Building Multi-Condition Validation Rules: Understanding Independent Condition Evaluation
Introduction
Real-world business rules often require checking multiple validations on the same transaction. A single sales order might need credit limit validation, discount approval checks, pricing verification, and inventory availability confirmation—each representing a distinct business rule that should be evaluated independently.
Traditional code-based implementations combine multiple checks into complex nested IF statements, creating tangled logic that's difficult to maintain, test, and modify. When one business rule changes, developers must untangle the entire conditional structure.
QUALIA Rule Engine's multi-condition architecture provides a fundamentally different approach: independent condition evaluation. Rather than combining conditions with AND/OR logic, each condition represents a separate business rule that's evaluated independently. This design makes rules easier to understand, maintain, and modify—business users can see exactly which validations apply without deciphering complex boolean logic.
This comprehensive guide explains how QUALIA's two-tier validation model works (Scenarios and Conditions), why conditions are independent rather than combined, how multiple conditions can trigger on the same transaction, practical patterns for complex validation scenarios, and strategies for testing and optimizing multi-condition rule sets.
Understanding QUALIA's Independent Condition Model
The Fundamental Principle: No AND/OR Between Conditions
Critical concept: QUALIA Rule Engine does NOT combine conditions with AND or OR operators. Each condition is an independent business rule that is evaluated separately.
How it actually works:
Example transaction:
The Two-Tier Architecture: Scenarios and Conditions
QUALIA uses a two-tier validation model:
Tier 1: Scenarios (Pre-filter with AND logic)
Placeholders Used in These Scenarios:
[36:1]- Sales Header (Table 36): Document Type (Field 1) - Filters to order documents[36:109]- Sales Header (Table 36): Amount Including VAT (Field 109) - Order total amount[18:39]- Customer (Table 18): Blocked (Field 39) - Customer blocked status
Tier 2: Conditions (Independent business rules)
Placeholders Used in These Conditions:
[18:61]- Customer (Table 18): Balance (Field 61) - Current customer balance[36:109]- Sales Header (Table 36): Amount Including VAT (Field 109) - Order amount[18:59]- Customer (Table 18): Credit Limit (Field 59) - Maximum credit allowed{[18:61] + [36:109]}- Calculated expression: Total exposure (balance + order)[37:11]- Sales Line (Table 37): Line Discount % (Field 11) - Discount percentage[36:64]- Sales Header (Table 36): Payment Terms Code (Field 64) - Order payment terms[18:27]- Customer (Table 18): Payment Terms Code (Field 27) - Customer default payment terms
Why Independent Conditions?
Clarity and maintainability:
vs. Combined approach (traditional coding):
Benefits of independent conditions:
All violations reported - User sees every problem
Clear ownership - Each rule has specific purpose
Easy modification - Add/remove rules independently
Better messages - Each condition has focused error text
Independent testing - Test each validation separately
QUALIA Rule Engine Multi-Condition Syntax
Scenarios: AND Logic for Pre-Filtering
Multiple scenarios combined with AND:
Placeholders Used in These Scenarios:
[37:1]- Sales Line (Table 37): Document Type (Field 1) - Filters to order type[37:15]- Sales Line (Table 37): Quantity (Field 15) - Line quantity[37:11]- Sales Line (Table 37): Line Discount % (Field 11) - Discount percentage
Conditions: Independent Evaluation
Multiple independent conditions:
Placeholders Used in These Conditions:
[18:CustomCustomerAge]- Customer (Table 18): Custom Customer Age Field - Days since customer created[18:59]- Customer (Table 18): Credit Limit (Field 59) - Maximum credit allowed[18:35]- Customer (Table 18): Country/Region Code (Field 35) - Customer country
AND Logic Within a Single Condition
Multiple criteria in one condition's formula:
OR Logic Within Formulas and Scenarios
OR within a single scenario or condition:
Important: This is OR within a single condition's filter expression, not OR between separate conditions.
Real-World Multi-Condition Patterns
Pattern 1: Multiple Independent Validations
Business scenario: "Sales order requires multiple separate checks"
Credit Limit: $[18:59] Current Balance: $[18:61] This Order: $[36:109] Total Exposure: $([18:61] + [36:109]) Overage: $([18:61] + [36:109] - [18:59]) Percentage Over: (([18:61] + [36:109] - [18:59]) / [18:59] * 100)%
Cannot proceed. Require:
Payment to reduce balance, or
Credit limit increase from Credit Manager, or
Prepayment for this order
Contact Credit Department at ext. 3000."
