Getting Started with Rules Management

It is recommended to perform tasks within the Rules Management Application after-hours as saving the Rules Application may result in slowness within the Framework.

This section provides an overview of the Rules Management Application that displays upon selecting Launch Rules Management:

The Rules Management Application is comprised of four sections: the Application Toolbar, Left Navigation Pane, Main Window and Message Window.

1- Application Toolbar

The following provides an overview of the five functions in the Application Toolbar, located along the top of the application screen:

Function

Description

Select Save to save all changes made within the Rule application.

Save must be selected at the Rule Application level once all changes to rule logic or lookup syncs are complete. Clicking Save within the individual rule does not save rule logic to the Rule Application without this final save.

Select Validate to check for errors in the rule logic without saving the Rule Application. After editing or authoring a rule, it is advised to select this function.

Select Sync. Lookups to import all of the most current information populated in the Framework, such as any new account types or queues and incorporates them into the Rules application. Prior to writing new rule logic, it is advised to select this function.

Select Sync. Custom Fields to import all of the most current custom fields populated in the Framework. It is recommended to select this function prior to writing new rule logic if new custom fields were recently created in the Framework.

Rules Manager allows for only one user at a time to have Write capabilities within the application, providing subsequent users with the ability to view Rules Manager with Read-Only capabilities. If the application is checked out to another user, a message displays in the top right corner of the application, showing the name of the user and the date and time of check-out.

Select Force Checkout to gain write access within Rules Manager.

Selecting Force Checkout causes all unsaved updates made by the current user to be lost. Prior to selecting Force Checkout, contact the current user.

2- Left Navigation Pane

The Rules Management Application screen displays a left navigation pane containing Rule Categories.

Selecting a category from the left navigation pane determines the type of rules that populate within the main window.

A category must be selected before a rule can be created or edited.

The following provides an overview of the categories in the Rules Management application and a description of when the category should be selected:

Category	Description
Batch Case Processing	Rules to use within the Batch Case processing functionality to automatically add tasks/task processing to cases.
IncomeInterruptionDecisioning	Rules to use for the income interruption process to automatically approve, decline, set pending review, and determine the letters to be generated.
Presentation	Rules to define fields and/or aggregates to include in the Person Summary Panel and messages to be added in a Message Panel on Person Screens.
Queuing	Rules to define queuing options for Advanced Queuing in the Framework. Advanced Queuing leverages business rules to enable administrators to write simple or complex criteria using account and/or account holder attributes to organize and assign accounts to a collections queue. Queuing rules are categorized as follows: AccountEligibility: Use to define what people and accounts are eligible to be placed into a queue. AccountQueuing: Use to build rules to determine how specific eligible accounts should be placed into a queue. PersonQueuing: Use to build rules to determine how the person and their eligible accounts should be placed into queues.
TaskProcessing	Rules to use within Cases to automatically add tasks/task processes.
Workflow	Rules to use within the Execute Business Rules and Automated Decision workflow steps.

3- Main Window

When a category is selected in the left navigation pane, the rules associated with that category populate within the Rules grid in the main window.

The Rules grid consists of the following columns to display information related to the rule:

Column

Description

Entity

Identifies the Entity associated with the Rule. An Entity defines how a rule is applied, how an action is applied and the information that the rule assesses in order to evaluate the conditions.

For example, if writing a rule under the Workflow Category to be used in an Execute Business Rules workflow step, the key is to think about where the rule and workflow execute in order to determine the appropriate entity. Since the workflow runs on the Person workplace, the rule must be written at either Root.Person , Person.Accounts, or Person.Cases. The entity must start at the Person since that is the object that is being evaluated when running the workflow. If this rule is to capture the balance on the accounts included in the workflow, the rule is written under the Person.Accounts entity to execute the workflow on the Person and perform actions for each individual account associated with the workflow.

The following table provides a list of the Entities in the Rules Management application along with a description of how the rule runs for each entity and an example of when to select the entity:

Entity Table

Entity	How the Rule Runs	Example
Account	Rule runs once for every account in the Framework.	Write a Queue Eligibility rule for Account Queuing to be called by the execute rule set action template in an AccountEligibilty rule.
Account.Cases	Rule runs once for each case related to the account in context.	Write a Task Processing rule to create a task based off of case attributes.
Account.Persons	Rule runs once for each person related to the account in context.	Write a rule to add a warning message to a panel listing each related person who has filed for Bankruptcy.
Case	Rule runs once for every case in the Framework.	Write a rule to be called by the execute rule set action template in a TaskProcessing rule.
Case.Accounts	Rule runs once for each account related to the case in context.	Write a rule to copy over the Balance at time of Bankruptcy for each account related to the Bankruptcy Case.
Case.Cases	Rule runs once for each case related to the case in context.	Write a rule to display any case numbers and other case related information for every legal case related to the case in context, providing the user with a full picture while working the case.
Case.Persons	Rule runs once for each person related to the case in context.	Write a Task Processing rule to create a task for each person related to a case.
Person	Rule runs once for every person in the Framework.	Write a Person Queuing rule to be called by the execute rule set action template in a PersonQueuing rule.
Person.Accounts	Rule runs once for each account related to the person in context.	Write a rule to change a field, such as setting Next Contact Date, for accounts in a workflow.
Person.Cases	Rule runs once for each case related to the person in context	Write a rule to add a message to a panel for each active case displaying a stage.
Root.Account	Rule runs once for the account in context.	*Only used for Income Interruption.
Root.Case	Rule runs once for the case in context.	Write a rule to add tasks/processes to a case, not the person.
Root.Person	Rule runs once for the person in context.	Write a rule to add a warning message to a panel regarding the number of open promises for the person.

Name

Identifies the Rule name provided in the Edit Rule window.

When creating a new rule, this field defaults to New_Rule.

Description

Identifies the Rule description provided in the Edit Rule window.

Disabled

Identifies if the Rule is disabled. This functionality is defined by checking the This rule is disabled checkbox in the Edit Rule window.

System

Identifies if the rule is a System Rule. System Rules are authored by Akcelerant and cannot be edited or deleted in Rules Manager. These rules can be disabled, however, by checking the This rule is disabled checkbox within the Edit Rule window.

Custom

Identifies if the rule is a Custom Rule. Custom Rules are authored by Akcelerant and cannot viewed, edited or deleted in Rules Manager.

Type

Identifies if the rule is a standard Business Rule or Decision Table.

From the Main Window, administrators have the ability to create new business rules or decision tables, copy existing rules, edit existing rules and delete existing rules by clicking the appropriate button along the top of the window. Type to filter through the list of rules that populate within the Rules grid.

4- Message Window