Using the Input option in Business Rules allow user to use a value from a user report as defined on the Cost Estimate or Compensation Calculation line item screen. This value from the user report appears in the Additional Inputs section on the Calculations Inputs tab and is used as an input to the calculation to return a value for the line item.
Example
The Needed Moving Expense business rule is designed to return calculated values derived from user reports. This is intended for complex calculations that may not be supported on Business Rules. However, for this example, we will just show amounts being derived in User Reports.
The Moving Expense - Total (UR Input) and Moving Expense (UR Input) are variable inputs which comes from the user reports. When running the CE/CC, the calculation for the "Moving Expense" line item gets the value generated. If condition is true, the Needed Moving Expense Amount line item amount is the Moving Expense - Total (UR Input) otherwise the value is Moving Expense (UR Input).
Configuring the template
To configure this, , the "Moving Expense" Line Item is calculated using the "Needed Moving Expense" business rule as specified in the Compensation / Custom Calculation / Business Rule field. The calculation returns a value for the line item which using the output from the User Report specified in User Report for Input Values field as an input to the business rule.
When running a CE/CC, the variable input "Moving Expense (1st year)" and Moving Expense (Total) appears in the Additional Inputs section on the Calculations Inputs tab. The field is greyed out with a padlock icon appearing to the left of the field because the output is from a user report.
Configuring the Business Rule
To create a Variable Input in a business rule, select Input as an option followed by Variable.
The Input Variables modal appears. You can select to create new, select existing and copying an existing business rule. The following steps can be followed if you will create the business rule from scratch. To create an Input Variable, populate the 3 mandatory fields and click
Name - this appears on the Calculations screen. In this example, we used Moving Expense - Total (UR Input)
Input Name - this name must be identical to the caption used in the User Report for the link between the business rule and the CC/CE line item to be made so that appears in the Additional Inputs section on the Calculations Inputs tab.
For our example, we have used the exact caption: Moving Expense (Total). Here is an example of the user report where the field named Moving Expense (Total) and Moving Expense (1st year) contains the value with the value of 10000 and 5000 respectively.
Data Type - select Money or Number. In this example, we selected Money
To test this business rule, you need to select the business rule calculation in the cost estimate template and select the corresponding user report as shown in the above example.