Create a String Set Matches Normalizer Template

The string set matches normalizer compares a value in a MATRIXX Data Container (MDC) field with a value in another MDC field. Both fields can either be a single string/phone number or a list/array of strings/phone numbers. The comparison could be an exact match, prefix match, or suffix match. If one field is an array/list and one field is a single value, then the system checks if anything in the list/array matches the single value (using the match mode). If a match is found, then the normalizer evaluates to true. It does not matter which field is the list/array and which is the single value. If both are arrays/lists, then the system checks if a value in one list/array matches any value in the other list/array.

Before you begin

Create two custom MDCs. In one MDC, add either a single string/phone number field or a list/array field that holds a set of strings or phone numbers to examine. In the other MDC, add a list or an array field that holds a set of strings or phone numbers to examine. See MATRIXX Configuration for more information about adding a custom MDC.

About this task

During rating, by default, any normalizer using this template compares a single string/phone number or array/list of strings/phone numbers to another set of strings/phone numbers to see if there is an exact match prefix match, or suffix match.

Procedure

  1. In Normalizer Templates, click New Normalizer Template.
  2. In Create New Normalizer Template:
    1. In Name, enter a unique name.
    2. In Normalization Algorithm, select String Set Matches.
    3. Click Create.
  3. In Edit Normalizer Template, to base normalizations on fields retrieved from data for the called party (the B number) instead of the caller (the A number), select Use Called Station Field.
    Note: Rating uses the field values and eligibility features from the caller for normalizations by default. For more information about using the B number for normalizations, see the discussion about normalizing on B number.
  4. (Optional) Define metadata values that can be associated with a normalizer results row.
    Important: A normalizer template can either have metadata fields (defined in this step) or fields to use in normalizer chaining (defined in the Result Info section). It cannot have both. Using metadata is the recommended approach.
    Under Metadata:
    1. Click Add Metadata. This button is disabled if values are defined in the Result Info section.
    2. Define the following properties:
      • Name — The value of the metadata.
      • Type — The data type of the metadata.
    3. Click Create. The metadata defined here appears in the normalizer instance in the Default Metadata table.
    4. Click Save to save the normalizer template. After the template is saved, the metadata displays as a column in the Values table.
  5. Under First Field/Parameter and Second Field/Parameter, perform the following steps to select the MDC field(s) or parameter(s) to be compared. This normalizer can have a maximum of either two fields, two parameters, or one of each.
    Note: If you are using purchase package discount filters with your discount price component, you must use fields. Purchase package discount filters are not supported with parameters. For more information, see the discussion about purchase package discount filters.
    1. In Type, select either parameter or field.
    2. If you selected field, define the following:
      • Container Name — Select the MDC that holds the field from the drop-down menu. To search for an MDC in the list, begin entering the MDC name, using dot notation.
      • Field Name — Select the MDC that holds the field from the drop-down menu. To search for an MDC in the list, begin entering the MDC name, using dot notation.
      • Tier — If the field is in the MtxGroupObject MDC, select the group tier name to normalize on. If you do not specify a tier, the group type defaults to global.
      • Is Discount Target — Select if the field source is the target purchased item of a percentage discount pricing component. For more information, see the discussion about discount filters.
    3. If you selected parameter, select a parameter from the drop-down menu.
  6. (Optional) Under Result Info, select values for the following properties from the drop-down menus. These fields are disabled if metadata values are defined.
    Note: The Result values are optional and provide a way to copy, to another MDC field, the description and name values associated with the normalized value chosen during rating. This enables you to add the name and description to the MEF file generated during rating, and to perform further normalizations based on these Result Name Field values (normalizer chaining). For normalizer chaining, use any fields from any of the following containers and their descendants:
    • MtxChargingSessionExtension
    • MtxChrgMsgWorkspace
    • MtxMsg
    • MtxMultiServiceData
    • MtxPolicySessionExtension
    For more information, see the discussion about normalizer chaining in MATRIXX Pricing and Rating.
    • Result Description Container — The target MDC to copy the description of the normalized value chosen during rating to. For example, the MDC name to identify the Diameter message is MtxDiamRoMsg. Select the required MDC from the list.
    • Result Description Field — The target field within the target MDC container to copy the description of the normalized value chosen during rating to. The copy operation occurs only if the field value in the message is not set when normalizer is evaluated. Use dot notation to identify fields nested in the MDC structure. For example, to identify the SMS node role for a session within the Diameter message, you might enter ServiceInfo.SmsInfo.SmsNode.
    • Result Name Container — The target MDC to copy the name of the normalized value chosen during rating to. Select the required MDC from the list.
    • Result Name Field — The target MDC field within the target MDC container to copy the name of the normalized value chosen during rating to. Use dot notation to identify nested fields.
  7. Under Values, enter values for the following properties for each parameter value to add. You cannot change the values configured for the normalizer template in the normalizer instance.
    Important: For normalizer templates that have only two values, one for a match and one for a non-match, the matching value must be 1 (one) and the non-matching value must be 0 (zero).
    • Name — The name of the parameter value. For example, No Match or Match.
    • Description — A description for the value. The description is visible when mousing over a value in My MATRIXX.
    • Color — Helps to offset each value in a normalizer instance. To assign a color to the parameter, do one of the following:
      • Hover over the Color cell in the row and select a color from the color palette.
      • Click the Color cell in the row and assign a color to the value by setting the color's hue, saturation, and lightness.
    • If metadata is configured for this template, define the metadata values. Either enter a value or one of the following:
      • Enter --none-- if no value is assigned to this field.
      • Enter --default-- to use the default value for this field. Default values are defined in the normalizer instance in the Default Values table.
      These values are applied to all instances of the metadata in the normalizer's Rows table. If no value is defined here, you can define a value in the normalizer instance.
  8. Click Save to save the new normalizer template. If a name is not provided for both required values, Save is disabled.
    Attention: Saving the template before entering further data, such as MDC fields, ensures that information you have already entered is not lost.
  9. If you selected Use Called Station Field, under Called Station Search Data, perform the following steps to specify the MDC and MDC field that normalizers using this template will use for retrieving the B number data.
    1. Click New Called Station Field.
    2. In New Called Station Field, in Container Name, select the MDC to use for retrieving the B number data from the list.
    3. In Field Name, select the required MDC field.
    4. Click Create.