Bookshelf v7.5: About the Design of Decision Flow Logic

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About the Design of Decision Flow Logic

The Pricing Factor Flow Chart Designer provides a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows you to:

Define the decision flow logic for a pricing model. You can control the order in which pricing factors are executed by manipulating icons and arrows that represent pricing factors and decision flow path connections.

Create pricing factors by dragging and dropping a Factor icon into the decision flow design area. You can double-click these icons to display a pricing factor in the Pricing Factor Designer and define it in detail.

The use of all the Pricing Factor Flow Chart Designer Palette icons is summarized in Table 42.

Table 42. Pricing Factor Flow Chart Designer Palette Icons
Palette Icon/Symbol	Function/Usage
Factor	To create a new, single type pricing factor with a system-generated default name, drag and drop the Factor icon from the palette to the design area. The factor symbol appears, displaying the default name. To open the Pricing Factor record associated with a factor symbol, double-click on the symbol. When you create a new factor symbol, use the Pricing Factor record to specify at least its Name and Type. To resize a factor symbol, click and drag the handles at its edges. To move a factor symbol, click and drag the symbol (avoiding the handles).
Start	To create a decision flow for pricing factors of the single, script-based, or matrix type, begin by dragging and dropping the Start icon from the palette to the design area.
Aggregate Start	To create a decision flow for pricing factors of the bundling or aggregate type, begin by dragging and dropping the Aggregate Start icon from the palette to the design area.
Exit	To create a complete decision flow, you must create a logic path linking either start symbol to the one exit symbol. The path may branch, but all branches must all ultimately lead to the exit symbol. If an exit symbol does not exist in the decision flow design area, drag and drop the Exit icon to the design area to create one.
Connector	To create a connector, drag and drop the Connector icon from the palette to the design area, making sure to connect the left end of the line to a connector point (x) on a factor or start symbol. The connector symbol appears, displaying the Y label if it is the first connector attached to a factor, or the N label if it is the second. If the conditions for applying the pricing factor are met, Siebel ePricer applies the pricing factor's pricing adjustment, and then follows the Y connector to the next factor. If the conditions for firing a pricing factor are not met, Siebel ePricer follows the N connector to the next factor.

A complete decision flow path must include:

A Start or Aggregate Start symbol connected with a Y connector to a factor symbol

Both a Y and an N connector linking each factor symbol in the decision flow logic path to the next factor, or to the exit symbol

One decision flow logic path that is valid for any value that the user might enter at runtime

Both the Start and Aggregate Start decision flow path should lead to one Exit symbol.

The following rules govern the operation of decision flow logic, for both complete and incomplete decision flow paths:

If there is a Start symbol in a pricing model, the application starts from there. If there is no Start or Aggregate start symbol, the application starts with the pricing factor with the lowest sequence number.

If a decision flow that begins at the Start symbol ends at the exit symbol, then the decision flow logic restarts at the Aggregate Start symbol (if an aggregate start decision flow path has been defined for the model).

When Siebel ePricer processes a pricing factor:

If the conditions for applying the pricing factor are met, Siebel ePricer applies the pricing factor's pricing adjustment, and then goes to the pricing factor identified by the Y connector in the decision flow logic, known as the next when true factor.

If the conditions for firing a pricing factor are not met, Siebel ePricer goes to the pricing factor identified by the N connector, known as the next when false factor.

Siebel ePricer continues to follow the decision flow sequence until its logic fails or it reaches an exit.

If a needed connector is missing, then the model stops processing pricing factors. This occurs only if the connector is needed in the session: if one connector leading from a factor is missing, but the outcome of the factor does not require that connector, then Siebel ePricer continues by using the other path.

If an error in the definition of the decision flow results in a logical infinite loop, ePricer performs a predefined number of iterations before ending the decision flow process. This number is defined the user property of the Pricing Manager business service that is named "Max number of execution allowed." For information about working with user properties, see Siebel Tools Reference.

If the exit path is missing, then Siebel ePricer fires the pricing factor with the next higher sequence number, which may lead to unexpected results.

When you use the decision flow connectors, their logic is displayed in the Pricing Factor Designer form: the Next When True field contains the pricing factor that the Y connector points to, and the Next When False fields represents the pricing factor that the N connector points to.