Rule 2: Block if Over Limit (Standard) Scenario 1: {[18:61] + [36:109]} is >[18:59] Scenario 2: {[18:61] + [36:109]} is <={[18:59] * 1.5} Scenario 3: [18:CustomVIPCustomer] is false Scenario 4: [36:CustomPrepaid] is false Scenario 5: [18:CustomApprovedCreditExtension] is false // Over limit but less than 50%, no exception criteria met Action: Error - "Order exceeds credit limit.
Customer: [18:2] Credit Limit: $[18:59] Current Balance: $[18:61] This Order: $[36:109] Total Exposure: $([18:61] + [36:109]) Overage: $([18:61] + [36:109] - [18:59])
Exception options:
Prepay this order (set Prepaid flag), or
Request temporary credit extension, or
Reduce order amount to $([18:59] - [18:61]) or less
Contact Credit Department for credit extension approval."
Rule 3: Warning for VIP Customers Over Limit Scenario 1: {[18:61] + [36:109]} is >[18:59] Scenario 2: [18:CustomVIPCustomer] is true // VIP customers get warning, not block Action: Warning - "VIP customer credit limit exceeded.
Customer: [18:2] (VIP) Credit Limit: $[18:59] Total Exposure: $([18:61] + [36:109]) Overage: $([18:61] + [36:109] - [18:59])
VIP customers can exceed credit limit, but review recommended. Confirm you want to proceed with this order."
Rule 4: Small Order Exception Scenario 1: {[18:61] + [36:109]} is >[18:59] Scenario 2: [36:109] is <1000 Scenario 3: {[18:61] + [36:109]} is <={[18:59] * 1.1} // Over limit but order under $1K and total within 10% of limit Action: Warning - "Small order exception: Credit limit exceeded but order under $1,000 and total exposure within 10% of limit. Confirm to proceed."
Rule Set: VOLUME-DISCOUNT-ELIGIBILITY Trigger Table: 37 (Sales Line) Trigger Event: Before Insert, Before Modify Linked Tables: Sales Header (36), Customer (18), Item (27)
Scenarios:
[37:1] is 'Order'
[37:11] is >25 // Discount over 25%
Rule: Volume Discount Eligibility Check Condition: [37:11] is >25 AND NOT ( ([37:15] is >=100) OR // High quantity ([18:CustomCustomerTier] is 'Enterprise') OR // Enterprise customer ([18:CustomYTDPurchases] is >=250000) OR // High annual volume ([27:CustomCategory] is 'Clearance') OR // Clearance item ([36:CustomPromotionalOrder] is true) // Promotional order ) // Discount over 25% but doesn't meet any qualifying criteria
Action: Error - "Discount [37:11]% requires volume discount qualification.
Current order does NOT meet volume discount criteria: ❌ Quantity: [37:15] (requires 100+) ❌ Customer Tier: [18:CustomCustomerTier] (requires Enterprise) ❌ YTD Purchases: $[18:CustomYTDPurchases] (requires $250K+) ❌ Product Category: [27:CustomCategory] (Clearance allowed) ❌ Promotional Order: [36:CustomPromotionalOrder] (not flagged)
To qualify for discounts over 25%, meet at least ONE of:
Order quantity 100+ units
Enterprise customer tier
YTD purchases $250,000+
Clearance item category
Approved promotional order
Reduce discount to 25% or less, or adjust order to meet qualification criteria."
Rule Set: POSTING-PERIOD-VALIDATION Trigger Table: 81 (Gen. Journal Line) Trigger Event: Before Insert Linked Tables: G/L Account (15)
Scenarios:
[81:5] is <>'<>' // Posting date exists
Rule: Posting Date Outside Allowed Period Scenario 1: [15:CustomAllowHistoricalPosting] is false Scenario 2: [81:CustomCFOApproval] is false
Condition 1: [81:5] is <'2024-01-01' Condition 2: [81:5] is >'2024-12-31' // Date before or after current year // Account doesn't allow historical posting and no CFO approval
Action: Error - "Posting date outside allowed period.
