Group rules
Group rules define the logic that determines which users are included in a user group. A group rule evaluates user profile data and automatically includes or excludes users from a group based on the rule criteria.
You can create a group rule in the Rule Builder.
Rule Builder
Use the group rule builder to manage group rules for your organization's user groups.
Group rules consist of basic elements that form a logical expression. You can create and modify a group rule by combining rule elements, conditions, database fields, operators, and values to control user inclusion and exclusion. For example, a group rule can target users whose role contains supervisor or manager, and whose division is sales or marketing.
You can run your group rules through a validator to find and fix errors in logic.
Conditions and sub-conditions
A condition sets the limits on the way the data is combined. It can either include or exclude data. Sub-conditions are used to qualify conditions.
- Match All: The user must meet all the conditions that follow.
- Match Any: The use must meet one or more of the conditions that follow.
- Match None: The user isn't required to meet any of the conditions that follow. Therefore, the conditions that follow are exceptions.
You can also use the general conditions as sub-conditions to further refine a rule.
- To add a condition, click the icon.
- To add sub-condition, click the icon.
- To alter a condition or a sub-condition, click the condition or sub-condition and select an option.
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To clear a rule, click .
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To delete a sub-condition, click .
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To refresh a condition or sub-condition, click .
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To save the new group rule, click .
Field selection
Field selection defines a single piece of data that is combined with the condition as the basis of a rule. For example, you can use age, start date, region to define a rule. All fields that a user can select as part of a condition are pulled from the T_cusGroupConfig table.
The table is populated with user information through the SSO or census upload.
For example, you can create a rule that combines a condition with the Age, State, and Job Title fields.
Values
The value is the variable that is associated with the field. For example, manager and employee are values of the Role field.
For example, you can create a rule that combines a condition with the State field, with the value CA, which specifies residents of California.
Operators
Operators express the relationship between the field and the value. For example, a role that is equal to a particular value. Fields with values that are numbers, text, and dates each use distinct sets of operators, so the available operators for numbers are different than the available operators for strings or text.
By combining a condition, fields, values, and operators, you can begin a group rule. For example, you can create a group that includes employees over 55 from California whose job title does not include the word "manager."
Example of a group rule with Rule Builder components
| Condition | Field | Operator | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Match All | Role1 | Contains | Supervisor, Manager |
| Division | Contains | Sales | |
| Match None | State | Is Equal To | PA |
In this example, members of the group include employees who are supervisors or managers within the Sales Division, and from any state except Pennsylvania. The generated rule is //Users[(contains(role1, 'Supervisor, Manager')) and (contains(division, 'Sales')) and not (state = 'PA")].
Group rule validation
When you save a group rule, validation is performed. Validation is most valuable to administrators who input or maintain group rules in the Rule field directly instead of using the Rule Builder.
Group rules are validated using these standard validation criteria:
- Correct rule syntax
- Usage of standard fields and buttons
When a group rule does not pass standard validation, a warning message is displayed. This message enables the administrator to acknowledge the warning and save the group rule or to cancel the save and address the invalid elements.
The Group Rules Builder has limitations. If a rule does not meet certain criteria, the Group Rule Builder triggers a validation message, indicating that the rule cannot be written using the Rule Builder. The Group Rule Builder validates using these criteria:
- Standard validation criteria
- Substring and string-length functions not used
- A maximum of three conditions per rule
Troubleshooting group rules
If a field isn't configured properly, then it's not displayed in the rule builder.
Issues that are related to conditions are prevalent when changes are made during implementation and maintenance. Contact your CSM for assistance.