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Siebel eFinance Guide > Validation, Approval, and Disclosure Business Services > Administrator Procedures >

Automating Validation Processing

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In Siebel eFinance, administrators can validate an object based on predefined rules. To implement validation processing, an application administrator first defines a rule set in the Validation Administration view. Then, the administrator invokes the FINS Validator business service with the validation rule set as an input argument to the business service. Automating validation processing involves the following steps:

• Define a validation rule set. For more information, see Defining Validation Rule Sets.
• Invoke the FINS Validator business service. For more information, see Invoking the FINS Validator Service from a Workflow and Invoking the FINS Validator Service from a Runtime Event.
• View a validation history. For more information, see Viewing a Validation History.

You can invoke the FINS Validator business service from a workflow or a runtime event. To invoke the business service from a workflow, you must configure the workflow steps so that they specify the correct business object, business component, business service, and method. For more information, see Invoking the FINS Validator Service from a Workflow. To invoke the FINS Validator business service from a runtime event, you must create the runtime event. For more information, see Invoking the FINS Validator Service from a Runtime Event.

Defining Validation Rule Sets

You define validation rule sets in the Application Administration, Validation Administration view. When creating a validation rule set, you specify the business object and business component you want to validate and then create rules containing expressions. The application evaluates these expressions as being true or false. If the application determines the expression is false, it executes the appropriate error handling behavior defined in the Details form.

NOTE:  Before you can run a new or imported rule set, you must reload personalization in Runtime Event Administration. For more information, see Personalization Administration Guide.

To define a validation rule set

1. From the application-level menu, choose View > Site Map >Application Administration > Validation Administration.
2. In the Validation Rule Set list, add a record for each new rule set and complete the necessary fields.

   NOTE:  You can also change an existing rule set by clicking the Revise button.

   Some fields are described in the following table.

   Field	Comments
   Business Component	Specifies the business component to be validated. A business component is a fundamental business entity in the enterprise—for example, Opportunity, Account, or Contact.
   Business Object	The business object to be validated. A business object denotes a functional area that is a grouping of one or more related business components.
   End Date	Specifies the last date this rule set can be used. If not populated, the rule set never expires.
   Group	Categorizes rules into groups.
   Name	Name of this rule set.
   Start Date	Date when the rule set becomes effective. Defaults to the date when the rule set was created.
   Status	Specifies the rule set status. Options include: In Progress. Default status that appears when the administrator first creates a new rule set or revises an existing rule set. Active. Status that appears when the administrator clicks the Activate button. Outdated. Status that appears when the administrator activates a newer version of the rule set.
   Version	A numeric value to differentiate various versions of the same rule set.

3. In the Details form, add a record for each rule and complete the necessary fields.

   Some fields are described in the following table.

   Field	Comments
   Acknowledgement Required	Not applicable.
   End Date	Specifies the last date this rule can be used. If not populated, the rule set never expires.
   Expression	Launches the Expression Designer, enabling users to write validation rules using Siebel Query Language. The application evaluates whether the expression is true or false. If the expression is evaluated to be false, the application performs the actions defined in the Details form. For more information, see Personalization Administration Guide.
   Immediate Display	Defines error message behavior. If enabled, the application immediately displays the specified message if the expression is evaluated to be false.
   Message	The text the application displays or writes to a log file if the expression is evaluated to be false. Maximum number of characters is 250. For more information viewing the validation log file, see Viewing a Validation History.
   Name	Name of this rule.
   Return Code	An alphanumeric value that the application may log in the validation history record and store in the Return Code output argument of the FINS Validator business service, if the expression is evaluated to be false. Maximum number of characters is 30. For more information, see Viewing a Validation History.
   Sequence #	Identifies the numeric sequence of this rule in the rule set. The application evaluates rules in numerical order based on this number.
   Start Date	Corresponds to the time when the rule is created. The application automatically populates this value.
   Stop on Error	If the expression is evaluated to be false and this field is checked (TRUE), the application will ignore all subsequent rules.

4. To activate a validation rule set, select it in the Validation Rule Set list and click Activate.

   Clicking Activate changes the Status of the rule set to Active and makes the record read-only.

To revise an existing validation rule set

1. From the application-level menu, choose View > Site Map >Application Administration > Validation Administration.
2. In the Validation Rule Set list, select a rule set and click Revise.

   Clicking Revise a new version of the rule set and sets the Status to In Progress.

3. Make the appropriate changes in the Validation Rule Set list and Details form and click Activate.

   Clicking Activate changes the Status from In Progress to Active and makes the record read-only. The old validation rule set still appears, but displays a Status of Outdated.

