Working with Business rules
Working with Business rules
Overview
Business rules (BR) allow to manage sets of parameters used for configuring system objects: flight (inventory, schedule), events (notifications, publication), aircraft layouts, communication with external systems.
Business rules conditions (parameter values) are applied to a specific group of objects.
Business rules allow to avoid re-specifying information each time for each particular system object, while it provides an opportunity to edit only some of the parameters which differ from the BR configuration.
If a user sets a parameter to a value which differs form all existing values among all configured business rules for the object, then a new business rule with specified parameter value is automatically formed.
All parameters are managed via business rules with automatic check for any confronting configurations.
Business rule terms (parameter values) are applied to the selected group of objects.
Business rules automate managing the schedule, flight inventory and booking control. They are an effective tool for the strategic management of a wide range of different settings that apply simultaneously to a variety of objects, depending on the terms specified.
Business rules structure
Business rules structure parameters
Each business rule is defined by the following parameters:
- owner;
- group;
- type;
- criteria;
- content.
BR owner
Business rule owner is a system parameter. It cannot be configured by user.
This parameter defines a list of business rules that are available for a carrier.
Each Carrier manages a block of business rules it owns. The Organization user can manage the rules of several carriers if a corresponding permission is set.
The parameter is a system one and is not editable.
Group
Business rule group defines to which system function a rule is related:
- schedule management rules;
- Inventory management business rules;
- re-accommodation management rules;
- aircraft layouts management rules;
- configuring layout selection rules for downloading schedule from external systems;
- configuring rules for automatic adding ancillaries to PNR.
BR types
Business rule type defines a parameter or action which is managed through a business rule.
Each group contains a set of types.
BR criteria
Each business rule type contains criteria which define in which cases this business rule should be applied to the object. There are mandatory and additional criteria for each business rule type.
A set of criteria differs from BR type. The following criteria are the same for all BR types:
- operating airline — ID of carrier which is performing a flight;
- fight number of flight group number;
- departure point;
- destination point;
- period — start and end dates of the BR validity;
 |
It is allowed to set the period that begins from yesterday. |
- frequency — flights operation frequency, for which the BR is applied;
- cycle — flights operation cycle, for which the BR is applied.
|
Business rules search by «Departure point» and «Arrival point» is held out according to the physical annexing of the object or its part (smaller geographical object) into the specified object. E.g., if you search business rules for flight that depart from Paris, then business rules for “World”, “France”, “Paris”, “Charles de Gaulle Airport” and corresponding markets (e.g. “world except Berlin”, “USA except New York” etc.) will be found. |
Business rule search is held out via different criteria depending on a business rule type.
Depending on the type of business rules chosen, the search can also be performed using other criteria, for example:
- aircraft type;
- receiving flights;
- cabin type;
- type of participation in a codeshare agreement;
- minimum and maximum departure time, etc.
Table — BR criteria
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin |
|
| Destination |
|
| Cabin | Cabin list (Latin characters separated by commas) |
| Operating Airline | Carrier code (specific ID, list of IDs or All) |
| Flight / Group |
|
| Start Date |
Rule start date:
|
| End Date |
Rule due date:
|
| Frequency | Value is set using the Calendar widget |
| Aircraft type | Aircraft code as three digits |
| Minimum Departure Time |
Value (HH.MM):
|
| Maximum Departure Time |
Value (HH.MM):
|
| Minimum Duration |
Value (HH.MM):
|
| Maximum Duration |
Value (HH.MM):
|
| External System | External system code |
| Codeshare |
Codeshare agreement type:
|
| Booking class | Booking class list separated by commas |
| Actions | Action to be performed with the system object |
BR content
Conditions in which BR is applied to the object is BR content. Value of modifiable BR parameter is defined by BR content.
If modifiable BR parameter is applied on segment level then BR search is performed among flights carried out with aircraft type that is used on the first leg in segment. This scheme works for all segments including long ones where aircraft type may be changed en route.
Business rule weight
If several BR with similar parameters values are created for one flight, BR “weight” is used to decide which of them will be assigned. Only one BR with the highest “weight” will be assigned.
The more specific criteria is specified in the business rule, the higher BR “weight” it will have.
Numerical values of criteria listed in Table 2 are used for calculating BR “weight”.
Table — BR “weight”
| Criteria | BR Weight |
|---|---|
| Flight / flight group | 64 |
| Flight direction | 32 |
| Codeshare type | 16 |
| Frequency | 8 |
| Aircraft type | 4 |
| Departure time | 2 |
| Flight duration | 1 |
If several criteria in a business rule are specified, “weight” is calculated for each criteria and the final “weight” sum is compared for business rules which are to be assigned to a specific flight.
Example: There is a BR in which flight criteria is set (weight 64). In another BR frequency criteria is set for the same flight (weight 8). The first BR will be applied as it hat higher weight.
It is not permitted to use business rules with the relevant criteria intersection during one flight schedule period.
Business rules: How It Works
Business rules apply to flights differently, depending on the group.
"Schedule" group business rules are automatically applied at the time they are saved to the flights created in the system that match the criteria (flight number, performance period, etc.). This changes the configuration of the flight, so it is necessary to be especially careful when creating business rules that concern the operational flights. When saving a rule, a list of flights the configuration of which will be changed as a result of saving the rule is displayed in an individual preview window. If there are several rules in the system having different parameters and suitable for the same flights, then the rule with the highest weight shall be applied to the flight.
If changes are made to the flight parameters supported by business rules, then when the schedule is saved, the corresponding new business rules with the greatest weight are automatically created for the specific flight number.
If, while saving the rules, previously created rules with the same weight are found for the same flights, but with different parameters, and criteria of these rules conflict (that is, they cannot be simultaneously applied to flights), then in the preview the rules conflicting to the created ones are displayed. If a new rule is saved that conflicts with one of the previously created ones, the last created rule will be saved in the system, and the old one will be deleted.
At the time of creation, the created business rules of the “Schedules” group that suit the criteria for the created flight are automatically applied to new flights; however, if values different from the ones set by the rules are manually set for a new flight, they are prioritized higher and saved, only if the values specified by the business rules were not set by default by clicking the “Rules” button in the flight creation form.
Unlike the business rules of the “Schedule” group, "Inventory" group business rules are applied only to the inventory of the flights being created or already created at the user's request, and not automatically. When saving the business rules of the “Inventory ” group, it is possible to choose which flights they will apply to. It is possible to save a created business rule without applying it. If the configuration of the flight inventory are changed manually, they are prioritized higher than business rule settings, so the manual configuration is saved on the flight.
You can apply the “Inventory ” group's business rule to operational flights using a mass operation or by selecting Actions → Apply BR on the inventory screen. Conditions of business rules that match the criteria, created in the system (flight number, route, period, etc.), will be applied to the flight.
Detailed information on managing each group business rules is provided in the sections:
- "Schedule" group business rules
- "Inventory" group business rules
- "Re-accommodation" group business rules
- "Seats" group business rules