Leveraging the 'Rules Engine' in your Pipeline

Each Pipeline will have its own Rules Engine that can fully automate any process from start to finish. This reduces the amount of manual labor for Admins and allows all users to focus on innovation! 

 

Table of Contents

• Getting Started
• Creating a Rule
• Rule Name
• Event Trigger
• Condition Check
• Perform Action
• Activating / Editing a Rule
• Cloning a Rule
• Deleting a Rule
• Exporting Rules' History
• Important Things to Note!

Getting Started

To access Rules Engine for a Pipeline, navigate to Pipeline Setup > Rules Engine > Rules

Creating a Rule

To create a new Rule, simply select Add Rule.

Alternatively, Rules can be created through the Pipeline Steps View by selecting the ellipses icon within each Step

Once the Rule creator appears, Admins will need to properly configure the Rules as they need. Let's go through that process below.

 

Rule Name

The Rule Name may seem quick to write, but this can help organize your Rules Engine if you need to configure 10+ Rules. We recommend coming up with a naming convention that works for you, try using what the Rule consists of, or where it is in the Pipeline.

Event Trigger

Admins can select certain events to trigger a rule to fire. Depending on the selection, additional criteria will be available to select. These options include:

• Submission of Idea
  • Idea Submitted: When any Idea is submitted
  • Days Since Idea Submission: When any Ideas have hit [x] amount of days since it was submitted
• Interaction With Idea 
  • Idea Edited: When certain changes have been made to the Idea
  • Comment Submitted: When any comment (normal or admin) is made to an idea
  • Vote Submitted: When any vote (chips or normal) is submitted to an idea
  • Action Item Completed: When an action item is completed for a specific idea.
• Movement of an Idea
  • Days in Current Status: When any ideas have hit [x] amount of days in the same status
  • Days in Current Step: The number of days for when an idea is within a specific step*
  • Idea Status Changed: When any idea(s) status is changed
  • Added to Stage: The trigger for when an idea moves to a specific stage*
  • Removed from Stage: The trigger for when an idea is removed from a stage*
  • Added to Step: When any idea is added to a specific step.
  • Removed from Step: When any idea is removed from a specific step
  • Specific Date is: Specific date to trigger the event* 
• Scheduler
  • Commenting Start: When comments are enabled and start working within the timed initiative
  • Days Before Commenting End: Specific number of days before the comments are disabled 
  • Voting Start: Date on when voting begins based on the scheduler
  • Days Before Voting End: Specific number of days before the voting period ends 
  • Submission Start: Date when the submissions start within the initiative 
  • Days Before Submission End: Specific number of days before the submission period ends 

*Annotates the rules logic that is only available in the updated Rules Engine in Beta. 

Condition Check

Second, Admins must select conditions that the Rules Engine will verify are met when the specified event takes place. Admins can select whether the events need to meet "All" or "Any" of the configurable Conditions listed:

Additional Info:

• Category Is / Is Not [X]
• Comment Count Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]
• Days in Current Status Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]
• Days Since Last Step Change Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]*
• Days Since Last Idea Update Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]*
• Days Since Last Comment Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]*
• Days Since Last Vote Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]*
• Days Since Idea Submission Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]
• Votes or Chips Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]*
• Score Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]
• Status Is/ Is Not [X]
• Submitted by Is/Is Not [X]* 
• View Count Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]*
• Visibility Is/ Is Not [X]*
• Added to Stage Is/Is Not [X]* 
• All Action Items for this Idea in the Same Step Are Complete* 
• Rate Submissions Average Rating Is / Is Not / Is Less Than / Is Greater Than [X]*

Submission Form Question:

• • Any Additional Info Is / Is Not [X] (based on type)
  • Any Submission Form Question Is / Is Not [X] (based on type)\
    • This includes Development Fields/Questions
    • Note: Date selector submission form questions are not supported at this time.

*Annotates the rules logic that is only included in the updated rules engine in beta. 

For the example we're following, we are going to specify that only ideas with the 'Business Development' Category will be the idea(s) that activate the Rule to trigger.

