redirected rule

A redirected rule is a circumstance-qualified rule that is configured to reference another circumstance-qualified rule for the same base rule. This capability allows one rule to "forward" to another.

During rule resolution processing at run time, if rule resolution initially selects a redirected rule, the system instead accesses the target of the redirection, and the that second rule runs. (If the target is not found, the base rule runs.) The system ignores all fields on the redirected rule form other than the redirection details and the rule name.

Redirection is available for three rule types in the Decision category:

• Decision trees (Rule-Declare-DecisionTree rule type)
• Decision tables (Rule-Declare-DecisionTable rule type)
• Map values (Rule-Obj-MapValue rule type)

Benefits

Redirection can simplify maintenance of a set of circumstance-qualified rules. For example, an application may include a decision tree named SalesTax that computes state sales taxes for a state, and is circumstanced by state code, such as VA for Virginia.

Your application needs one base rule and 50 circumstance-qualified rules, one for each state code. However, if the tax structure of several states (such as Alaska, Delaware, Florida, Montana, and New Hampshire) is identical, you can:

1. Create a circumstance-qualified rule for Alaska (with "AK" as the circumstance value) that defines the Alaska state sales tax.
2. Create circumstance-qualified rules for Delaware, Florida, Montana, and New Hampshire which are marked to redirect to the AK rule.

Redirection does not reduce the number of circumstance-qualified rules you need to create, but it can reduce your maintenance effort when several of them operate alike (that is, are functionally equivalent).

Procedure

1. Create a base rule.
2. Using the Save As toolbar operation, create each circumstance-qualified rule that provides distinct results.
3. Create additional circumstance-qualified rule for other values of the circumstance. On the Results tab of the Decision Table, Decision Tree, or Map Value form, select the Redirect this Rule field. Complete the Circumstance Value field to identify the circumstance value of the target rule.

Notes:

• The target of a redirected rule can be another redirected rule.
• You cannot redirect a rule to itself. Use care to avoid creating a circular set of redirections (A to B and B to A), as doing so causes an exception at run time.

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