USING @RETURN IN BUSINESS RULES
There is a very useful function available to business rule authors, @RETURN. This function allows you to return a message to the user executing the business rule and terminate the business rule. One very valuable use of this function is when verifying the values input into run time prompts. I use it extensively in building business rules for workforce and capex planning where there may be multiple inputs obtained using run time variables.
The format of the function is @RETURN( msg, ERROR). The msg can be a literal or, more interestingly, can be the @CONCATENATE function which can be used to return values of dimensions or even the value input into the run time variable.- The @RETURN can only be used in a Member Calc Block.
- The documentation says that there are multiple values for the second parameter but the only one that works is ERROR without quotes.
- The message is returned to the user and logged to the Essbase application log.
- FIX to a single intersection so that the edits are only done once.
- May need SET CREATENONMISSINGBLK ON if the intersection that you use for the edit does not exist. Make sure to turn it off after the edits.
- The @RETURN terminates the business rule execution but cannot stop the saving of the data on the form.
- Example 1 - fix and return literal message :
-
FIX( "Budget","Working",{gv_1_Entity},{gv_1_CostCenter},{gv_1_Project},{gv_Exempt},"No Employee","Local_Input",&svBudYear,"BegBalance" )
SET CREATENONMISSINGBLK ON;
"Status"(
/* Must be at the base level of Entity, Cost Center and Project */
IF( NOT @ISLEV("Entity" , 0) )
@RETURN( "You must select a base level Entity member.", ERROR );
ENDIF
IF( NOT @ISLEV("CostCenters" , 0) )
@RETURN( "You must select a base level Cost Center member.", ERROR );
ENDIF
IF( NOT @ISLEV("Projects" , 0) )
@RETURN( "You must select a base level Projects member.", ERROR );
ENDIF
/* Backfill end month must be after the hire month if entered */
IF( {gv_EndMonth} != #Missing )
IF( {gv_EndMonth} < {gv_HireMonth}->"MonthNumber" )
@RETURN( "The backfill end month must be after the hire month.", ERROR );
ENDIF
ENDIF
/* AIP or Sales or Production no two */
IF( {gv_AIP_Pct} > 0 )
IF( {gv_SalesIncentive_Pct} > 0 )
@RETURN( "If an AIP % is entered then Sales Incentive Target % cannot be.", ERROR );
ELSE
IF ( {gv_ProdIncentive_Pct} > 0 )
@RETURN( "If a AIP % is entered then Production Incentive Target % cannot be.", ERROR );
ENDIF
ENDIF
ENDIF
/* Sales not Production */
IF( {gv_AIP_Pct} == 0 )
IF( {gv_SalesIncentive_Pct} > 0 )
IF( {gv_ProdIncentive_Pct} > 0 )
@RETURN( "If a Sales Incentive Target % is entered then Production Incentive Target % cannot be.", ERROR );
ENDIF
ENDIF
ENDIF
)
SET CREATENONMISSINGBLK Off;
ENDFIX
-
- Example 2 - Using @CONCATENATE :
-
IF( ( {lv_Promotion_Pct} / 100.0 ) < "Promotion Type 1 Minimum Increase Percent"->"No Employee"-->"NoBusinessUnit">"NoOperatingUnit"->"NoDepartment"->"NoEmployeeType"->"NoProject" ->"NoProduct"->"BegBalance" OR ( {lv_Promotion_Pct} / 100.0 ) > "Promotion Type 1 Maximum Increase Percent"->"No Employee"->"NoBusinessUnit"->"NoOperatingUnit"->"NoDepartment"->"NoEmployeeType">"NoProject" ->"NoProduct"->"BegBalance" )
@RETURN(@CONCATENATE( "The Promotion Percent must be between ",
@CONCATENATE( @CalcMgrDoubleToString(@ROUND( "Promotion Type 1 Minimum Increase Percent"->"No Employee"->"NoBusinessUnit"->"NoOperatingUnit"-->"NoDepartment"->"NoEmployeeType"->"NoProject"->"NoProduct"->"BegBalance" * 100, 2 ) ),
@CONCATENATE( " and ", @CalcMgrDoubleToString(@ROUND( "Promotion Type 1 Maximum Increase Percent"->"No Employee"-->"NoBusinessUnit"->"NoOperatingUnit"->"NoDepartment"-->"NoEmployeeType"->"NoProject"->"NoProduct"->"BegBalance" * 100, 2 ) ) ) ) ),ERROR);
-
I have shown you examples of how to use the @RETURN function to add functionality to your business rules to enforce edits and inform the user of the errors. I hope you find this useful.
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