2562069 - Scenario based business rules for MDF objects, Parameters, Limitations and other information about custom MDF Business Rule configuration scenario

This KBA explains and lists Common Known Issues & Limitations about custom MDF Business Rule configuration scenario. It will also include:

• [Error: could not access: jobInfo; since missing instance of jobInfo]
• How to populate data from EC portlets to an MDF object?
• How to retrieve job information data from EC into MDF object?
• How to fetch personal information data from EC into MDF object?
• How to populate employment information data from EC into MDF object?

Image/data in this KBA is from SAP internal systems, sample data, or demo systems. Any resemblance to real data is purely coincidental.

• SAP SuccessFactors HCM Suite
• Metadata framework (MDF)

When creating a business rule for a custom MDF object, it is not recommended to use more than one parameters to the rule. Configuring the parameters referencing to the standard objects (Job Information, Employment Information, Personal Information and Context parameter) or "Context" is not supported.

• For full list of supported rule parameters, please refer to: Functions A-Z | SAP Help Portal
• Possible use cases for MDF rule scenarios: MDF Rule Scenario Use Cases | SAP Help Portal

NOTE: We strongly recommend customers to create MDF scenario based rules. In that case you can see yourself whether the rule is assigned or not. It will also avoid issues due to incorrect parameters because in MDF scenario based rules, the parameters are automatically created by the rule scenario and cannot be changed.

Below is the sample screenshot of an incorrect rule to retrieve data from EC related portlets.

See: We strongly recommend customers to create MDF scenario based rules

The correct way to retrieve data from EC portlets into an MDF object is using a field that is defined as User data type that should be available on the referenced base object. (means custom MDF object if you're attaching the rule on it)

The screenshot below, describes how this can be done correctly.

Likewise, if you want to retrieve data from the Employment Information or Personal Information, you can use the User type field from your object and navigate to Employment Information or Personal Information.

Common Known Issues & Limitations about custom MDF Business Rule configuration scenario:

1. Please do not use OnSave business rules to update system fields, such as effectiveStartDate and effectiveEndDate, Adding such rules configurations can lead to errors and data corruption. We suggest adding Validate rules to check if the value of such fields meets your business requirement. For more details please refer to 3452058
   

2. OnInit Business rule only work for CREATE Operation scenario, means Initialize rules are only executed for new MDF record. For more details please refer to Provide Default Values | SAP Help Portal

3. Business rules can be created to fetch/synchronize data from standard EC objects and store that on custom MDF objects fields. But the vice versa - (Data flow from custom MDF objects to standard EC objects) is not supported.
4. Custom MDF Objects can't fetch/synchronize with another Custom MDF Objects. This is not supported.
5. Data flow from EP portlets or Background elements to MDF portlets is not supported.
6. For MDF object based rule, triggering point should be that MDF object only. (event can be Initialize(Only the fields from EC objects won't be fetched), onChange or Save etc). If you have attached rule on ABC object, please do not expect it to update values or properties of some other object XYZ.
7. As of now, the rule engine does not traverse to successive child record in one to many association after executing on first child record. Hence to calculate the sum of a field value from various or all child records is not a supported operation.
8. If you want to get the values from 2nd or 3rd composite child record then that has to be done using a collection filter and that would be an Implementation request. Not something under the purview of support team.
9. There are limitations when it comes to fetching the Information from "Dependent" object to custom MDF object. When the business rules is executed, the error "Rule "XXXXX" execution failed with error "Rule execution context is null, either because Dependents is not a valid object or Dependents has no corresponding instance RE_Scen="_basic" Caller: com.successfactors.genericobject.app.processor.RulesExecutor.executeRule(RulesExecutor.java:47)" might appear due to the limitation to fetch data from the "dependent" object. 
10. Full concepts and explainations of Rule Parameters please refer to Functions A-Z | SAP Help Portal

• 2676674 - [Custom MDF] The business rules' operation when the data is created via Import in MDF object.
• 2560623 - [Custom MDF]: Triggering alert and notifications for MDF objects.
• 2982477 - How To Propagate HRIS Element Field to Custom MDF Object
• 3452058 - [Script Fix Guideline] - Data Corruption Issue caused by OnSave Rule to set EffectiveStartDate/EffectiveEndDate field Value
  
• 2080138 - How to Propagate fields using Business Rules 
• 2544336 - Custom MDF workflow and its behaviors depending on Pending Data = Yes/ No.
• 2437420 - Which Portlets Support Cross Portlet Business Rules
• Collection Filters

Scenario based rules, MDF business rules, parameters, MDF rule, [Error: could not access: jobInfo; since missing instance of jobInfo], custom MDF, populate, fetch data, retrieve, propagate, cross portlet, dependent , KBA , LOD-SF-MDF-RUL , Custom Oject based Business Rules , LOD-SF-EC-ADM , Admin Tools (EC Core only) , How To