---
title: "Validation (Box creation)."
canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/DLP/297047310/Validation%20(Box%20creation)."
format: markdown
---
| **Contents:**<br>> Macro (toc) |
| --- |

The following things determine how you can nest Boxes:

- <span style="color: #000c34">In Box type configuration, you decide the possible parents of each Box type.  </span><span style="color: #000c34">[Parent Box types](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DLP/pages/298289300)</span><span style="color: #000c34"> determine how to build the Box hierarchy (nest Boxes) and prevent users from making mistakes and mixing methodologies.</span>
- Each Box type has [Scope type setting](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DLP/pages/296982489)s (None, Own scope, Sub-scope).
- [Sequentiality](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DLP/pages/298354537) (Box type settings).
- [Box period mode](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DLP/pages/297636248).

## Possible parent Box types

<span style="color: #000c34">[Parent Box types](https://wiki.softwareplant.com/doc/all/administration/box-types/general/basics#BasicsinBoxtypes-ParentTypes)</span><span style="color: #000c34"> determine how you can build the Box hierarchy.</span>

![View of settings, Iteration, Parent Types](media://9e190198-1519-4c0b-860a-392faff99e90)

## Scope type

How the scope types affect Box nesting: 

![A table presenting scope settings](media://e420109a-a28a-42bd-bdb9-aa88fb8d11ea)

## Sequentiality

[Sequentiality](https://wiki.softwareplant.com/doc/all/administration/box-types/general/advanced#GeneralAdvancedadministrationBoxtypes-Sequentiality) settings affect same-level Boxes (can potentially prevent Box periods from overlapping). 

**Auto bottom-up** and **auto scope-based** Boxes are <u>never</u> sequential - they can always overlap.

> ℹ️ <span style="color: #333333">Only "</span><span style="color: #333333">**manual**</span><span style="color: #333333">" and "</span><span style="color: #333333">**auto top-down**</span><span style="color: #333333">" Boxes can be sequential—if set to 'sequential,' same-level sequential Boxes can't overlap.</span>
> ℹ️ 
> ℹ️ ![Validation error when adding a new box](media://d1a5b9f1-2a85-4e68-800b-aa1712565d85)

## Period mode

[Box type period mode](https://wiki.softwareplant.com/doc/all/administration/box-types/general/advanced#GeneralAdvancedadministrationBoxtypes-PeriodMode) can affect if a new child Box can be created with a specified start/date. 

### Period of a new Box vs. child Box period mode

Newly created Boxes don't have any children, so they can't be affected by them.

### Period of a new Box vs. parent Box period mode

- **An "auto top-down" parent** →
  - **limits the period of an "auto top-down" child Box **
  - child Boxes in "manual"/ "auto scope-based" period mode are not affected
  - "auto bottom-up" child overrides an "auto top-down" parent

Effects of the parent Box period mode on a child Box period are outlined in the table below.

| **Parent Box → ** | **New Box (child)** |
| --- | --- |
| auto bottom-up | unaffected (regardless of child period mode) |
| auto scope-based | unaffected (regardless of child period mode) |
| auto top-down | **An "auto top-down" parent limits the period of an "auto top-down" child**  
Period of an "auto bottom-up" child unaffected ("auto bottom-up" child has priority over an auto "top-down parent")  
Periods of "manual" and "auto scope-based" Boxes unaffected |
| manual | unaffected (regardless of child period mode) |