This chapter covers the following topics:
The Business Rule Monitor is one of the modules in Escalation Management. It is considered "proactive escalation" in that you can create rules based on your business logic and set them in a workflow process which will periodically check them. When the business rule is violated, the BRM workflow puts the violated rule in a queue, where it is picked up by Oracle Workflow. If a rule is violated, then a notification will be generated. How is this done? The Business Rule Monitor is integrated with other applications and modules, such as Oracle Workflow. The user that owns this workflow process receives notifications when the process starts and stops, and also when errors are detected.
A workflow process controls the Business Rule Monitor, which in turn periodically checks all the active business rules. The BRM workflow administrator, typically the system administrator or workflow administrator who owns the workflow process, receives notifications when the monitoring process starts and stops, and also when errors are detected. This is to ensure that an owner of the workflow process exists and that the notifications can be sent successfully.
You must first set up the BRM workflow administrator user and add the following responsibilities to the workflow administrator, so that the administrator can start the Business Rule Monitor and receive workflow notifications:
CRM Administrator responsibility: The workflow administrator can access the Business Rule Monitor module through this responsibility. He can start the Business Rule Monitor and monitor the workflow process.
Workflow (Oracle Self-Service Web Applications): The workflow administrator can check the workflow processes, and can view workflow notifications from the customize link Worklist region if it is set up correctly in your personal homepage.
Preferences (Oracle Self-Service Web Applications): Use it to set up user preferences, for example, send or do not send e-mail notifications.
Note: You can assign Workflow and Preferences responsibilities to many users, so that they can view workflow notifications if a business rule is violated and they are responsible for taking care of this automated escalation. However, there is only one BRM workflow administrator who will receive the notifications about when the monitoring process starts and stops, and also when errors are detected.
There are two types of notifications that can be sent through the Business Rule Monitor Main Process, to indicate the start and stop of the Business Rule Monitor, and any error conditions:
Workflow Notification: This type of notification can be viewed from the Worklist region if it is set up correctly in your personal homepage.
To receive workflow notifications, select the Preferences responsibility. Then select General Preferences and change the value in the “Send me electronic mail notifications” field to “Do not send me mail”. This tells the system not to send you e-mail notifications, but instead to send them to your notifications page.
E-mail Notification: This notification requires correct workflow and email server setup and is usually done by the system or workflow administrator. To receive email notifications, select the Preferences responsibility. Then select General Preferences and finally select the appropriate value in the “Send me electronic mail notifications” field.
The following table describes the profile option that is specific to the Business Rule Monitor.
| Name | Default Value | Level | Description | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Rule Monitor Workflow Administrator | No Default Value | Site | This profile option must be set first in order to grant this profile option to the BRM Workflow Administrator. | The Administrator can receive workflow notifications when the monitoring process starts and stops, and also when errors are detected. |
The Business Rule Monitor, like other Oracle Workflow process, needs to have its background processes started in order for it to run. This is done using the standard applications concurrent manager.
There are three predefined workflow item types. The Business Rule Monitor Main Process is the only one that is internal to the Business Rule Monitor. This process services the Business Rule Monitor looping workflow which itself checks all the active rules defined in the workbench and identifies if any rule is violated.
The Business Rule Monitor Task Process is used when the violated business rule which is identified by the Business Rule Monitor Main Process is related to tasks (object). This BRM Task Process services the consequent activities based on the workflow information identified for the rule. For example, if the Escalate a Task (notification only) workflow is selected in the workbench for the rule, then a workflow notification will be sent automatically to the person identified in the workflow attributes window.
The Business Rule Monitor Service Request Process is used when a violated rule is related to service requests (object).
These attributes are maintained within the Business Rule Workbench, and can be viewed by clicking the button next to the workflow field. The following table describes the seeded workflow processes.
| Item Types | Description |
|---|---|
| JTFBRM | Business Rule Monitor Main Process |
| JTFBRMPR | (Optional) Business Rule Monitor Task Process |
| JTFBRMSR | (Optional) Business Rule Monitor Service Request Process |
Proper operation of the Business Rule Monitor requires that the Business Rule Monitor Main Process be started before starting the Business Rule Monitor. Perform the following procedure to start these background processes. Additionally, the optional background workflow processes may be started if necessary.
Steps
Select Requests > Run.
The Submit a New Request window opens.
Select Single Request and click OK.
In the Submit Requests window, type W in the Name field and select Enter on the keyboard.
The Reports window opens and displays report names that begin with W.
Select Workflow Background Process and click OK.
Type "bu" in the Item Type field and select Enter on the keyboard.
The Item Type window opens and displays the four Workflow background processes required by the Business Rule Monitor.
Select one of the Business Rule Monitor processes and click OK.
Leave the Minimum Threshold and Maximum Threshold fields empty.
Enter Yes in the Process Deferred field, in the Process Timeout field, and the Process Stuck field and click OK.
The Submit Request window appears in front.
Click Schedule on the Submit Request window.
The Schedule window appears in front.
Select Run the Job...Periodically.
More options appear for defining the time period.
Define the Start time and the End time. An end time of two hours after the start time is recommended.
Warning: Be sure to define an end time. If the end time field is blank, then the process runs indefinitely and cannot be shut off.
In the Rerun Every field, enter the number of minutes that defines the interval between job runs. A rerun time of two minutes is recommended.
Select the From the Completion of the prior run box and click OK.
Repeat this entire procedure for any of the optional background workflow processes that you require, or for your own customized processes.
If the seeded background processes are not used, you still need to run the Business Rule Monitor Main Process, plus any of your own workflow processes that are used. Initially select some parameters and allow the background processes to run. Monitor their performance and tune the parameters as necessary to meet the needs of your enterprise.
Remember to run your workflow processes periodically, for example, every 15 minutes throughout the expected duration of the Business Rule Monitor.