Rules Engine Designer data processing
Introduction¶
The Rules Engine Designer data processing allows you to generate journals, or amounts, based on data present on specific input amounts and journals. One of the main use cases is data reclassification.
Common concepts useful for managing Rules Engine Designer data processing, on both original scenarios and consolidation scenarios, are outlined below. For a synthetic view of the functionality available on each amount type, see the Explanatory Tables .
Rules Engine Designer rules¶
Rules can be defined for the following dimensions:
- Accounts
- Custom dimensions enabled in the environment
- Ctp Entity
- Custom Dimension 2 of the Counterparty entity (for processes whose Relationship type is not Entity)
- Category
For every rule, the following data must be specified:
- Tuple of input and output dimensions and any Markup % to be applied
- Input and output categories
IMPORTANT: the data processing can only be activated in Processes which use the “In-Memory” consolidation engine.
Custom Dimension management¶
When an output row is generated on an account that is different from the source account, the custom dimension of the source account might not be compatible with the restrictions present on the output account, so it may also be necessary to change the Custom Dimension value.
When the input account is different from the output account, the rows on the output dimensions are generated as follows:
| If... | Then... |
|---|---|
| the output account is restricted on the entity’s Custom Dimension. | the custom dimension is replaced with the default custom dimension of the entity subject to the change. |
| the output account is only restricted on one element of the Custom Dimension. | the custom dimension is replaced with the only valid element. |
| - the output account is not restricted on any element of the entity’s Custom Dimension, or - the output account is only unrestricted on one element of the Custom Dimension. | - For Custom Dimensions not enabled on the rule: the output custom dimension is replaced with the source element, even if it is not compatible. - For custom dimensions enabled on the rule: the custom dimension is replaced with the output custom dimension indicated on the rule. |
If a Custom Dimension is managed for the rule, but that custom dimension is not enabled for amounts (for IC amount rules) or journals (for Entity journal and Consolidation journal rules) in the process definition, then the rule cannot be applied and a warning message is displayed when the data processing is run.
IMPORTANT: for consolidation journal rules which have the Write in same journal option active, if the process’s relationship type is by entity/custom dimension 2, then the custom dimension 2 is defined in such a way that respects the entity/custom dimension 2 relationship in the journal header.
Management of Segment Information¶
The Segment Counterparty Entity and Segment Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 fields are present on the consolidation journals and contain information which, through the reporting system, allows you to analyse aggregated data by Segment.
Therefore, when the Rules Engine Designer data processing involves the Entity or Counterparty Custom Dimension 2, it is important to manage the dimensions with the same name related to the Segment.
For this reason, when the Counterparty entity option is selected on the rule, Segment Counterparty entity management is also activated and when the Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 option is selected, Segment Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 management is also activated.
Standard use cases
Typically, you will not want to actively manage information concerning the Segment. The following behaviours are expected, based on the value of CTP after it has been changed:
| If... | Then... |
|---|---|
| the output CTP is defined. | - the output Segment CTP must have the same value as the Output CTP. This is because the segment CTP is usually the same as the CTP, when present. |
| the output CTP is not defined. | - the output Segment CTP must have the same value as the input segment CTP. Or it must be equal to the segment CTP present in the data that you want to edit. |
The first case is obtained by selecting, in the Input Segment CTP Entity field, a root of a hierarchy containing all the entities and setting the Output Segment CTP field to Same as the Output Counterparty entity.
In the second case, if you want to process an input record with a counterparty in an output record without a counterparty (therefore with Output CTP Entity equal to Remove CTP), you cannot set the Output Segment CTP field to Same as the Output Counterparty entity because this field must necessarily contain a counterparty.
Therefore, in this second case, the Input Segment CTP Entity field must be defined with a root of a hierarchy containing all the entities while Output Segment CTP must be set to Same as Input.
The same rules apply for the management of the Segment Counterparty Custom dimension 2.
IMPORTANT: the input data on the categories of Amounts and Entity journals do not have information related to the segment, since they belong to the entity’s sector. Therefore, the filter on the CTP for Segment is not applied. Amounts and Entity Journals are processed regardless of the values of the CTP for Segment filter specified in the dimensions settings.
Management of Counterparty entity dimensions and Counterparty Custom Dimension 2¶
These two dimensions are managed on the basis of the rules setup and the process’s relationship type. The possible contexts are outlined below.
Counterparty Entity and Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 active on the rule¶
The rule is processed if the process relationship type is not Entity.
Rule definition rows which have their input Ctp Entity and Ctp Custom Dimension 2 equal to No Ctp are not processed if one of the following conditions is satisfied:
- Output Ctp Entity equal to Set and output Ctp Custom Dimension 2 equal to Same as input.
- Output Ctp Entity equal to Same as input and output Ctp Custom Dimension 2 equal to Set.
Counterparty Entity active and Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 not active on the rule¶
The rule is processed.
If the Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 is active in the process, this is not changed: the value for this dimension stays the same as the input value. Exceptions are made in the following cases:
- For Entity journal, Consolidation journal and Amount rules, if the output Counterparty entity is equal to Remove Ctp, then the content of the Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 field is deleted.
- For consolidation journal rules which have the Write on same journal option active, if the process relationship type is by Entity / Custom dimension 2, and the Swap Entity with Ctp Entity option is selected for the counterparty entity, then the Counterparty Custom dimension 2 field is defined with the input custom dimension 2.
