Business rule lifecycle

Whenever you deploy a rule in the production server, Guidewire recommends that you export the rule from the production server and import it back to the development and testing servers. Always make changes on the development server and move the rule to testing then to production. If you always export the deployed rule from production back to development, the version number and rule status on development stays synchronized with the production server.

For example, you create a new rule; the version is 0+. The version stays the same as you move it from development to testing, and then to production. Whenever you deploy the rule on the production server, the version number increases to 1. You export the rule from production back to the development server. Now on both development and production servers, the rule version is 1. On the development, you make changes to version 1. Whenever you import the rule through testing to production and deploy it, the rule version becomes 2.

The following table shows how rule version and status change as you export and import it from development, testing, and production servers.

Action

Development

Testing

Production

1.

Create a new rule.

0+ (Draft)

2.

Edit rule and save it. Repeat several times.

0+ (Draft)

3.

Rule is ready for testing. Promote to Staged status.

0+ (Staged)

4.

Export rule and import to testing server.

0+ (Staged)

5.

Rule passes testing. Promote to Approved status.

0+ (Approved)

6.

Export rule and import to production server.

0+ (Approved)

7.

Deploy the rule. The version number increases from 0 to 1.

1 (Evaluated)

8.

Export rule and import back to development and testing servers.

1

1

9.

Edit rule.

1+ (Draft)

10.

Ready for testing, promote to Staged.

1+ (Staged)

11.

Export and import to testing server.

1+ (Staged)

12.

Testing passed. Promoted to Approved.

1+ (Approved)

13.

Export and import to production.

1+ (Approved)

14.

Deploy. The version number increases from 1 to 2.

2 (Evaluated)

15.

Export rule and import back to development and testing servers.

2

2

Guidewire does not require that you move the rule back to development before making changes. However, if you do not export a deployed rule back to the development server, the version number on the development server does not correspond to the version on production. For example, if you never export the rule back to development, the version number stays at 0+ on the development server, and increases each time you deploy it on production.

The following table shows rule version and status change for the same rule, except that you do not export the rule from production to development.

Action

Development

Testing

Production

1.

Create a new rule.

0+ (Draft)

2.

Edit rule and save it. Repeat several times.

0+ (Draft)

3.

Rule is ready for testing. Promote to Staged status.

0+ (Staged)

4.

Export rule and import to testing server.

0+ (Staged)

5.

Rule passes testing. Promote to Approved status.

0+ (Approved)

6.

Export rule and import to production server.

0+ (Approved)

7.

Deploy the rule. The version number increases from 0 to 1.

1 (Evaluated)

8.

Rule requires updates. On development server, edit rule and save. Repeat several times.

0+ (Draft)

9.

Ready for testing, promote to Staged.

0+ (Staged)

10.

Export and import to testing server.

0+ (Staged)

11.

Testing passed. Promoted to Approved.

0+ (Approved)

12.

Export and import to production. The version number increases because the rule version currently on the production server is 1 (Evaluated). The rule being imported has changes built on top of that version, so the version becomes 1+. If changes to the rule have also been made on production server, you must resolve the conflict manually on import.

1+ (Approved)

13.

Deploy. The version number increases from 1 to 2.

2 (Evaluated)