Perform Action

Lastly, the Manager must select the Action to take place- options include:

• Edit Idea
  • Change Visibility: Hide / Show the idea
  • Change Status: Change status of the idea
• Move Idea
  • Change Step: Move an idea to another step in the Pipeline.
    • Note: This action will trigger a chain reaction of Rules if new Rules are configured and their criteria are met. This chain reaction will occur up to 5 times to prevent any continuous loops from occurring.
  • Move Idea to Pipeline: automate moving the idea to another pipeline
  • Copy Idea to Pipeline: automate copying the idea to another pipeline
  • Send Idea to Whiteboard: Provide a new or existing Whiteboard*
• Communications
  • Add Public Comment
  • Add Private Comment*
  • Send Email: Send an email to a Brightidea user or group
    • Users may create their own email templates, which can then be selected in the Rules Editor.
  • HTTP Request: Send a POST or GET request to a specified URL
    • See the extended article on this feature: HTTP Requests with Rules Engine (AKA Outgoing Webhooks)
  • Create a New Project Room

*Annotates the rules logic that is only included in the updated rules engine in beta. 

Keeping with the example we presented, we will set our events to change the Status to 'Evaluating' & send an email to two specific users noting the Status change. For this example, please note any subsequent actions may also take a place once a Status is changed

When finished, Admins must select Save.

Activating / Editing Rule(s)

Admins must activate the Rule for it to run in Brightidea. To do this, select the rule, then go to Actions > Change Status.

 

This will now activate the Rule to run when the conditions are met. Admins can also deactivate any Rule(s). Select the Rule to make changes (name, events, conditions, etc) and select Save Rule when finished.

Cloning a Rule

Admins can save a lot of time by "cloning" Rules within the same Pipeline. To clone a Rule, select the Rule in the Rule list, then select Actions > Clone Rule. Admins will be prompted to confirm the cloning.  Select Clone Rule in the pop-up to confirm.

• Note: If an Admin clones an active Rule, the new Rule will also be active.

Once the Rule is cloned, the Admin will see a new entry called "Clone of ____." Admins can then edit the name if needed.

Deleting a Rule

To delete a Rule, select the Rule(s) from the Rule list, then select Actions > Delete Rule. The Admin will be prompted to confirm if they wish to delete the Rule(s). Select Delete Rule to proceed. Once selected, the Rule will no longer appear in the list.

Exporting Rules History

Within the Rules section, Admins can select "Export History" from the Actions menu drop-down on the far right. In the report, it will generate an Excel report that shows the Rules' name, last time a Rule was run, and what it outputted. This can also be selected in the "Actions" menu as well, by selecting "Export History"

Important Things to Note:

• Rules that utilize a Dependent Question in the criteria will only be triggered if the Dependent Question is displayed to the submitter. If the submission does not include the Dependent Question the submission will not meet the criteria for the rule to trigger.
• This is enabled by default for most Brightidea systems. If you are not seeing the updates, it may be due to custom features. Please out to your CSM for more information.
• Each Rules Engine is separated by Pipeline. Admins cannot view all Rules across all Pipelines from a single view.
• Rules run in chronological order of their placement.  (#1 first, #2 next, etc.)
  • If Rule #1 is true, it will run. After the run is complete, the Rules Engine will continue down the list to verify if any other Rules criteria have been met.
• Rules do not run retroactively. They will only run for new Submissions after the Rule is active.
• If the rule triggers a Status change, any respective Status change email notifications configured under Site Setup will be triggered.
• The Rules Engine respects contact email in Pipeline Setup
• The Rule Engine respects the set time zone.
• Rules will run on Hidden Ideas
• Team Submissions will only be relative to the main Idea Submitter of that team.
• An "Idea View" is a direct selection of an Idea, meaning a user must select an Idea and visit the page.
• The number of Comments includes all normal Comments, Comment replies, and Admin Comments.
• The Rules Engine does not respect Group restrictions for sending emails in an Initiative—the email will be sent regardless, so be mindful of any security protocols that may be in place.
• If a Rule is configured to trigger an email when a Submission is added to the first Step, this may conflict with the Idea Import process.
  • Idea Import will trigger the email to be sent before an idea URL link has been generated. If you have a Rule configured for your first Step, we recommend turning off the Rule before the import process begins.
• If a Rule is configured to trigger when all Action Items for the Idea in the same Step have been completed:
  • The rule will not fire if the last outstanding action item is canceled.
  • The rule will fire if an action item is canceled early and there are still other outstanding action items that need to be completed.