Error Definitions
An error definition is Engage's name for one kind of failure. Fallout definitions match on it, retry configurations can be limited to it, and the fallout list shows its code against every failure it explains. Defining errors well is what makes the rest of the fallout configuration readable.
Before you begin
- Decide the scope. Errors created under Settings belong to the organisation and are visible to every application. Errors created from an application's Configuration tab > Fallouts > Error Definitions belong to that application, and its lists show organisation-level errors alongside them while the Organization Scope switch is on.
Create an error definition
- Open Settings > Error Definitions, or the application-scoped tab above.
- Select Add Error Definition.
- Complete the form and select Save.
| Field | Required | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| Error Code | No | A short identifier, such as ERR_001. This is what fallout definitions and retry policies match on, so give every error one even though the form allows it empty. |
| Error Name | Yes | A readable name |
| Error Description | Yes | What the condition means and, if known, what causes it |
| Error Category | Yes | SYSTEM, NETWORK, BUSINESS, or VALIDATION |
| Default Severity | Yes | LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH, or CRITICAL |
You can also reach this form from inside a fallout definition, through the Create Error Definition entry at the bottom of its error list. Saving there returns you to the fallout form with the new error selected.
Engage also creates error definitions on its own: when you select Define Fallout on a live failure whose code has no definition yet, one is created from the failure's own details before the form opens. Expect to tidy those up here afterwards.
Manage error definitions
The table lists Error Name, Error Code, Error Description, Error Category, Default Severity, and an Action column. The search box filters by name; the category and severity columns filter from their headers.
- Select the edit control on a row to reopen it as Edit Error Definition, then Update.
- Select the delete control and confirm Delete in the Delete Error Definition prompt.
An error that a fallout definition or retry policy still refers to cannot be deleted. Engage shows a Deletion Blocked panel listing the entities that reference it, with their scope; remove or change those references first.
How you know it worked
Engage confirms with Saved Successfully and the row appears in the table, which reports its size as Total N Error Definitions. The code is now offered in the Error Definition or Error Code list of the fallout definition form, and in Eligible Error Types on a retry configuration.
When it does not work
| Symptom | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Error name is required, Error description is required, Error category is required, or Default severity is required | A required field is empty | Complete it and select Save again |
| Failed To Save or Failed To Update | The service rejected the save; when it gives a reason, that reason is shown instead | Correct the named problem and try again |
| Deletion Blocked | A fallout definition or retry configuration references this error | Edit those entries to use another error, then delete |
| Failed To Delete | The delete failed for a reason other than references | Try again; if it persists, ask an administrator |
Next steps
Retry configuration, which can be limited to the errors defined here.