Rule Groups & User Assignment

Rule Groups enable you to assign specific business rules to specific users or teams, allowing department-specific rules, role-based validations, and user-group restrictions. This section explains how Rule Groups work, how to configure them, and common organizational patterns.

20.1 Understanding Rule Groups

By default, Business Rule Sets with no Rule Group assignment execute for ALL users in the system. Rule Groups override this default behavior, restricting rule execution to only users who are members of the specified groups.

Why Use Rule Groups: Different users have different responsibilities and work with different data. Sales teams need different validations than purchasing teams. Managers may need different rules than data entry clerks. Rule Groups enable this differentiation.

How Rule Groups Work: Each Business Rule Set can be assigned to one or more Rule Groups. When a database operation occurs, QUALIA Rule Engine checks the current user's Rule Group memberships and only executes rule sets that either have no group assignment (apply to ALL) or include a group the user belongs to.

20.2 Creating Rule Groups

Step 1: Navigate to Rule Groups Page

1. Search for "Rule Groups" in Business Central

2. Open the Rule Groups page

3. This page displays all configured Rule Groups

Step 2: Create New Rule Group

1. Select New to create a new Rule Group

2. Business Central opens the Rule Group Card page

Step 3: Configure Rule Group Properties

1. Rule Group Code: Enter unique identifier (for example, SALES-TEAM, PURCH-DEPT, MANAGERS)

2. Description: Enter descriptive name (for example, "Sales Department Users", "Purchasing Team", "Department Managers")

Step 4: Save Rule Group

Save the Rule Group. You will assign users and rules to it in subsequent steps.

20.3 Assigning Users to Rule Groups

From the Rule Group Card:

1. Open the Rule Group you created

2. Navigate to the Users section (may be a tab or subpage)

3. Add user records by entering User IDs

4. Each user can belong to multiple Rule Groups

User Group Membership Determines Rule Execution: When User JOHN belongs to Rule Groups SALES-TEAM and MANAGERS, he will trigger business rules assigned to either group.

20.4 User-Specific Rule Execution Logic

Execution Decision Tree:

Example Scenario:

Rule Set A: Credit Validation (assigned to SALES-TEAM group)
Rule Set B: Quantity Validation (no group assignment - applies to ALL)
Rule Set C: Manager Approval (assigned to MANAGERS group)

User JOHN (member of SALES-TEAM):

• Rule Set A executes ✓ (member of SALES-TEAM)

• Rule Set B executes ✓ (applies to ALL)

• Rule Set C does NOT execute ✗ (not member of MANAGERS)

User MARY (member of MANAGERS):

• Rule Set A does NOT execute ✗ (not member of SALES-TEAM)

• Rule Set B executes ✓ (applies to ALL)

• Rule Set C executes ✓ (member of MANAGERS)

20.5 Practical Rule Group Scenarios

Pattern 1: Department-Specific Validations

Sales department requires credit checks; Purchasing department requires vendor verification:

Rule Group: SALES-DEPT
Members: Sales users
Rule Sets: Customer credit validation, sales discount approval

Rule Group: PURCH-DEPT
Members: Purchasing users
Rule Sets: Vendor payment terms validation, purchase price thresholds

Pattern 2: Role-Based Rules

Data entry clerks have strict validations; Managers can override:

Rule Group: DATA-ENTRY
Members: Clerks
Rule Sets: Required field validation, strict data quality rules

Rule Group: MANAGERS
Members: Supervisors and managers
Rule Sets: Advisory warnings only (no strict blocks)

Pattern 3: Training Mode

New users get additional guidance messages:

Rule Group: NEW-USERS
Members: Recently hired staff
Rule Sets: Extra help messages, step-by-step guidance, policy reminders

After training period, users are removed from NEW-USERS group.