Business logic
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Business logic refers to the rules used to define the operations and behavior of a business system. It is a set of principles and processes used to define the actions of a system and determine how it should respond to different types of input. Business logic typically resides in the software layer between the user interface and the data layer, and it is responsible for ensuring that any data entered into the system is accurate, valid, and secure.
Business logic can include a variety of different processes, from financial calculations to scheduling and routing. It can also involve making decisions based on user input, or it may involve providing access to certain areas of the system based on the user's role. For example, a business logic layer might restrict access to certain parts of a system to only certain users with specific permissions.
Elements of business logic
Business logic can be implemented in a variety of ways, such as in a database, in custom code, or in a combination of the two. Depending on the complexity of the system, the business logic layer may include a variety of different processes, such as:
- Validating data: Ensuring that any data entered into the system meets certain criteria, such as being within a certain range or of a certain type.
- Calculating data: Performing calculations on data, such as calculating financial information or calculating dates and times.
- Making decisions: Making decisions based on user input or other information, such as determining whether to approve a loan application or route an order to a particular supplier.
- Access control: Restricting access to certain parts of the system to only certain users with specific permissions.
By implementing business logic, organizations can ensure that their systems are secure, accurate, and compliant with relevant regulations and standards. Implementing business logic also helps to ensure that all users of the system are provided with the same level of service and that any data entered is valid and secure.
Example of Business logic
Business logic examples include the following:
- Approving or denying a loan application based on the applicant's credit score
- Calculating the total price of an order based on the item prices and any discounts applied
- Routing an order to a specific supplier based on the item availability and delivery times
- Restricting access to certain parts of a system to only users with the appropriate permissions
Business logic is a key component of any business system, as it helps to ensure that the system is secure, accurate, and compliant with relevant regulations and standards. By implementing business logic, organizations can ensure that their systems are secure and that all users are provided with the same level of service.
Types of Business logic
Business logic should be used whenever a system needs to process data or make decisions. It can be used for any number of tasks, such as validating data, calculating information, making decisions, or providing access control. Business logic can be used in any system that processes data, from customer relationship management systems to inventory management systems to financial systems.
Business logic can be categorized into four main types:
- Input logic: This type of logic is used to validate and verify any data that is entered into a system. This includes ensuring that the data is of the correct type, that it is within a certain range, and that it meets any other criteria specified by the system.
- Output logic: This type of logic is used to generate the output of a system, such as a report or a list of records. This may involve performing calculations on the data or making decisions based on user input.
- Decision logic: This type of logic is used to make decisions based on user input or other information, such as approving a loan application or routing an order to a particular supplier.
- Access control logic: This type of logic is used to restrict access to certain parts of the system to only certain users with specific permissions.
Steps of Business logic
Business logic typically involves a series of steps that are necessary to ensure that data is valid, accurate, and secure. These steps can include:
- Gathering data: Retrieving data from the user interface or from other sources.
- Validating data: Ensuring that the data is valid, such as by checking that the data is within a certain range or of a certain type.
- Calculating data: Performing calculations on the data, such as performing mathematical calculations or calculating dates and times.
- Making decisions: Making decisions based on user input or other information, such as determining whether to approve a loan application or route an order to a particular supplier.
- Access control: Restricting access to certain parts of the system to only certain users with specific permissions.
Advantages of Business logic
Business logic helps organizations to ensure that their systems are secure, accurate, and compliant with relevant regulations and standards. By implementing business logic, organizations can ensure that all users of the system are provided with the same level of service and that any data entered is valid and secure. The advantages of business logic include:
- Improved accuracy: By validating data and enforcing rules, business logic helps to ensure that data entered into the system is accurate and valid.
- Improved security: By enforcing access control rules, business logic helps to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive areas of the system.
- Improved compliance: By enforcing rules and regulations, business logic helps to ensure that the system is compliant with relevant regulations and standards.
- Improved customer service: By making decisions based on customer input and other information, business logic can help to provide customers with an improved level of service.
Limitations of Business logic
Despite its many benefits, business logic can also have some limitations. For example, business logic is often written by developers who may not be familiar with the business process and may not understand how the system should respond in certain situations. Additionally, business logic can become complex and difficult to maintain over time, as it must be updated to reflect changes in the underlying business process. Finally, business logic is typically written in code, which can be difficult to modify or update without significant effort.
Business logic is closely related to other approaches such as workflow automation and business process management. Workflow automation involves automating processes and tasks in a business system, while business process management focuses on the management and optimization of business processes. Both are important when it comes to ensuring that systems are secure, efficient, and compliant with industry regulations.
In summary, business logic is a set of principles and processes used to define the operations and behavior of a business system. It is responsible for ensuring that any data entered into the system is accurate, valid, and secure, and it can be implemented in a variety of ways to ensure that all users of the system are provided with the same level of service. Additionally, business logic is closely related to other approaches such as workflow automation and business process management.
Suggested literature
- Wang, M., & Wang, H. (2006). From process logic to business logic—A cognitive approach to business process management. Information & Management, 43(2), 179-193.
- Charfi, A., & Mezini, M. (2004, November). Hybrid web service composition: business processes meet business rules. In Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on Service oriented computing (pp. 30-38).
- Zur Muehlen, M., & Indulska, M. (2010). Modeling languages for business processes and business rules: A representational analysis. Information systems, 35(4), 379-390.
