ListAttributeSum example

To calculate the sum of an attribute value in selected elements from a linklist or incoming links attribute, you can use the List AttributeSum business rule. In this example, a project manager uses the ListAttributeSum business rule to calculate the total cost for the implemented business needs in a project.

As a project manager, you must monitor the total cost of the business needs implemented in your project. New or planned business needs might also be linked to your project, but for this particular purpose, you are interested only in implemented business needs. Implemented business needs have the status To be tested, Verified, or Completed.

To include only the implemented business needs in the calculation, use a view that is based on the To be tested, Verified, and Completed statuses. By adding listen_to parameters, the total cost of the project is automatically recalculated when the cost or status are updated in a linked business need.

Important: The data in this topic is an example. When you set up this business rule, the attribute IDs, view ID, and user ID must be collected from your current installation of IBM® Rational® Focal Point™.
This example uses the following attributes, view definition, and user:
Table 1. Attributes
Module Attribute name Attribute type ID Comment
Projects Total Cost Integer Not used This attribute is the business rule container.
Projects Business Needs Incoming Link 51 The Incoming Link attribute displays links from elements in the Business Needs module, and might contain links to business needs of any status.
Business Needs Cost Integer 23  
Business Needs Status Choice Not used The choice items might include New, Planned, To be tested, Verified, and Completed. This attribute is used for the view.
Table 2. View definition
View name Module Visible attributes View rules View ID
Implemented Business Needs Business Needs
  • Title
  • Status
  • Cost
type is a folder is false AND Status is (To be tested OR Verified OR Completed) 38
Table 3. User properties
User name Access level User ID
Admin Workspace administrator 46
To view the total cost for the implemented business needs in this example, enter this business rule in the Total Cost attribute in the Projects module:
=ListAttributeSum("51","38", "23", "46", 'Business Needs', "listen_to=Cost", "listen_to=Status", "listen_to=type is a folder") 

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