Invocation

An invocation is a container for the parameter bindings that provide the context for the evaluation of the body of a business knowledge model. There are two common use cases for an Invocation:

• Bind Input Data to Business Knowledge Model
• Bind parameters or context entry variables to Business Knowledge Model

An example of each is provided at the end of this page.

Access

Toolbar Options

Options	Description	See also
	Click on this button to save the configuration to the current Decision or BusinessKnowledgeModel.
	Click on this button to edit parameters for the Business Knowledge Model.
	Click on this button to synchronize with the invoked Business Knowledge Model. For example, if the Business Knowledge Model changes name, parameters, outputs or types, click on this button to synchronize these changes.
	Click on this button to set or change a Business Knowledge Model as an invocation.
	Click on this button to open the invoked Business Knowledge Model in the DMN Expression window.
	When a Business Knowledge Model is implemented as a Decision table, it could define multiple output clauses; the invocation on this Business Knowledge Model might have to specify which output is requested. Click on this button to list all the available outputs in a context menu; the currently configured output is checked.
	Click on this button to validate the Invocation. Enterprise Architect will perform a series of validations to help you locate errors in the Expression.	DMN Expression Validation
	This button is enabled when the Invocation is defined for a BusinessKnowledgeModel. Select the 'Input Parameter Values for Simulation' tab, complete the fields and click on this button. The test result will be presented on the Decision table, with the runtime values of inputs and outputs displayed and valid rule(s) highlighted. You can use this functionality to unit test a BusinessKnowledgeModel without knowing the context and later on invoked by a Decision or other BusinessKnowledgeModel. Menu options are available for this toolbar button. For more information, see the Business Knowledge Model and Test Harness Help topic.	BusinessKnowledgeModel & Test Harness

Example 1 — Bind Input Data to Business Knowledge Model

A full example can be created with a Model Pattern (Ribbon: Simulate > Decision Analysis > DMN > Apply Perspective > DMN Decision > Decision With BKM : Create Pattern(s))

In this example, Input Data Applicant Data is typed to Applicant data Definition, which has three components.

The Business Knowledge Model Application risk score model is implemented as a Decision table with three inputs and one output.

The Decision Application risk score is implemented as an Invocation to bind the Input Data's 'leaf' components to the BKM's parameters.

In order to make the binding easier, Auto-Completion is supported for the binding expression.

The full modeling and simulation instructions are available in the Pattern's documentation.

Example 2 — Bind Context Entry variables to Business Knowledge Model

The full example can be created using a Model Pattern (Access - Ribbon: Simulate > Decision Analysis > DMN > Apply Perspective > DMN Business Knowledge Model > Business Knowledge Model Invocation : Create Pattern).

In this example, the BKM Difference Of Two Squares is implemented as Boxed Context:

• The variable sum of ab is implemented as an invocation by binding parameters a and b to BKM Addition
• The variable difference of ab is implemented as an invocation by binding parameters a and b to BKM Subtraction
• The variable difference of squares is implemented as an invocation by binding local variables sum of ab and difference of ab to BKM Multiplication

In order to make the binding easier, auto-completion is supported for the binding expression.

The full modeling and simulation instructions are available in the Pattern's document.

Learn more

• DMN Expression Validation
• Business Knowledge Model & Test Harness