On Eligibility rules under Moderate, create Sign-in field, Achievement, or Title rank rules that control who can start a direct message. Blocked members see the message you write on the rule.

Eligibility rules let admins decide who can start a direct message (DM). Every active rule for Start a direct message must pass. If a member fails a rule, they cannot start a new DM and they see the message you wrote on that rule. Existing conversations stay available.

All DM eligibility rules live on one page: Moderate → Eligibility rules.

Open Eligibility rules

1. Sign in with an admin account that can open the discussions moderation tools.
2. Open the discussions experience.
3. In the sidebar, select Moderate.
4. Select Eligibility rules.

The page lists every rule. Each row shows the rule type, what it checks, whether it applies to Start a direct message, Active or Inactive status, and Edit.

Create a Sign-in field rule

Use a Sign-in field rule when eligibility should follow data from a sign-in provider (SSO), such as hire date, department, or another recorded field.

1. On Eligibility rules, select Create rule.
2. For Rule type, select Sign-in field.
3. Choose the Sign-in provider, the Field, a Condition, and a Value.
4. Confirm Applies to is Start a direct message.
5. Enter the Message shown to a blocked member (members see this where the action is blocked; it is not translated).
6. Leave Active on, then select Save.

Example: Require at least 90 days since hire — provider Okta, field days_since_hire, condition Is at least (number), value 90, message Direct messages open after your first 90 days.

Conditions include Is older than (days), Is at least (number), Equals, and Is one of (comma separated).

Create an Achievement rule

Use an Achievement rule when a member must hold at least one of the achievements you select before they can start a DM. Achievements come from your community’s gamification setup. For an overview of badges and titles, see Bevy Gamification System.

1. Select Create rule.
2. For Rule type, select Achievement.
3. Under Achievements, select one or more achievements. A member must hold at least one of them.
4. Confirm Applies to is Start a direct message.
5. Enter the blocked-member message, leave Active on, then select Save.

Example: Select the Community Champion achievement and set the message to Earn the Community Champion badge to start direct messages.

Create a Title rank rule

Use a Title rank rule when a member must reach a minimum title on a title ladder before they can start a DM.

1. Select Create rule.
2. For Rule type, select Title rank.
3. Choose the Title ladder.
4. Choose the Lowest title allowed — members at that title or above pass.
5. Confirm Applies to is Start a direct message.
6. Enter the blocked-member message, leave Active on, then select Save.

Example: Title ladder Contributor path, lowest title allowed Regular, message Reach the Regular title to start direct messages.

Edit, deactivate, or delete a rule

1. On Eligibility rules, find the rule and select Edit.
2. Change the fields you need, or turn off Active to stop enforcing the rule without deleting it.
3. Select Save, or use Delete if you no longer need the rule.

What members see when a rule blocks them

When a member fails an active rule for starting a DM:

• The Message control on a member hover card is disabled and shows your rule message.
• New message in the messages sidebar is disabled and shows the same message.
• If they open the messages composer, they see the rule message there as well.

Rules only block starting a new direct message. Conversations that already exist remain available.