styling.

For details, see [Customizing the lock message](/bss-b2b-lock-login-password-hide-price/lock-core-concepts/lock-page-settings.md#customizing-the-lock-message).

<figure><img src="https://684288492-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJh4ZJQcYHPWkPeDOGrHj%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-38a5e3ec0c6e76b356dd1374b39d1b1b58e342f5%2Fpreview-card-customize.png?alt=media" alt="Preview card with the message dropdown and the Customize message button"><figcaption><p>The Preview card shows the lock message live. Click Customize message to edit it.</p></figcaption></figure>

***

#### Recap

In **Access & Message**, you answer:

> **“Which visitors are allowed to see this locked content?”**

You can choose from:

* **User type** — Everyone, Signed-in customers, Tagged customers, Specific customers, Request access, Company name, Company location, B2B customer
* **Passcode** (password-protected content)
* **Date & time** (visible from / visible until)
* **Email**, **Location** and **Other condition** (URL parameter, Secret link, Age verified, Custom code (Liquid)) under **More**

…and combine them with **AND** (conditions inside a rule) and **OR** (separate rules) for real-world B2B workflows.

***

## **Still Need Help?**

If you have questions or need assistance configuring BSS B2B Lock, our dedicated support team is here to help.

* **In-App Assistance:** Click **Need help?** or use the in-app chat button within BSS B2B Lock.
* **Email Support:** Contact us at [**support-sbc@bsscommerce.com**](mailto:support-sbc@bsscommerce.com) with your store URL and specific rule details.