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Understanding Links

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Links provide a way to use Siebel data in rules that you write for a customizable product. For example, if you have clients outside the U.S., you could create a link that stores the account location. You could then write a rule that uses the account location to determine what kind of power supply and plug types to include with a computer configuration.

Links can store two types of information. Business component links store the value of a field in a Siebel business component. System variable links store the value of a specific system variable.

The value of a link is determined when the user starts a configuration session and is not dynamically updated during the session.

Business Component Links

Business component links map a Siebel business component data field to a link name. The link name can then be used when writing rules for a customizable product.

To create a business component link, you must have a thorough understanding of Siebel business components and be able to use Siebel Tools to identify business objects, business components, and field names.

When you define a business component link, the goal is to retrieve only one record. Several fields are provided in the link definition to help you do this. If more than one record is retrieved by the query, the link data is extracted from the first record in the group. If no records are retrieved by the query, the value entered in the default value field in the link definition is used.

You have the option to extract information from the current instance of a business component or from a new instance. For example, you select an account as part of creating a quote. You have defined a link for a complex product that extracts information from the business component that displays this record. When the user begins configuring the product, the link information will be extracted from the account record being used in the quote. The link uses the current instance of the business component.

You can also define the link on a new instance of the business component. The information will be extracted from the first record returned by the business component. You can control which record is returned by specifying search and sort parameters.

A business component link definition contains the following fields:

Name. This is the name of the link. Use it to refer to the link when you write rules. This field is required.
BusObj Name. This field specifies the business object in which the business component resides. This field is required for business component links.
BusComp Name. This field specifies the name of the business component from which you want to extract information. This field is required.
BusComp Field Name. This field specifies the name of the field in the business component that contains the data you want to extract. This field is required.
Expression. This field contains an XML expression that is automatically generated by your entries in the other fields. No entry is required in this field.
Needs Execution. Put a check mark in this field if you want to retrieve the link information from a new instance of the business component. Leaving this field blank allows you to retrieve information about the current instance of the business component.
Search Spec. Enter a Siebel query-by-example expression to narrow the search to one record. This field is evaluated only if you put a check mark in Needs Execution. An entry in this field is highly recommended.
Sort Spec. Enter a sort specification so that the desired record appears first if more than one record is retrieved. This field is evaluated only if you put a check mark in Needs Execution. An entry in this field is highly recommended.
Default Value. Enter the value that you want to assign to the link if the query returns no records. This field is highly recommended if you put a check mark in Needs Execution.
Keyword. Leave this field blank.
Description. Write a brief description of what the link does. This description is not displayed to customers.

System Variable Links

Links can be defined to extract information from two system variables, TODAY and WHO. The TODAY system variable returns today's date. The WHO system variable returns the log-in name of the user who started the configuration session.

You can use the TODAY variable to write time-sensitive rules. For example, you create a link named TodayDate that stores the value of the TODAY system variable. You could then write a rule that says if today's date is later than December 23, 2001, then the product 64 MB RAM is required in computer configurations.

You can use the WHO variable to customize configuration rules based on the user log-in name. For example, you create a link named UserName that stores the value of the WHO system variable. You could write a rule that says if the user's log-in account name is jsmith, then 64 MB RAM is required in computer configurations.

A system variable link definition contains the following fields:

Name. This is the name of the link. Use it to refer to the link when you write rules. This field is required.
Description. Write a brief description of what the link does. This description is not displayed to customers.
Keyword. Click the down-arrow and select either TODAY or WHO. This field is required.

Leave all the other fields blank.

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