> This is the Markdown of a Backed Help Centre page, https://admin.backed.giving/help/administrator/organisation/independence-rules.md. Every page is listed at https://admin.backed.giving/help/llms.txt.

> This page uses Backed's default terms, such as Funding Round and Application Template. An organisation may rename them, so read each as your organisation's own term if you've renamed it.

An independence rule recuses an assessor automatically when they are assigned an application they
are connected to. The conflict is declared for them, marked `COI Recused`, and listed under
`Conflicts of interest` with the rule's name. Rules run only in assessment rounds that ask assessors
to declare conflicts of interest.

## Before you start

You need to be able to view the organisation's settings. The page appears as the
`Independence rules` tab of `Settings > Organisation` when Assessments is turned on for your
organisation.

## Add a rule

1. Go to `Settings > Organisation` and open the `Independence rules` tab.
2. Select `New Rule` and enter a `Name`.
3. Choose a `Type`:
   - **Email domain match** recuses an assessor whose email address has the same domain as the
     applicant's. Public email domains, such as gmail.com and outlook.com, are ignored: sharing one
     is never a match.
   - **Named in a field** recuses an assessor whose name or email address appears in the answer to
     the field carrying the `Field Tag` you choose. If the tag you want is not listed, type part of
     its name in `Search Field Tags` and the list shows the tags that match.
4. Leave `Assessment Round` as every round, or choose one round that asks for declarations. Only
   rounds that ask for declarations are listed; search by the round's name to find an older one.
   A round with no name is listed as `Untitled round (ID n)`, where n is its ID.
5. Leave `Run this rule` ticked, then select `Save`.

Both lists show the first 50 choices, in name order (rounds with no name come last). When more
match, select `Show more` under the list to add the next 50; it appears again until every match is
listed. Changing the search starts the list again from the first 50 that match the new search.

A rule is checked whenever assessors are assigned. An assessor who has already declared no conflict
is left untouched, and the match is logged.

## Change, disable or delete a rule

Open a rule's menu and select `Edit`, `Disable` or `Enable`. A disabled rule recuses no one new;
the recusals it already made are kept.

A rule that has matched cannot be deleted, because it is kept in the record of those assessments.
Disable it instead. `View matches` lists every match a rule made.

## See also

- [Conflicts of interest](../assessments/conflicts-of-interest.md)
- [Assignments](../assessments/assignments.md)