In order to take advantage of Operational Decision Manager
integration, the InfoSphere® MDM Collaboration Server model
must contain certain features. These are illustrated in the sample
model, and explained here.
Added spec attributes
For every item associated
with a rule, an extra attribute is required per decision type to define
the name of the rule project corresponding to the item. The path of
the attribute is referenced in a lookup table, see the table below
as an example. In the sample model, the extra attributes in the Product
Catalog Spec are as follows. Once the solution has been set up, it
is best to make these attributes hidden because they are of no interest
to the end user.
Table 1. Added spec attributes sample model| Attribute path |
Type |
Example Rule Project |
|---|
| "Compliance Decision" |
String, could be hidden |
AllProductsCompliance |
| "Eligibility Decision" |
String, could be hidden |
AllCustomerEligibility |
There is a similar attribute, "Pricing Decision", in the Credit
Card Secondary Spec, that applies only to credit cards.
Lookup table
A lookup table entry is required
to connect the decision type (and its name), the rule package name,
and the special attribute paths. One such entry exists for each decision
type in the
WODM Integration Lookup Table.
Table 2. Lookup table entry sample model| Lookup table attribute |
Value |
|---|
| Decision Type (PK) |
Customer Eligibility |
| Decision Type Name (localized) |
Customer Eligibility |
| Rule Package Name |
Eligibility |
| Spec Name |
Product Catalog Spec |
| Attribute Path (in spec) |
Eligibility Decision |
Similarly, there are lookup table entries for Compliance and
Pricing decision types.
Workflow
Rules can be edited only from a workflow
and not directly from a source catalog. The workflow and corresponding
attribute collections can be set up to allow users in specific roles
appropriate access to the rules. This is done in the sample model
as follows.
Table 3. Workflow sample| Initial -> |
Edit Eligibility -> |
Edit Compliance -> |
Approve -> |
Enrich Details -> |
Success |
|---|
| |
Compliance (V) |
Compliance (E) |
Compliance (V) |
Details (E) |
|
| |
Eligibility (E) |
|
Eligibility (V) |
|
|
Attribute collections:
"Eligibility"
Product Catalog Spec: Minimum Age, Eligibility Decision
"Compliance"
Product Catalog Spec: Regulatory Agency
"Details"
Product Catalog Spec: Department, Discount
where:
- Edit Eligibility
- The Edit Eligibility step is performed by the Content Author role,
who can edit the Eligibility rules and view the compliance rules.
- Edit Compliance
- The Edit Compliance step is also performed by the Content Author
role, but only the Compliance rules can be edited.
- Approve
- The Approve step is performed by the Content Approver role, and
only viewing of the rules is allowed.
- Enrich Details
- The Enrich Details step has nothing to do with rules, so the rules
may be neither viewed nor edited.
Additionally, the Sample workflow contains two automated
steps. The
CopyFromMain step is at the start
of the workflow and it copies the rules from the man branch to the
development branch. The
MergeToMain step is
at the end of the workflow and it merges the rules associated with
the item or category from the development branch back to the main
branch.
IBM InfoSphere Master Data Management, Version 10.1