Business Rule Framework (BRF) 

Purpose

The BRF is an event-controlled runtime environment for processing rules. You can assign any number of rules to each event, whereby a rule normally consists of a Boolean expression and an action. If the expression returns the value TRUE, the action is executed.

The BRF also contains a maintenance environment in which you can edit and configure BRF objects. You can configure both technically oriented as well as business process oriented rules. This means that you configure the rules in the maintenance environment, and the rules are processed in the runtime environment.

The BRF is object-oriented and therefore offers appropriate enhancement mechanisms that are modification-free and upgrade-independent.

 "BRF event" is the term for a calling point from within the application to the BRF. This linkage is fixed, and the call is synchronous. For this reason, a BRF event should not be viewed like ABAP-OO or the "Observer Pattern" where an event only represents a loose linkage between two software components.

 

Notes on Implementation

The main situations in which you as a BRF user will be confronted with the BRF might be as follows:

·        You want to integrate the BRF with an application for the first time.

 In this case, we recommend that you first read First Steps Towards Your Own BRF Application.

·        You want to make a BRF-related enhancement to an application that already uses the BRF.

·        You want to configure rules for an application that is already linked to the BRF.

Integration

·        Every application that wants to use the BRF must be registered under a unique application class in the BRF.

·        The application must call BRF events that contain rules that need to be processed.

Example

You can use the BRF to check whether an address that has been entered in an application is complete, for example:

In the BRF you can specify that address data is complete if at least the street and postal code have been stated. If these fields have not been filled, the system executes a particular action.

·        Possible expression (“Address is incomplete“):

(street = initial) OR (postal code = initial), in other words, if one of the two fields is initial, meaning that the field/s do not contain a value, the action that has been defined will be executed.

·        Possible Actions:

The system displays a message that the address is incomplete

What is important here is as follows:

·        You can configure the expression to define yourself what an incomplete address is, without having to change the code of the application or perform any programming.

·        In the configuration, you can determine yourself what the consequence should be if the expression returns the value TRUE. 

Other Examples

The following table provides further examples from the SAP Claims Management insurance solution.

Event	Rule	Expression	Action
Event After Change to Subclaim Status	If the subclaim has been opened, create the log entry Subclaim has been opened.	Expression: Subclaim opened If the current subclaim status is Subclaim Opened, the expression delivers the value TRUE.	Action Subclaim opened The purpose of the action is to create the log entry Subclaim has been opened.
	If the subclaim has been closed, then create the log entry Subclaim has been closed.	Expression Subclaim closed: If the current subclaim status is Subclaim Closed, the expression delivers the value TRUE.	Action: Subclaim closed: The action consists of creating the log entry Subclaim has been closed.
Event Change to Data on Damaged Vehicle	If it has been stated that the damaged vehicle is on the road but is not roadworthy, then offer to provide a towing service.	¡        Expression1: Vehicle is on the road. ¡        Expression 2: Vehicle is not roadworthy. ¡        Expression 3: Expression 1 AND Expression 2. Expression 3 is TRUE if it has been stated that the damaged vehicle is on the road and is not roadworthy.	Action: Offer External Service: The action consists of creating a task that induces the agent to offer to provide a towing service.