Incorporating Business Rules

You can configure logic in a business rule activity or add a business rule to a link. Business rules are defined using the Business Rule Designer, which appears when you click the Display Business Rule Designer icon or double-click a business rule activity or a business rule icon on a link. It is active when you add or select a link with a business rule and when you add or select a business rule activity. The Business Rules Editor, available from the Business Rule Designer, allows you to further modify business rules.

Adding Business Rules Activities

A business rule activity allows you to map and manipulate data in an activity in the Business Rule Designer.

To add a business rule activity

1. From the Business Process Designer toolbar, click Business Rule Activity and drag it to the Business Process Designer canvas.

2. On the Business Process Designer toolbar, click Display Business Rule Designer.

   The Business Rule Designer appears in the lower part of the Business Process Designer.

3. Define the business rules for the activity as described in Defining Business Rules.

Adding a Business Rule to a Link

You can add a business rule to a link in order to map and manipulate data between activities using the Business Rule Designer.

To add a business rule to a link

1. Right-click a link in the BP, and then click Add Business Rule.

2. On the toolbar, click Display Business Rule Designer.

   The Business Rule Designer appears in the lower part of the Business Process Designer.

3. Define the business rules for the activity as described in Defining Business Rules.

Defining Business Rules

A business rule can be a direct mapping of data, or can include multiple methods to manipulate data during the mapping.

To define a business rule

1. In the Business Process Designer, double-click the business rule activity or link you want to edit.

   The Business Rule Designer appears.

2. Expand the trees in the right and left panels until the nodes you want to map are visible.

3. Do any of the following:

   • Drag a direct link between nodes in the right and left panels.

   • Select a method from the Method Palette. You can populate the method parameters and return values by linking them to nodes in the left and right panels, by linking them with additional methods, or by creating literal values.

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     Note –

     See Using the Method Palette for more information about each method available in the Method Palette.

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4. When you are done creating business rules, click Save in the Enterprise Designer toolbar.

Editing Business Rules

Once you create business rules, you can modify them in the Business Rule Designer. You can also use the Business Rules Editor, provided with the Business Rule Designer, The editor provides an advanced view of the business rules for your BP

To edit business rules

1. In the BP, double-click the business rule activity or business rule you want to modify.

2. Do any of the following:

   • Add new mappings.

   • Incorporate new methods into the rules.

   • Delete an existing link by clicking the link and then pressing the Delete key (this cannot be undone).

3. To modify rules in the Business Rules Editor, click the bottom gray triangle to the left of the Business Rule Designer title bar.

   The Business Rules Editor appears.

4. By default, the rules are in read-only mode. Click Show Single Mapping to place the editor in edit mode.

5. Do any of the following in the Business Rules Editor.

   • To delete a rule or set of rules, right-click the node and then click Delete. Use caution when deleting rules. This can result in modeling elements being removed from the BP and cannot be undone.

   • To activate the reset destination feature for a rule, right-click the rule, and then click Reset Destination (for more information about this feature, see Reset Destination).

     When you right-click the node again, Reset Destination appears with a check mark.

   • To deactivate the reset destination feature for a rule, right-click the rule, and then click Reset Destination.

     When you right-click the node again, Reset Destination no longer appears with the check mark.

   • To expand the tree nodes, right-click a node, and then click Expand, or click Expand All to expand all nodes.

   • To collapse a tree node, right-click the node, and then click Collapse.

   • To change the order of the rules, select the rule you want to move and then click either the down or up arrows in the toolbar until the rule is where you want it. You can only move a node if there a multiple nodes at the same level.

6. To close the Business Rules Editor, click the top gray triangle to the left of the Business Rule Designer title bar.

7. When you are done making changes, click Save in the Enterprise Designer toolbar.