--- title: Bury rules for slots slug: o8rk8127 canonical_url: https://docs.coveo.com/en/o8rk8127/ collection: coveo-merchandising-hub source_format: adoc --- # Bury rules for slots In the [Recommendations manager](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p65f5021/) of the [Coveo Merchandising Hub (CMH)](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o5290573/), merchandisers can define _bury_ ranking rules to make products that match specific criteria appear less prominently in [recommendation slots](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o9b80563/). These criteria are based on product attributes that are available in the [indexed](https://docs.coveo.com/en/204/) [metadata](https://docs.coveo.com/en/218/), such as brand, category, or price. bury rules can also be scheduled for a specific time, letting merchandisers plan and execute strategies effectively. ![Bury rule for recommendation slots | Coveo](https://docs.coveo.com/en/assets/images/coveo-for-commerce/images/cmh/cmh-recs-bury-rule.png) ## Use case examples Bury ranking rules can be used to address a variety of use cases. Here are a few examples: * **Bury out-of-season products**: Lower the ranking of products that aren't currently in season. * **Demote discontinued products**: Lower the ranking of products that are being phased out. * **Bury low-margin products**: Lower the ranking of products with low margins. * **Demote out-of-stock products**: Lower the ranking of products that are out of stock. ## Prerequisites Before you create rules in the [Coveo Merchandising Hub (CMH)](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o5290573/): * In the [Coveo Administration Console](https://docs.coveo.com/en/183/), [map](https://docs.coveo.com/en/217/) the [metadata](https://docs.coveo.com/en/218/) that you want to use as attributes in rules to the corresponding [fields](https://docs.coveo.com/en/200/). These [fields](https://docs.coveo.com/en/200/) must have the **Facet** or **Multi-value facet** option enabled. For example, to use the `color` [metadata](https://docs.coveo.com/en/218/) as an attribute in a rule, [map](https://docs.coveo.com/en/217/) it to a [field](https://docs.coveo.com/en/200/) with the **Facet** or **Multi-value facet** option enabled. * [Create query pipelines](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o48e0216#storefront-associations-and-query-pipelines). * [Choose the correct property](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o6lb0453#property-and-locale-selectors) to ensure that your changes affect the intended slots. ## Create bury rules To create bury rules . In the CMH, access the **Recommendations** manager. . From the navigation tabs, select **ranking rules** and then click **Create ranking rule**. . Under **This rule will apply to**, define the scope of the rule. .. **Locale**: Select the [locale](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p4tf0351/) that the bury rule applies to. By default, a rule applies to all available [locales](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p4tf0351/). .. [.initial]**slot**: Select the recommendation slot that the bury rule applies to, and then click **Done**. > **Note** > > Currently, ranking rules can only apply to a specific recommendation slot. . Under **Choose an action**, select [.initial]**bury**. . Under **Attribute**, select the attribute on which you want to apply the bury rule. For example, to affect the ranking of products by brand, select `ec_brand`. . Under **Operator**, select the [operator](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o2gc0008/) that you want to use. . Under **Value**, select one or more attribute values that you want to use to affect product ranking. For example, to affect the ranking of products based on the `ec_brand` attribute, enter the brand value that you want to use, such as **Barca Sports**. For a recommendation slot using a [seeded strategy](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o9ge0347/), you can select the **Use "Same as product..."** option to use a dynamic value. For example, on a PDP, you can create a bury rule that uses the `ec_brand` attribute and the **Use "Same as product..."** option to bury products from the same brand as the product being viewed. When a visitor views a `Barca Sports` product, the recommendation slot will bury other `Barca Sports` products. . Under **bury strength**, select how strongly you want to affect the ranking of products. > **Important** > > How strongly the products are affected by a given strength value depends on other ranking rules that are applied to the same slot. > > The more ranking rules you apply to a slot, the more you must increase the strength value to have a significant effect on the products. . (Optional) To add more attribute-value pairs to the bury rule, click **Add attribute** and repeat the process. . For a recommendation slot using a [seeded strategy](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o9ge0347/), under **Choose when to apply**, select whether you want the rule to apply in any situation, or only if [specific conditions are met](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o4nh0046#conditional-filter-and-ranking-rules). . Click **Next: Review and publish**. . Review your rule configuration. > **Leading practices** > > Use the panel on the right to preview how the rule affects > the products in the recommendation slot for a given [locale](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p4tf0351/). > > If you're previewing a rule for a recommendation slot using a [seeded strategy](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o9ge0347/), you must choose the products for which you want to simulate recommendations to see the effect of the rule. > > The preview is an approximate simulation that won't cover every scenario encountered in a live environment. . Click **Next: Publish**. . Under **Rule name**, enter a meaningful name for your rule. . Under **Choose when to publish**, select one of the following: ** To apply the rule immediately, select **Publish now**. ** To set a schedule for the rule, select **Set a schedule**, and then select the time frame in which the rule should apply. . Click **Publish now**. The rule now applies or will apply as scheduled. ## Modify bury rules To modify bury rules . In the CMH, access the **Recommendations** manager. . From the navigation tabs, select **ranking rules**. . Locate the rule that you want to modify. . Click [dots], and then click **Modify**. . You can modify the rule's scope (**Locale**, **Audiences**, or [.initial]**slot**) or its configuration by clicking **Edit** on the relevant card. These are the same settings covered in the [rule creation](#create-bury-rules) section. > **Important** > > The **Audience** option is currently in early access. > Contact your Customer Success Manager (CSM) to enable this option. . When you've finished editing the rule, or to modify its publishing settings, click **Next: Publish**. . Update the publishing settings, if applicable, and then click **Publish now**. The modified rule now applies, or will apply as scheduled. ## Delete bury rules To delete bury rules . In the CMH, access the **Recommendations** manager. . From the navigation tabs, select **ranking rules**. . Locate the rule that you want to delete. . Click [dots], and then click **Delete**. . Click **Delete** again to confirm. The rule is deleted.