Application overlays

Application overlay is an application that is built on top of a decisioning enterprise application. An application overlay defines the scope in which business users can change the application (for example, by managing propositions, modifying business rules, or running simulations) to adjust the application to constantly changing business conditions and requirements. System architects use the Create New Application Overlay wizard to define the application overlay components, such as the revision ruleset or revision records:

Revision ruleset

Within an application overlay, this ruleset for revision management contains the rules provided by the system architect. Selected business users can access and modify only the rules included in the revision ruleset through their assigned work area. All rules that are part of the revision management process will be moved to this ruleset.

Revision record

This data instance is created for each application overlay and contains details of the overlay and the rules included for the overlay. Selected business users can access and modify only the rules that are included in the revision record through their assigned work area.

The accounts of business users who create and manage revisions in the development environment are not configured in the Create New Application Overlay wizard. The system architect must use standard functionality to define the operator accounts of the business users who will be engaged in revision management.

When an application overlay is created, the revision ruleset for the application overlay is also created. The enterprise application is modified to include the revision ruleset. The first version of an application overlay is always <Overlay_Name> :01-01-01 . When a revision is packaged, the application overlay version number is incremented. Business users can see the modifications that result from the revision management cycle when a revision is activated in the production environment.

Direct deployment overlay

The direct deployment application overlay is created automatically when you first build an application overlay. This overlay's name starts with the prefix RTC-. This overlay can exist only in the production environment and contains no rules by default. However, if your user account belongs to the <Overlay_Name>:DirectDeploy access group, you can add and edit Decision Data rules in the direct deployment overlay to configure proposition control parameters. For example, in a dynamic business environment where various products enter or are pulled from the market frequently, you can use the direct deployment overlay to enable or disable a particular proposition instead of going through the full revision management cycle of a regular application overlay. You can have only one direct deployment overlay per application and that overlay cannot be deleted.