Posting Date: [81:5] Current Period: 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31 Account: [15:3] ([15:1])
This account does not allow historical posting without CFO approval.
To proceed:
Change posting date to current period (2024), or
Request CFO approval for historical posting, or
Use account that allows historical entries
Contact Accounting Manager at ext. 4000 for guidance."
Rule Set: ORDER-RELEASE-VALIDATION Trigger Table: 36 (Sales Header) Trigger Event: Before Release (custom trigger) Linked Tables: Customer (18), Salesperson (13)
Rule: Order Release Requirements Condition: [36:CustomStatus] is <>'Approved' AND NOT ( ([18:CustomAutoApprove] is true AND [36:109] is <5000) OR ([13:CustomReleaseAuthority] is true) OR ([36:CustomManagerOverride] is true) ) // Status not approved, and doesn't meet auto-approval criteria
Action: Error - "Order cannot be released without approval.
Order: [36:3] Status: [36:CustomStatus] (requires 'Approved') Customer: [18:2] Amount: $[36:109] Salesperson: [13:2]
Auto-approval criteria NOT met: Customer Auto-Approve: [18:CustomAutoApprove] (requires true for orders <$5K) Order Amount: $[36:109] (requires <$5,000 for auto-approve) Salesperson Release Authority: [13:CustomReleaseAuthority] (requires true) Manager Override: [36:CustomManagerOverride] (requires true)
To release this order:
Submit for manager approval, or
Request salesperson release authority, or
Reduce order below $5,000 for auto-approve customer
Current approval status: [36:CustomApprovalStatus]"
Rule Set: ITEM-AVAILABILITY-VALIDATION Trigger Table: 37 (Sales Line) Trigger Event: Before Insert Linked Tables: Sales Header (36), Item (27), Location (14)
Rule: Out of Stock Complex Validation Scenario 1: [27:18] is <[37:15] // Inventory < order qty Scenario 2: [27:CustomAllowBackorder] is false // Backorder not allowed Scenario 3: [36:CustomLocation] is <>[27:CustomMainWarehouse] // Not main warehouse Scenario 4: [14:CustomAllowTransfer] is false // Location doesn't allow transfer Scenario 5: [27:CustomHasSubstitute] is false // No substitute available Scenario 6: [37:CustomCustomerApprovedWait] is false // Customer hasn't approved wait // Complex out-of-stock scenario with no resolution options
Action: Error - "Item not available and no fulfillment options.
Item: [27:3] - [27:Description] Requested Quantity: [37:15] Available at [36:CustomLocation]: [27:18] Shortage: ([37:15] - [27:18])
Fulfillment options evaluated: ❌ Backorder: Not allowed for this item ❌ Main Warehouse: Requires location [27:CustomMainWarehouse], order is [36:CustomLocation] ❌ Transfer: Location [36:CustomLocation] doesn't allow transfers ❌ Substitute: No substitute item configured ❌ Customer Wait: Customer hasn't approved wait time
Cannot fulfill this order as configured. Options:
Change location to [27:CustomMainWarehouse] (main warehouse)
Reduce quantity to [27:18] (available stock)
Select substitute item (if acceptable to customer)
Request customer approval for backorder/wait
Contact Warehouse Manager at ext. 6000 for stock status."
Rule: Margin Below Target on Large Orders Scenario 1: {[37:15] * [37:22]} is >10000 // Line value > $10K
Condition: {([37:22] - [27:22]) / [37:22] * 100} is <15 // Margin percentage < 15%
Calculation 1: {([37:22] - [27:22]) / [37:22] * 100} = (Unit Price - Unit Cost) / Unit Price * 100 = Margin percentage
Calculation 2: {[37:15] * [37:22]} = Quantity * Unit Price
= Line value
Use Scenario to filter for high-value lines first, then check margin.
Rule: Suspicious Pricing Detection Scenario 1: [27:CustomCategory] is <>'Special Order' // Not special order
Condition 1: [37:22] is <{[27:22] * 0.5} // Price less than 50% of cost - severe underpricing
Condition 2: [37:22] is >{[27:22] * 10} // Price more than 10x cost - severe overpricing
This catches:
Severe underpricing (selling at <50% of cost)
Severe overpricing (charging >10x cost)
Likely data entry errors
Rule: Rush Order Validation Scenario 1: [36:76] is <{[TODAY] + 3} // Delivery < 3 days Scenario 2: [36:CustomPriority] is <>'Rush' // Not flagged rush Scenario 3: [36:109] is <500 // Order value < $500 Scenario 4: [18:CustomRushApproved] is false // Customer not rush-approved // All scenarios must match - short delivery time but not properly authorized
Action: Error - "Rush delivery requires authorization.