- Rules which have definition rows whose input Ctp Entity is equal to No Ctp and whose output Ctp Entity Selection is equal to Set are not processed and a warning message is displayed when the data processing is run.
Counterparty entity not active and Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 active on the rule¶
The rule is processed if the process relationship type is not Entity.
Rule definition rows whose input Ctp Custom Dimension is equal to No Ctp and whose output Ctp Custom Dimension Selection is equal to Set are not processed.
The Counterparty Entity is not changed: the value for this dimension stays the same as the input value. Only for Entity journal, Consolidation journal, and Amount rules, if the output Counterparty Entity’s Custom Dimension 2 is equal to Remove Ctp, then the content of the Counterparty Entity field is deleted.
Counterparty Entity and Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 not active on the rule¶
The rule is processed and the dimensions are not changed from the input dimensions.
There are also the following behaviours:
- For Entity journal, Consolidation journal, Gross Amount and Amount rules, if the Counterparty Entity management is activated but, in the input dimensions definition, you do not want to discriminate on the Counterparty entity field for a certain input tuple (i.e. for the other dimensions you want to act independently from the Counterparty Entity field), then you must insert at least two records: one with the root of a hierarchy of the Counterparty Entity Dimension containing all the entities and another with the Counterparty Entity field equal to No Ctp.
- For the Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 field, the system does not take Counterparty Entity restrictions into consideration.
- In processes whose relationship type is entity/synthetic custom dimension 2, for rules which have the Counterparty Custom dimension 2 option active, output rows can be generated with a different counterparty custom dimension 2 from the segment counterparty custom dimension 2.
- Note: in data entry mode, this behaviour is only permitted in journals with the Many to many relationship or the Manage counterparty independently from the header relationship option active in the journal rules.
- If the management of the Counterparty Entity and Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 is not activated, the output Segment Counterparty and Segment Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 are the same as those in the input rows.
Restrictions for input accounts¶
It is not possible to insert initial balance variation accounts as input accounts. If a node containing an account of this type is inserted, the variations will not be considered in the data processing. This is because the initial balances are generated by the carry forward data processing.
To manage the initial application of the rule and rules that no longer apply, in which it is necessary to process the variance related to the initial balance, for entity journal and consolidation journal rules, proceed as follows:
- complete the Change rule application from carry forward scenario section, or
- override the rule manually.
This method also applies to other cases in which the initial balances carried forward onto the output dimensions are not aligned with the initial balances in the input data.
Output dimension selection methods¶
For every output dimension on the definition page (Rule Dimensions Definition page), you can define the dimension selection method (Select Account/Select Custom Dimension). The following methods are available:
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| Set | An element must be specified in the dimension field. In the IC Amount rules for the Account dimension, it is possible to select accounts with the IC Management option selected in the list. |
| Same as input | - The same input dimension is used. Useful when a node of a hierarchy is specified in the input tuple. |
| Remove Ctp | Only for the Counterparty Entity and Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 fields in the Entity journal, Consolidation journal, Gross Amount and Amount rules. The information concerning the counterparty entity are moved from a group entity to minorities. |
| Swap Entity with Counterparty entity | Only for the Counterparty Entity field in the IC Amount, Consolidation Journal and Amount rules. The value of the Counterparty Entity is replaced with the value of the Entity and vice versa (see Swap Entity with Ctp Entity Management). |
| Swap Custom Dimension 2 with Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 | Only for the Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 field. The Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 value is replaced with the Custom dimension 2 value and vice versa. |
| Replace Entity with Ctp | Only for the Counterparty Entity field in the Gross Amount rules. The value of the Entity is replaced with the value of the Ctp Entity (seeReplace Entity with Ctp). |
| Replace Custom Dimension 2 with Ctp | Only for the Ctp Custom dimension 2 field in the Gross Amount rules. The value of Ctp Custom Dimension 2 is replaced with the value of Custom Dimension 2. |
| Equal to declaring entity | Only for the Segment Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 field. The field is set as the input Custom dimension 2. |
| Equal to output Ctp Custom Dimension 2 | Only for the Segment Counterparty Custom Dimension 2 field. The field is set as the output Counterparty Custom Dimension 2. |
The synthetic definition of the elements is deployed by calculating the input and output dimensions table with the maximum level of detail. The order in which the settings are listed is therefore significant.
Note: there is no Definition result window; the deployment of the nodes is included in the data processing itself.
IMPORTANT: if the definition of the input/output dimensions of the rules is changed between the between the scenario to be processed and the previous scenario, you must manually reverse, or override, the carry forward rows on the dimensions inserted in the previous setup.
Management of output Accounts which do not allow IC entries¶
For output accounts which do not allow intercompany entries in consolidation journals, or for which the IC Management option is not selected in the list, information concerning the counterparty is managed on the basis of the activation of the Counterparty Entity Dimension on the rule.
| If... | AND... | Then... |
|---|---|---|
| the Counterparty Entity Dimension is not active on the rule | the output account allows IC entries | the record generated on the output account has the counterparty defined on the basis of the counterparty present on the input account. |
| the Counterparty Entity Dimension is not active on the rule | the output account doesn't allow IC entries | the row generated on the output account does not have the counterparty entity field defined. |
| the Counterparty Entity Dimension is active on the rule | - | the strategy defined in the rule is applied even if the account does not allow IC entries. CCH Tagetik behaves similarly to what happens in the case of the manual data entry of consolidation journals for which it is also possible to insert the counterparty for accounts that do not allow IC entries. |
The behaviour described above also applies to the Ctp Custom dimension 2 field.