NOTE:  You can delete a Validation Rule Set in the same way you delete any other record in Siebel eFinance. Keep in mind, however, that deleting a Validation Rule Set, does not remove that rule set's Validation History. The Validation History must be deleted manually.

Importing and Exporting a Validation Rule Set

You can import and export validation rule sets by selecting Export Rule Set and Import Rule Set from the menu button on the Validation Rule Set list. The validation rule set is saved as an XML file for importing and exporting purposes.

To export a validation rule set

1. From the application-level menu, choose View > Site Map >Application Administration > Validation Administration.
2. In the Validation Rule Set list, select the validation rule set you wish to export and choose Export Rule Set from the menu button.
3. In the Validation Rule Set Export dialog box, specify whether to export all rows or only the selected rows and click Export.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to save the rule set as an XML file.

To import a validation rule set

1. From the application-level menu, choose View > Site Map >Application Administration > Validation Administration.
2. From Validation Rule Set list menu button, choose Import Rule Set.
3. In the Validation Rule Set Import dialog box, locate the file you wish to import and click Import.

   The imported rule set appears having a status of In Progress.

4. To activate the imported validation rule set, select it in the Validation Rule Set list and click Activate.

   Clicking Activate changes the rule set Status to Active and makes the record read-only.

Invoking the FINS Validator Service from a Workflow

You can invoke the FINS Validator business service from a workflow. This section describes some of the possible steps you can include to enable this invocation. You may need to modify and expand on this procedure to accommodate more complex business requirements. The workflow process you create must contain the following steps:

• Start. Initiates the process instance. When the conditions have been met, the application initiates the process instance.
• Business Service. A step in a process in which an automated call is made to the FINS Validator service. A workflow process definition can have one or more business service steps.
• End. A step in a process that specifies when a process instance is finished.

In order for your workflow to execute correctly, the Start and Business Service steps must meet the minimum requirements described in the following procedures. For more information on workflows, see Siebel Business Process Designer Administration Guide for Financial Services.

To configure the Start step in your workflow

1. From the application level menu, choose View > Site Map > Business Process Administration > Workflow Processes.
2. In the Workflow Process list, select the workflow you wish to configure.
3. Click the Process Designer view tab.
4. In the Process Designer, double-click the Start step.
5. In the Next Steps list, complete the necessary fields.

   Some fields are described in the following table.

   Field	Comments	Example
   Event	The specific event that happens to the object. The set of available events is different for different object types.	Use the PreWriteRecord business component event to control whether a record can be written to the database, based on the outcome from the validation. Use the PreDeleteRecord business component event to control whether a record can be deleted from the database, based on the outcome from the validation.
   Event Object	The name of the application, business component, or applet to which the event occurs.	Contact
   Event Object Type	The type of object to which the event occurs. This can be an application, business component, or applet.	BusComp
   Name	The name of the Next step branch. The name of the branch must be unique or you will not be able to import or export the workflow process.
   Next Step	The name of the step that follows when conditions are met.	Picklist of existing process steps.
   Type	The type of branch.	The value can be one of the following: Condition. This value indicates that a condition is defined for the branch. Default. This value indicates that if nothing else is satisfied, this branch will be followed. Additionally, if this value is used, any conditions defined for the branch are ignored.

6. Click Return to Designer.

To configure the Business Service step in your workflow

1. In the Process Designer workflow, double-click the Business Service step.

   The Business Service form appears. Use this view to specify the business object, the business service (FINS Validator), and the Method (Validate).

2. In the Business Service form, complete the fields described in the following table.

   Field	Value
   Business Service	FINS Validator
   Method	Validate

3. In the Input Arguments list, establish your Input Arguments as described in the following table.

   Input Argument	Required	Comments
   Active Object	No	Can attain a value of Y or N. If the value is N or if this input argument is not entered into the list applet, the Object ID input argument must be established and cannot be NULL.
   Business Component	No	The name of the business component to which the event occurs.
   Business Object	No	The name of the business object (that is, the functional area) to which the event occurs.
   Component ID	No	The row ID of the business component object you wish to perform a validation.
   Enable Log	No	Valid options include: Y - Application logs all instances when the rule set runs. N - Application does not track any instances of when the rule set runs. For more information the Validation log file, see To view the validation history.
   Object ID	Yes	The row ID of the principle business component of the business object. It is required if an Active Object has not been specified or has a value of N.
   Rule Set Name	Yes	In the Value field, enter the name of the rule set to be invoked. For more information, see To define a validation rule set.

   If you want to pass information to another process, you must establish Output Arguments. Output arguments allow you to store a resulting value in a process property. For more information on defining return codes and return messages, see To define a validation rule set.

