Eligibility rules

This guide is for implementers configuring eligibility rules to determine which registrants qualify for programs and benefits.

What is eligibility?

Eligibility rules define who qualifies for a program. They translate policy decisions (e.g., "elderly citizens over 65" or "households with children under 5") into criteria that OpenSPP evaluates automatically against registry data.

        graph LR
    R[Registry] --> E[Eligibility Manager]
    E --> |Evaluate| M{Matches?}
    M --> |Yes| Q[Eligible]
    M --> |No| N[Not Eligible]
    Q --> P[Program Enrollment]
    

How eligibility works in OpenSPP

Each program has an Eligibility Manager that controls how eligibility is determined. The manager uses CEL expressions (Common Expression Language) to define criteria.

Component	Purpose
Eligibility Manager	Container for eligibility configuration
CEL Expression	The rule that determines eligibility
Geographic Targeting	Optional area-based restrictions
Templates	Pre-built expressions for common criteria

Quick start

To configure eligibility for a program:

1. Go to Programs → Programs and open your program

2. Click the Configuration tab

3. Find the Eligibility Manager section

4. Write a CEL expression or select a template

5. Review the match count and save

The Eligibility Manager section in the program's Configuration tab.

What you'll find here

Guide	Description
CEL expressions for eligibility	Write CEL expressions for eligibility criteria
Geographic targeting	Target registrants by administrative area
Expression templates	Use and create expression templates
Testing eligibility rules	Validate and test eligibility rules
Advanced eligibility configuration	Multiple managers, legacy options, performance

Common eligibility patterns

Program type	Example expression
Senior citizens (65+)	age_years(r.birthdate) >= 65
Households with young children	members.count(m, age_years(m.birthdate) < 5) >= 1
Female-headed households	members.exists(m, head(m) and is_female(m.gender_id))
Large households	hh_size >= 4
Adult women	is_female(r.gender_id) and age_years(r.birthdate) >= 18

See CEL expressions for eligibility for the full syntax reference.

Are you stuck?

No registrants match my criteria? Check that your expression uses the correct context (r for registrant, m for member iteration). Use the Preview Beneficiaries button to debug.

Expression shows an error? CEL uses and/or (not AND/OR). Check parentheses and field names.

Need help with complex rules? See the Expression templates page for pre-built patterns, or CEL expressions for eligibility for the full syntax reference.