> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ieg4.gitbook.io/edesigner-new/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ieg4.gitbook.io/edesigner-new/shared-features/editable-form-content/making-qs-optional-hidden.md).

# Making qs optional/hidden

## **Make questions mandatory/optional and change validation messages** 

With Edit Mode it is possible to: 

* Make optional fields mandatory 
* Make mandatory fields optional\*  
* Update the text displayed to customers for mandatory question warnings  
* Hide questions completely\* 
* Update the text shown for validation warnings 

{% hint style="warning" %}
\*Questions that are required for back-office integration will not be able to be optional or hidden. 
{% endhint %}

## **Questions that are allowed to be hidden** 

Where a question does not affect back-office integration it is possible to: 

* Change its wording 
* Make it optional/mandatory 
* Show it/hide it from the form 
* Change the help text in the same place 

In the screenshot below one can see that the question is: 

* currently optional because the mandatory checkbox is **not** checked 
* shown on the online form because the 'Show on the online form' is checked 

So to reverse these behaviours it is as simple as changing the checkboxes correspondingly. 

![](https://2446085776-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F0Xv5e5CMqZNlA8r5Exkm%2Fuploads%2FdNEN4QBdYs8IKGv8x87E%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=35fc9060-1627-4237-8328-2a1580286978)

## **Questions that are not allowed to be hidden** 

Where this is the case it will be made apparent to the user as shown below. I.e. the message 'Due to the National Schema requirements this question cannot be optional or hidden': 

![](https://2446085776-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F0Xv5e5CMqZNlA8r5Exkm%2Fuploads%2F4OWOnvSB0f8dNQ4DkNhz%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=94ef031d-7327-4b45-bcc6-c8c1016b90b4)

However, in this case, there is a validation error and as such, it is possible in this case to change the validation message that is in place. 

The default validation is shown but the user is to add a custom version within the 'Fails validation error' checkbox.