Create decision tables in Workflow Studio

Create decision tables in Workflow Studio to embed business logic into a series of if-then decision rules. Use decision tables when business logic is complex or may be reused in multiple places.

Before you begin

Role required: admin, decision_table_admin, or delegated developer permissions. For more information, see Delegate developers using App Engine Studio.

About this task

You can create decision tables for use in flows, subflows, playbooks, and scripts. Create your decision table and then reference it from one of those objects, or anywhere else on the platform that you write code. As of the Xanadu release, you can also create the structure of a decision table directly in a flow or playbook, and populate the table afterwards.

Procedure

1. Navigate to All > Process Automation > Workflow Studio.
2. Select New.
3. Select Decision table.
4. On the form, fill in the fields.

   Table 1. Properties form

   Field	Description
   Decision table name	Name for the decision table.
   Description	Description of the decision table.
   Application	Application scope for the decision table.
   Accessible from	Scopes that can use the decision table. Available values are Application scope onlyor All application scopes.
   Enable draft authoring	Option to author decision tables in draft mode before publishing to make them available for use. This function also enables you to change a decision table in draft mode after it has been published and republish with changes.

5. Select Build decision table.
6. Select Add an input.
   Note:

   Note that adding more then 30 inputs to your table can adversely affect the performance of the application while you create the table.
7. On the form, fill in the fields.

   Table 2. Input definition

   Field	Description
   Label	Header for the input.
   Type	Type of data used for the input. When the input type is Reference, a new column titled Reference appears in the input section and displays the reference table. This input type enables you to add multiple condition columns to a decision table. The available input types are: Choice Currency Date Date/Time Decimal Due Date Integer Long Reference String String (Full UTF-8) True/False
   Mandatory	Option for making an input field required when using the table.
   Add reference filter	Option to filter the list of reference records in a linked condition column where the input type is Reference and the Data to evaluate is Reference record. Use this field to build a filter condition statement. For more information, see Filter reference inputs and results in a decision table.

   Note:

   For the Choice input type, the ability to select an existing choice list depends on the choice list living on a table in the same application scope as the decision table. For example, if you create a decision table in the Global scope, you can use any existing choice list on tables in the Global scope. But, if you create a decision table in a custom scope, you can only use existing choice lists from tables in the same custom scope.
8. Select Add condition column.
9. On the form, fill in the fields.

   Table 3. New condition column form

   Field	Description
   Condition column label	Label for the condition column.
   Description	Brief overview of the condition column.
   Input	Input linked to the condition column. To evaluate multiple fields, you can add multiple conditions with the Reference input type.
   Table	If the data type is Reference, the name of the reference table is displayed.
   Data to evaluate	For condition columns with the input type of Reference, specifies whether the condition column evaluates the reference record or a field on the reference table.
   Condition type	Data type selected for the condition column.
   Default operator	How every row in the condition column evaluates a user-specified value. A default operator is required for all input data types except for True or False. For more information about operators, see Operators available for filters and queries.

10. Select Done.
11. Optional: Add more condition columns.
    1. Navigate to the last condition column, select the plus icon (+), and select Add condition column.
    2. Point to a condition column and select the plus icon (+).
    3. Select the Add condition column button to the right of an input.
12. Select Add result column.
13. On the form, fill in the fields.

    Table 4. New result column form

    Field	Description
    Result column label	Label for the result column.
    Description	Brief overview of the result column.
    Result type	Type of data used for the result column. The available result types are: Choice Currency Date Date/Time Decimal Due Date Duration Integer Long Reference String String (Full UTF-8) True/False
    Add reference filter	Option to filter the list of reference records in the result column when the result type is Reference. Use this field to build a filter condition statement. For more information, see Filter reference inputs and results in a decision table.

    Note:

    The Currency and True/False result types have several important exceptions.

    • If no alternate result is specified (0.00 for currency, false for true/false), cells in currency and true/false type result columns return a default value.
    • For instances using multi-currency mode, you can specify currency results using any available instance currency. However, result values are always converted to the session currency on saving.
    • For instances using single-currency mode, you can only specify currency results using the single instance currency.
14. Select Done.
15. Optional: Enable multiple results in a decision table by adding more result columns using one of the following methods.
    • Navigate to the first result column, select the plus icon (+), and select Add result column.
    • Navigate to the last result column and select the plus icon (+).
    • Point to a result column and select the plus icon (+).
16. For each condition, click into the empty box in the condition column to select an operator and enter a value.

    

    For more information about operators, see Operators available for filters and queries.

17. Optional: To modify a decision table condition in Decision rule view, select the Decision rule row menu options icon () to the left of the row number, and then select Open in Decision rule view.

    Decision rule view supports complex conditions that may not fit into the table structure.

    Figure 1. Decision rule view

    

    Note:

    Using Decision rule view can result in creating complex conditions. Tables with advanced rows can be edited in Excel but advanced rows are read-only. For more information, see Manage decision tables in Excel. Where possible, split complex decisions into multiple simplified decision rule rows.
    1. Optional: Edit the condition as needed.
    2. Optional: Select Done to commit your changes.
18. For each result, click into the empty box in the result column and enter a result value.
    
19. Optional: Add more decision rules by selecting Add new decision row and entering conditions and desired results.
20. Select Save.
21. Select Publish.
    A modal appears asking if you’re sure you want to publish. If you want to make edits to this table after it's published, you must create a draft of the table. For more information about editing a published decision table, see Edit decision tables using draft authoring.
22. Select Publish.