Requested Delivery: [36:76] Today: [TODAY] Days Until Delivery: {[36:76] - [TODAY]}
Rush delivery (3 days or less) requires:
Order flagged as 'Rush' priority, AND
Order value $500+ OR customer pre-approved for rush
Current order: Priority: [36:CustomPriority] Value: $[36:109] Customer Rush Approved: [18:CustomRushApproved]
To proceed:
Change priority to 'Rush' (may incur rush fees)
Adjust delivery date to [TODAY + 4] or later
Increase order value to $500+ for rush qualification"
Rule: Standard Customer Restrictions Condition: NOT([18:CustomCustomerTier] in ['VIP','Enterprise','Government']) AND [36:109] is >25000 // Customer is NOT (VIP or Enterprise or Government) // AND order is over $25K
Action: Warning - "Large order for standard customer.
Customer: [18:2] Tier: [18:CustomCustomerTier] (Standard) Order Amount: $[36:109]
Orders over $25,000 typically reserved for VIP, Enterprise, or Government customers. Standard customers may require:
Credit verification
Deposit or prepayment
Manager approval
Verify order is appropriate for standard customer tier."
Rule Set: CASCADING-DISCOUNT-VALIDATION
Rule 1: Universal Discount Limit (Broadest) Priority: 10 Condition: [37:11] is >50 Action: Error - "Discount cannot exceed 50% under any circumstances."
Rule 2: Premium Product Limit (More Specific) Priority: 20 Scenario 1: [27:CustomCategory] is 'Premium' Scenario 2: [37:11] is >20 Action: Error - "Premium products limited to 20% discount."
Rule 3: New Customer Limit (Even More Specific) Priority: 30 Condition: [18:CustomCustomerAge] is <90 AND [27:CustomCategory] is 'Premium' AND [37:11] is >10 Action: Error - "New customers limited to 10% on premium products."
Evaluation:
Rule 1 catches extreme discounts (>50%) on anything
Rule 2 catches premium product over-discounting (>20%)
Rule 3 catches new customer premium over-discounting (>10%)
Priority ensures most specific rule evaluated last and takes precedence.
Rule Set: COMPLEX-VALIDATION Scenarios: (none)
Rule: Complex Check Condition: Multiple AND operators combining different field checks // All logic in condition, evaluated for EVERY sales line // THIS IS WRONG - should use Scenarios instead
Performance: Evaluates complex condition on every single line insertion
Rule Set: COMPLEX-VALIDATION Scenarios:
[37:1] is 'Order' // Filter 80% of transactions
[37:15] is >100 // Filter another 15%
[37:11] is >20 // Filter another 4%
Rule: Complex Check Condition: [27:CustomCategory] is 'Premium' AND [18:CustomCustomerTier] is 'VIP' // Only complex checks remain in condition
Performance: Scenarios filter out 99% of transactions before complex evaluation
INDEPENDENT EVALUATION: Condition 1: [18:CustomCountry] is 'US' // Checked independently Condition 2: [37:15] is >1000 // Checked independently
Condition 3: [27:CustomCategory] is 'Premium' // Checked independently
All three are evaluated regardless of order. If Condition 1 TRUE → its actions execute If Condition 2 TRUE → its actions execute If Condition 3 TRUE → its actions execute
No "ordering" needed - they're separate rules.
Better (use scenarios for AND logic): Scenario 1: [37:15] is >1000 Scenario 2: [18:CustomCountry] is 'US' // Quantity > 1000 AND Country is US
This uses scenarios for AND logic (both must pass). More efficient and clearer than combining in one condition.
