Basic rules are a simple list of "when the value is X, label it Y": you say "when Broker ID is 001234, set Account Type to Small Group" once — and Stateable applies that tag to every matching row, past and future.
Basic rules work best when you have a set list of values to sort into buckets. To decide a tag based on several fields at once, see Build conditional tags with advanced rules.
Before you begin
You'll need a custom field (a column you add) to put the tags into. If you don't have one yet, create it first in the Custom Fields panel.
Create a basic rule
On the Data tab, open the Basic Rules panel from the left sidebar (the scales icon).
Pick a source field (a standard field you want to read from, e.g. Broker ID). The panel lists each value that shows up in your data.
Pick the target custom field (the column you want to fill in, e.g. Account Type). If you don't have one yet, create it first in the Custom Fields panel.
For each value, type the tag you want in the Tag column. The rule saves as you type.
Priority
More than one rule group can fill in the same custom field. When two of them want to set different tags on the same row, the higher-priority group wins. The priority is shown next to each rule group. Change it by editing the rule group settings; the lowest number takes effect.
Where did this tag come from?
Click any tagged cell to open the Cell Provenance popover. It shows which rule set the value, the source field and value it read, and the rule's priority — handy when a tag isn't what you expected and you want to track down why.
Sync and untagged values
Sync with Filters in the Basic Rules panel switches between seeing every value and seeing only the values in your current filtered view. Use it to focus on one slice of your data at a time.
The Untagged tab in the panel lists every value that doesn't have a rule yet. Check it now and then to catch new values that recent uploads brought in.
Tips
Basic rules only work on standard fields that hold text. To set tags based on numbers or dates, use advanced rules.
When you change a rule, Stateable re-tags your existing data in the background. A big update can take a few minutes to finish.
Troubleshooting
Rule applies to fewer rows than expected. The value probably has an extra space at the end, or differs in capitalization. Basic rules only match the text exactly, letter for letter. Use the Untagged tab to spot the near-duplicates and clean them up.
Two rules collide on the same custom field. They have the same priority. Give them different priority numbers — the lower one wins.
Get help
Still need a hand? Start a conversation from the Support button in the app, or email [email protected]. We reply within one business day for most tickets.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-27