From Formulas in School to Business Logic: Leveraging Lexium BRF

By default, business logic would end up in scratch spreadsheets or way down in application code. Users might end up using outdated Excel models or dusty scripts written by some clever employee. Spreadsheets are simple to start with, but prove to be a mess to work with large datasets or complex workflows, leading to errors and inefficiency. In the real world, one small typo or misplaced formula can escalate into gigantic errors. Since changing logic without formalized rules is time-consuming and risky, formalizing business practices into explicit business rules allows workflow software to enforce these rules automatically, ensuring decisions are consistent. Rules can, for example, dictate when invoices are to be approved by the executive level. Embedding logic in this way saves both time and money by directing work to the right stakeholders.

Business rules engines (BREs) address these issues by consolidating decision logic into separate platforms. A BRE is an application that enforces business rules in a production runtime environment, utilizing rules derived from policies, regulations, or other sources. Today's BREs focus first on no-code or low-code interfaces to enable subject-matter experts to control rules themselves. No-code is for the purpose of enabling business experts to modify without having to know how to code. In real life, compliance officers or analysts can fine-tune rules through visual tools rather than waiting on IT.

This shift speeds up updates by orders of magnitude: business users can update logic in real-time, while IT manages strategic initiatives. Each change to all rules is versioned and auditable, improving governance. In regulatory environments, a BRE can bring consistency and clarity to decision-making, ensuring compliance.