Configuring the Regulatory Rules Engine
How to set up and maintain compliance rules for your organisation's procurement requirements.
Overview
The Regulatory Rules Engine enforces compliance throughout the procurement lifecycle. It automatically validates transactions against PPPFA thresholds, B-BBEE requirements, CIDB grading rules, and any entity-specific policies. This guide explains how to configure, test, and maintain the rules that govern your procurement activity.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Review Default Rules
Navigate to the Rules Engine under "Administration." The system ships with pre-configured rules aligned to major South African procurement legislation — including PPPFA threshold categories, B-BBEE verification requirements, CIDB grading limits, and mandatory advertising periods. Review each rule to understand its trigger conditions, affected modules, and enforcement level (block, warn, or log).
Step 2: Add Entity-Specific Rules
Your organisation may have additional policies beyond national legislation. Use the Rule Builder to create custom rules — for example, minimum local content requirements, specific disclosure thresholds, or internal approval triggers. Define the rule condition, the module where it applies, and the action (block transaction, send alert, or log for reporting). Rules can be scoped to specific departments, categories, or value ranges.
Step 3: Test Rules Against Sample Transactions
Before activating new rules, run them against historical or sample transactions using the Test Mode. The system simulates rule execution and shows which transactions would have been flagged, blocked, or alerted. Review the test results to confirm rules behave as expected and adjust conditions to eliminate false positives.
Step 4: Monitor Rule Triggers and Exceptions
Once rules are active, monitor the Rules Dashboard for trigger frequency and exception patterns. The dashboard shows which rules fire most often, which modules are most affected, and any trends over time. Use this data to fine-tune rules, identify training needs, or propose policy amendments where rules consistently trigger on legitimate activity.
Tips & Best Practices
- Start with the default rule set — these cover the core legislative requirements and provide a solid compliance foundation.
- Add custom rules gradually; batch changes can create unexpected interactions and make it difficult to isolate issues.
- Review and update rules after any legislative or policy changes — the Rules Engine is only as effective as its configuration.
- Use Test Mode for any rule modification before activating in production to prevent disruption to live procurement processes.
Related Features
Rules Engine — Features page →