Linked Tables: Customer (18), Item (27), Salesperson (13), Location (14), Price Group (6)
Scenario 1: [18:2] is <>'' Scenario 2: [27:3] is <>'' Scenario 3: [13:1] is <>'' Scenario 4: [14:1] is <>'' Scenario 5: [6:1] is <>'' // Validates all 5 linked tables exist
Linked Tables: Customer (18), Item (27)
Condition: [18:CustomVIPCustomer] is true AND [27:CustomPremium] is true // Only links tables actually needed for this rule
Rule Set: SALES-ORDER-VALIDATION Scenarios (shared by all conditions):
[36:1] is 'Order'
[36:109] is >0
Condition 1: Credit Limit Check Formula: [18:61] + [36:109] is >[18:59] Action: Error "Credit limit exceeded"
Condition 2: Discount Authorization Formula: [36:176] / [36:109] is >0.15 Action: Error "Discount requires approval"
Condition 3: Payment Terms Validation Formula: [36:64] is <>[18:27] Action: Warning "Payment terms changed"
Benefits:
Scenarios evaluated once for all three conditions
Linked tables accessed once
Easier to maintain related rules together
Rule Set 1: CREDIT-CHECK (evaluates scenarios, links tables) Rule Set 2: DISCOUNT-CHECK (evaluates scenarios again, links tables again) Rule Set 3: PAYMENT-CHECK (evaluates scenarios again, links tables again)
Inefficient - same work done three times.
Multiple simpler rules:
Testing Multi-Condition Rules
Test Case Matrix Approach
For rule: (A AND B) OR (C AND D)
Test # | A | B | C | D | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | T | T | T | T | PASS (both branches true) |
2 | T | T | F | F | PASS (first branch true) |
3 | F | F | T | T | PASS (second branch true) |
4 | T | F | T | T | PASS (second branch true) |
5 | T | F | F | F | FAIL (neither branch) |
6 | F | F | F | F | FAIL (neither branch) |
7 | F | T | T | F | FAIL (neither branch complete) |
Boundary Condition Testing
For numeric ranges:
Edge Case Testing
Null/blank values:
Real Data Testing
Use production-like data:
Common Multi-Condition Pitfalls
Pitfall 1: Trying to Use AND/OR Between Conditions
Problem: Expecting conditions to be combined with boolean operators
Solution: Use scenarios for AND logic, or combine criteria in single condition
Pitfall 2: Expecting Conditions to Short-Circuit
Problem: Assuming if Condition 1 triggers error, Condition 2 won't be checked
Solution: This is actually a benefit - users see all problems at once
Pitfall 3: Overcomplicated Single Condition Formula
Problem: Trying to put too much logic in one condition
Solution: Break into multiple independent conditions
Pitfall 4: Forgetting Null/Blank Handling
Problem:
Solution: Explicitly handle null/blank cases
Conclusion
Multi-condition validation in QUALIA Rule Engine is based on independent condition evaluation, not boolean logic between conditions. This architectural choice makes rules clearer, more maintainable, and ensures users see all validation issues at once.
Key principles:
Independent conditions: Each condition is a separate business rule that's evaluated independently
All conditions checked: No short-circuit evaluation - all conditions are evaluated
Scenarios use AND: Multiple scenarios combined with AND logic for pre-filtering
Actions execute when TRUE: If condition evaluates to TRUE, all linked actions execute
Multiple can trigger: Multiple conditions can trigger on the same transaction
Test systematically: Test each condition independently and in combination
Optimize with scenarios: Use scenarios to filter transactions before complex condition evaluation
Document clearly: Each condition should have clear business rationale and purpose
Multi-condition patterns covered:
Multiple independent validations: Separate business rules in same rule set
Complex formulas: AND/OR within single condition's filter expression
Scenario filtering: AND logic to determine rule set applicability
Cross-table validation: Conditions referencing linked table data
Conditional actions: Different actions for different conditions
Implementation success factors:
Understand that conditions are independent, not combined with AND/OR
Use scenarios for AND logic (all must pass for conditions to run)
Put AND/OR logic within individual condition formulas when needed
Test each condition separately and verify all can trigger together
Monitor validation logs to see which conditions trigger
Document each condition's business purpose clearly
By understanding QUALIA's independent condition model, you'll build robust validation rules that accurately enforce business policies while providing clear feedback to users about all validation issues they need to address.
Related Reading:
Scenarios vs. Conditions: Understanding the Two-Tier Validation Model
Performance Tuning Your Business Rules: Optimization Strategies
Testing Business Rules: Comprehensive Testing Approaches
Writing Effective Error Messages for Complex Validation
Understanding Trigger Events: Choosing the Right Execution Point
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