---
title: "Personalization Builder: Code View"
slug: "code-view"
updated: 2025-12-19T16:41:22Z
published: 2025-12-19T16:41:22Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mapp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Personalization Builder: Code View

## Overview

The Code view in the Personalization Builder lets you create complex personalizations directly as code. It is recommended for system users who have at least basic knowledge of expression language and some experience creating queries.

---

## Navigation Path

*Audience > Segmentation > Personalization*

*![image2022-6-22_17-29-27.png](https://cdn.document360.io/554b9b98-6720-4d8b-9919-c7b203d72648/Images/Documentation/16994509-c103-4b06-ba40-3037dc3a3c84.png)*

---

## Key Behaviors and Limitations

- **Code-only rules**: Some `InsertIf` / `InsertElse` rules can only be created in code. These advanced functions are not available in the graphical interface (see **Mapp Engage Functions**).
- **Reuse**: You can insert existing personalizations as code and save them for reuse in Mapp Engage.
- **Creation field and validation**: Create the personalization rule in the text field and use **Preview** to validate the rule.
- **Default structure**: When you create a new personalization in the Personalization Builder, the editor automatically creates a first `InsertIf` block with no content.
- **Switching back to the graphical interface**: You can switch from code view back to the graphical interface only if the rules you entered manually are identical to the rules that are automatically created in the graphical interface.

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## How InsertIf / InsertElse rules work in Code View

1. Build your personalization logic using `InsertIf` blocks and add `InsertElse` blocks for fallback behavior.
2. Use nested expressions when you need more complex conditions, because the graphical interface does not support complex nested expressions.
3. Validate the result with **Preview** before saving or reusing the personalization.

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## Examples

### 1 Inline personalization (single word)

This example inserts a contact’s first name into a sentence. You can place the placeholder directly in the text wherever needed, which is useful in plain text or HTML.

**Example**

```xml
Thanks for your order, <%user['firstname']%>!
```

**Result** The recipient’s first name is inserted into the sentence.

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### 2 Conditional greeting with fallback

This example demonstrates a greeting that adapts based on the recipient’s gender, incorporating fallback logic. This level of personalization is only available in the Code view because the graphical interface does not support complex nested expressions. Use this method if you need full control and understand Mapp Engage’s expression language.

**Example**

```xml
<%InsertIf expression="${((user['Title'] == '1') && (! empty user['LastName']))}" id="Greeting_M" %>
Hello Mr. <%${user['LastName']}%><%/InsertIf%>
<%InsertElse expression="${((user['Title'] == '2') && (! empty user['LastName']))}" id="Greeting_F" %>
Hello Ms. <%${user['LastName']}%><%/InsertElse%>
<%InsertElse id="Greeting_Default" %>Hello,<%/InsertElse%>
```

**Result**

- If the conditions match, the greeting includes the recipient’s last name.
- If no condition matches, the default greeting is shown.