Decisions

The contents of this article pertain to the current version of Author Studio released in the fall of 2023. If you have not updated to the newest version of the product, see our Archived Author Studio Documentation here.

A decision is a method of executing rules with defined inputs and outputs, and a specific starting point. A decision always begins with the DecisionStart rule set.  It has a set of inputs that can be different from its outputs. The rules within a decision execute against the inputs and then the outputs reflect the results. Decisions allow authors to only pass in the data that is needed to make a decision.

There are two sections on the Decision page - Parameters and Decision Rule Sets.

Parameters

The first section is Parameters. This is where inputs, outputs, and input/outputs are created and maintained.

Parameter Properties

You can edit the properties of a Parameter by clicking on them.

1. Name

2. Description

3. Data Type

If the Data Type is Entity, then an ability to specify which Entity

If the Data Type is Entity, then the ability to specify if the Entity is a collection

4. Usage

Specify if the parameter is an input, an output or both

Rule Set List

The second section is a Rule Set List. This is where decision rule sets are created and maintained.

The following can be set within the Rule Set by clicking on the name of the Rule Set:

Rule Set Properties

• Name
• Description
• Specify if the rule set is enabled or disabled

The auto-created DecisionStart rule set cannot be renamed or deleted. This is a starting point of a decision and is necessary for the decision to run.