4. In the Output Arguments list, establish the outputs as described in the following table.

   Output Argument	Comments
   Return Code	Contains the value of the Return Code field of the validation rule.
   Return Message	Contains the value of the Message field of the validation rule.

5. Click Return to Designer.
6. Click the All Processes view tab.
7. To activate the workflow, click Activate.

Invoking the FINS Validator Service from a Runtime Event

You can also invoke the FINS Validator Service from a runtime event. When the specified runtime event occurs, the application invokes the FINS Validator business service. To invoke the FINS Validator business service from an event you first define the event in the Runtime Events Administration view. For more information on runtime events, see Personalization Administration Guide.

To define a runtime event to invoke the FINS Validator Service

1. From the application level menu, choose View > Site Map > Runtime Events Administration > Action Sets.
2. In the Actions Sets list, add a record and complete the necessary fields.
3. In Actions list, add a record and complete the necessary fields.

   Some fields are described in the following table.

   Field	Comments
   Name	Required. Name of this action set.
   Action Type	Specified the type of action. Select BusService.
   Sequence	Required. Number describing the order in which the action occurs. Execution begins with the action with the lowest sequence number (such as 1). Actions with the same sequence number are executed in random order. Actions occur in sequence until all actions are completed.
   Active	Required. Check the box to indicate whether the action will be triggered or not. Inactive actions are ignored when the event occurs. This is a quick way to turn off an action without changing the start and end dates.

4. In the More Info form, complete the fields described in the following table.

   Field	Value	Comments
   Business Service Name	FINS Validator	Name of the business service to invoke, if the conditional expression evaluates to TRUE and the type is BusService. Enter the value exactly as shown.
   Business Service Method	Validate	Method to invoke on the business service. Enter the value exactly as shown.
   Business Service Context	"Rule Set Name", "[Name of the Rule Set]", "Enable Log", "[Y for Yes or N for No]" For example: "Rule Set Name", "Validation", "Enable Log", "Y"	Parameter to pass to the business service method. Name-value pairs to specify the inputs to the business service method. Both the name and the value must be enclosed by quotation marks and separated by a comma and a space after the comma.

   CAUTION:  Failure to use the syntax specified in the Value field may result in errors.

5. Click the Events view tab to associate the event with an action set.
6. In the Events list, add a record and complete the fields as described in the following table.

   Field	Comments
   Name	Optional. Select an event alias from the drop-down list. Selecting a name automatically populates the Object Type, Object Name, Event, and Subevent fields. This is based on the event template created in the Event Aliases list. For more information on creating event aliases, see the Personalization Administration Guide.
   Sequence	Required. An event can trigger multiple action sets. Enter numbers in this field to control when the action set associated with this event in this record executes relative to other action sets associated with this event.
   Object Type	Required. Select BusComp from the drop-down list.
   Object Name	The name of the application, business component, or applet (depending on the object type) to which the event occurs.
   Event	Required. Select from the drop-down list. The choices depend on which object type you choose. Valid values include: Use the PreWriteRecord business component event if you want to control whether a record can be written to the database, based on the outcome from the validation. Use the PreDeleteRecord business component event if you want to control whether a record can be deleted from the database, based on the outcome from the validation
   Action Set	Required. Select an action set to run when the event occurs. The Name name is defined in the Action Sets view tab. For more information, see Step 3.

NOTE:  Before you can use an event to invoke a ruleset, you must reload personalization in Runtime Event Administration. For more information, see Personalization Administration Guide.

Viewing a Validation History

You can view a history of validation events in the Validation History view. All events display in chronological order.

To view the validation history

• From the application-level menu, choose View > Site Map >Application Administration > Validation History.

  The Validation History view appears, displaying validation events in chronological order. Some fields are described in the following table.

  Field	Comments
  BusComp Name	The business component that was validated.
  Date	The date the validation event happened.
  Last Step #	Sequence number of the rule evaluated to be false or the last rule in the rule set.
  Return Code	The rule's Return Code field value.
  Return Message	The rule's Message field value.
  Rule Set Name	Name of the executed rule set.
  Started By	The login name of the user who executed this rule.
  Status	Specifies the status of the validation result: Errored Out. Indicates Stop on Error is True. The current rule is evaluated to be false and further rule evaluation is halted. Error Proceed. Indicates Stop on Error is False; the current rule is evaluated to be false and the application proceeds to evaluate the next rule. Completed. Indicates the application has reached the last rule of the rule set and the rule is evaluated to be True.

  For more information on defining rule sets and configuring the Return Code and Return Message fields, see Defining Validation Rule Sets.

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