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In modern architectures, business rules are modeled and maintained in central engines. But how can you modify existing rules or develop your own? How can these rules be integrated into the applications? BRFplus is the tool of choice for developing business rules in ABAP. This book introduces BRFplus in all its aspects. It explains the tool´s architecture and how its rules are structured. You will learn how to modify and develop rules, how to incorporate them into your own landscape, and how to extend BRFplus. Including extensive examples and tutorials, this book is a one-stop resource for developers as well as business analysts.

1. BRFplus Walk-Through and Tutorial
Get started with a complete tour through all Workbench tools, follow the development cycle, and learn how to create applications in the Workbench or via the API.

2. Objects
Learn how to define, use, and link objects to each other, and benefit from a comprehensive reference for all object types, such as expressions, actions, and more.

3. Tools, Deployment, and Administration
The book covers the entire development cycle: Imports and exports, transports, administration, as well as remote and local scenarios, are all dealt with in detail.

4. Advanced Topics
Once your applications are deployed, you´ll want to tune them: Find out how to enhance performance, trace processing, extend BRFplus´ functionality, and integrate it into custom user interfaces.

Highlights:

Business rules and business rules management (BRM)
Object management
Objects: functions, data objects, rules and rulesets, expression and action types
Tools and administration
Advanced topics: performance, tracing, extending BRFplus, UI integration
Deployment and methodology

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... Foreword ... 13

... Introduction ... 17

1 ... About Business Rules ... 21

... 1.1 ... Definition ... 21

... 1.2 ... Ubiquity of Business Rules ... 22

... 1.3 ... Business Rule Management Systems ... 23

... 1.4 ... Rule Representation ... 26

... 1.5 ... Application Architecture ... 29

... 1.6 ... Business Rules at SAP ... 32

2 ... BRFplus--a Brief Walk-Through ... 39

... 2.1 ... BRFplus Workbench ... 39

... 2.2 ... Workflow ... 53

... 2.3 ... The Example ... 53

... 2.4 ... Application--Container for BRFplus Objects ... 55

... 2.5 ... Function--Interface Between Code and Rules ... 57

... 2.6 ... Data Object--Data Carriers ... 59

... 2.7 ... Ruleset--Collection of Rules ... 61

... 2.8 ... Rule--Central Entity ... 63

... 2.9 ... Expressions--Computational Units ... 64

... 2.10 ... Actions--Performing Tasks Outside of BRFplus ... 67

... 2.11 ... Catalog--Visualization and Navigation Help ... 68

... 2.12 ... Simulating and Testing Rules ... 69

... 2.13 ... Function Processing and Rules Evaluation ... 72

... 2.14 ... BRFplus Releases ... 73

3 ... Tutorials ... 77

... 3.1 ... Creation of a Pricing Application with the BRFplus Workbench ... 77

... 3.2 ... Creation of a Pricing Application with the API ... 106

4 ... Object Management ... 121

... 4.1 ... Basic Object Handling ... 122

... 4.2 ... Basic Object API ... 130

... 4.3 ... Common Object Settings ... 142

... 4.4 ... Applications ... 157

... 4.5 ... Catalogs ... 164

5 ... Objects ... 169

... 5.1 ... Functions ... 169

... 5.2 ... Data Objects ... 180

... 5.3 ... Rulesets ... 202

... 5.4 ... Rules ... 211

... 5.5 ... Expressions ... 215

... 5.6 ... Actions ... 281

6 ... Tools and Administration ... 297

... 6.1 ... Simulation Tool ... 299

... 6.2 ... XML Export and Import ... 304

... 6.3 ... Web Service Generation Tool ... 314

... 6.4 ... Application Usage Tool ... 318

... 6.5 ... Application Administration Tool ... 321

... 6.6 ... Transport Analysis Tool ... 330
7 ... Advanced ... 337

... 7.1 ... Performance ... 337

... 7.2 ... Tracing ... 347

... 7.3 ... Extending BRFplus ... 369

... 7.4 ... User Interface Integration ... 385

8 ... Deployment ... 399

... 8.1 ... Change and Transport System ... 399

... 8.2 ... Local Scenarios ... 401

... 8.3 ... Remote Scenarios ... 405

9 ... Methodology ... 409

... 9.1 ... Classic Approach to Software Development ... 409

... 9.2 ... Classification of System Building Blocks ... 411

... 9.3 ... Model for Business Rules ... 412

... 9.4 ... Action Plan ... 413

... 9.5 ... Effort Estimation ... 423

... Appendices ... 425

... A ... Formula Functions ... 425

... B ... The Authors ... 431

... Index ... 433

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