Defining triggers for KPI contexts

To send an outbound event based on a key performance indicator (KPI), you must define a trigger that causes the event to be sent.

1. On the KPI Model tab of the editor, right-click the KPI context (or any element of the KPI context) in the model tree and select New > Trigger.
2. In the Create New Trigger window, type a name in the Name field and click OK. The name is limited to 256 characters. As you type the name, a default ID is created for you, although you can change it if you prefer. The ID is required and must be unique within the KPI context. The ID must be an XML NCName (non-colonized name), which means that it must start with a letter or underscore and that it can contain only letters, digits, underscores, hyphens, and periods.

   The trigger is added to the model tree under the KPI context, and the form editor opens so that you can define the trigger.

3. In the form editor, type a description in the Description field. The description is used only in the Monitor Model editor and is not displayed anywhere in Business Monitor. The character set is unrestricted.
4. Optional: To cause the trigger to fire multiple times, select Trigger is repeatable. The results depend on whether you have set a condition, as follows:

   Trigger is repeatable	Condition is set	Result
   Checked	Yes	The trigger fires when the condition first resolves to true, and then continues to fire every time that the trigger is evaluated and the condition remains true.
   Unchecked	Yes	The trigger fires when the condition first resolves to true, and then does not fire again unless the condition resolves to false and then to true again.
   Checked	No	The trigger fires every time the trigger is evaluated.
   Unchecked	No	The trigger fires only the first time the trigger is evaluated.

5. Click Add to add a source for the trigger and complete the following steps. Each trigger must have at least one source.
   1. To evaluate the trigger condition based on a time interval or on a specific time, select one of the following choices:
      • Recurring evaluation, if you want to specify how much time should elapse before a trigger condition is evaluated
        Note: A low recurring evaluation time interval (for example, every minute) results in frequent trigger evaluations that can cause performance problems under high volumes. Additionally, if the trigger is repeatable and there is an associated notification alert, users might receive excessive notifications. Consider using a longer recurring evaluation time interval.
      • Specific time evaluation, to indicate a specific time when the trigger condition should be evaluated
      • Daily evaluation, to indicate that the evaluation should occur at the same time every day

      After making your selection, click OK and provide the required information. For example, if you selected Recurring evaluation, click the Source cell, click the button that is displayed to open the Select Duration window, and specify the time interval.

   2. To evaluate the trigger condition when an inbound event arrives, select Other source type. Select the inbound event from the list and click OK.
   3. To evaluate the trigger condition when another trigger fires, select Other source type. Select the trigger from the list and click OK.
6. Optional: Specify the trigger condition. This condition is a Boolean expression. If the condition evaluates to true, the trigger fires. If you press Ctrl+Space for content assist, a small window is displayed to help you write the expression. In this window, you can select valid operators, functions, and the following elements within your model:
   • Inbound event attributes.
   • KPI values, targets, and ranges. For example, you might have a trigger that is evaluated based on an inbound event or specific time interval but that fires only when the KPI has achieved its target, or only when the KPI value reaches the highest of its defined ranges.
   See "Expression support" for supported expressions, and see your event definition for a list of valid attributes.