📄️ Entities Overview
Entities are the primary data structures within InRule. They are comprised of one or more value or entity fields, collections, calculations, classifications, notifications, actions, and UI components. Many entities can exist in the same rule application even though they may not be related. An entity may be likened to a COBOL record layout, business object, or data table and is essentially a container to group related fields.
📄️ Working with Entities
The Entity Detail Pane allows the user to change the Name and the Display Name of the entity. In addition, it provides the user with a way to navigate to various rule sets and rule types that are specific to the entity.
📄️ Working with Fields
Fields are the input elements that comprise the entity's data structure, along with rule calculations and rules. Fields, unlike calculations and rules, do not have dependencies on other fields, calculations, and rules. Field values are provided to the rule engine from the calling application or are entered by the user in the testing tool.
📄️ Working with Calculations
In addition to fields and rules, calculations comprise the entity's data structure. Calculations are a special type of rule that are "always on". Whenever other fields, calculations, or rules that the calculation is dependent on change, the rule engine will recalculate the calculation rule's value.
📄️ Working with Collections
The Collection element defines the relationship between a parent entity and its collection of child entities or local "complex" structures. The association is made in the Data Type dropdown list, which is populated with a list of defined entities.