About Decision Table Output

An output (also referred to as output clause) of a decision table is represented as a column within the table. It consists of an output header cell and several output entry cells. A decision table may have multiple outputs.

When you create a new decision table, a table with a single output column appears. To add additional outputs, click the header cell of the existing output column, and click Add Column After Add Column icon.

Output Header Cell

The output header cell contains the following two components:

Output label

A decision table's output column is initially titled Output. You can change it to a name of your choice.

Allowed values

Using this component, you can specify the output entry mode (or type) and the associated allowed-value constraints for an output column. Click the Mode icon in a header cell to select a mode or specify allowed values.

The modes available in the output header cell are identical to those available in the input header cell. See Input Header Cell.

Output Entry Cells

In the output entry cells, you enter the decision table's results for different combinations of input data.

Based on the mode and allowed values you specify in the header cell, an auto-suggest menu appears when you click an empty output entry cell. Use the suggestions to specify the output entries.

Mode for output entries

Based on the mode or allowed values you specify in the output header cell, the mode for entry cells is automatically selected. If required, click the Mode icon in a cell to switch to a different mode. The mode options available to switch are dependent on the allowed values you've specified.

An output entry cell offers the same modes as an input entry cell, excluding the Any mode. For all available modes, see Input Entry Cells. Optionally, use the constraint options available in the Mode editor.

The following figure shows an example decision table with two output columns. It determines the home loan interest rates and maximum loan tenures based on whether the customer is salaried and an existing client of the bank.

The image shows a decision table called LoanInterest, with two output columns. The first row of the table contains the hit policy cell with the Unique hit policy selected, an input header cell that has the input variable Salaried entered, another input header cell that has the input variable ExistingCustomer entered, and a first output header cell named BaseRate, a second output header cell named MaxTenure. There is an Allowed Values cell within each header cell, with values set as Boolean for inputs and as Any for the outputs. There are four subsequent rows that constitute rules of the decision table. Each row consists of the following: a cell indicating the rule number, two input entry cells, and two output entry cells. Values entered for each rule are as follows: First rule: true, true, 7.5, 25; Second rule: false, true, 8.0, 20; Third rule: true, false, 7.8, 20; Fourth rule: false, false, 9.5, 15.

To reference a particular output of this multi-output table from another decision, use the following format: DecisionName.OutputLabel; for example, LoanInterest.BaseRate.