Field Container Instance - Run Rule

DataRule objects define automated data manipulation logic that can be applied to extracted document data for normalization or preparation for downstream processes.

Overview

Data Rules allow you to:

• Normalize extracted data after the extraction process, keeping extractors focused on data location rather than transformation.
• Apply logic to Data Model, Data Section, or Data Table elements, depending on the configured scope.
• Chain and nest rules for complex, hierarchical data processing.

How Data Rules Work

• At runtime, a Data Rule is applied to each instance of its associated Data Element.

  • If the Scope is a Data Section, the rule executes on each Section Instance.
  • If the Scope is a Data Table, the rule executes on each Table Row Instance.
  • If the Scope is a Data Model, the rule executes on the root Document Instance.

• Data Rules can include a Trigger expression (optional):

  • If the trigger evaluates to true, the True Action and all child Data Rules are executed.
  • If the trigger evaluates to false, the False Action (if specified) is executed, and child rules are skipped.

• Data Rules may be nested, allowing recursive application of logic to the data hierarchy.

Key Properties

• Scope: The Data Element this rule applies to.
• Trigger: A code expression (boolean) that determines if the rule executes.
• TrueAction: The Data Action to execute when the trigger is true.
• FalseAction: The Data Action to execute when the trigger is false.
• RequiredElements: (Obsolete) Elements that must be present when the trigger is true.
• ShortcutKeys: Optional shortcut for use in the Data Viewer tab.

Example Usage

Suppose you have a Data Table of invoice line items and want to ensure each row has a non-empty "Amount" field:

Related Concepts

• Data Action: Defines the operation performed by the rule.
• Data Model, Data Section, Data Table: Types of data elements that can be targeted.
• Document Instance, Section Instance, Table Row Instance: Data instances affected by rules.

Notes

• Data Rules are typically used to enforce business rules, perform data cleanup, or trigger additional processing steps.
• Use the Trigger property to conditionally execute rules based on data values.
• For complex scenarios, nest Data Rules to build multi-step logic.

For more information, see the documentation for Data Action, Data Model, and related data extraction objects.