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Decision Matrix

Decision Node

Overview

The "Decision Matrix" node evaluates a set of user-defined rules against input data and applies a selected "hit policy" to determine the output. This node is useful for scenarios where you need to automate decision-making based on multiple conditions, such as scoring leads, filtering items, or aggregating results according to specific business logic.

Practical examples:

  • Selecting the first item that matches certain criteria.
  • Counting how many items meet a condition.
  • Finding the maximum or minimum value among matched items.
  • Summing up values from items that satisfy a rule.

Properties

Name Type Meaning
Rule String The name of the rule set being applied. Useful for documentation or reference.
Hit Policy Options Determines how matching rules are processed:
- Count: Number of matches
- First: First match
- Max: Maximum result
- Min: Minimum result
- Sum: Sum of results
Rules FixedCollection (multiple) A list of rule items, each with:
- Condition (Boolean): Whether this rule applies.
- Result (String): Value associated with this rule.
- Description (String): Optional description for the rule.

Output

The node outputs an array of objects, each containing:

{
  "operation": "<selected hit policy>",
  "value": <result of applying hit policy>,
  "results": [ /* array of rule items evaluated */ ],
  "item": { /* original input item's json */ }
}
  • operation: The hit policy used (e.g., "first", "count", "max", etc.).
  • value: The computed result according to the hit policy.
  • results: The list of rule items after evaluation.
  • item: The original input item's JSON data.

Note: The node does not output binary data.

Dependencies

  • No external services or API keys required.
  • No special n8n configuration or environment variables needed.

Troubleshooting

Common issues:

  • Incorrect rule configuration: If no rules have condition set to true, the output may be empty or zero depending on the hit policy.
  • Type mismatches: For "Max", "Min", or "Sum" policies, ensure that the "Result" field contains numeric values; otherwise, calculations may fail or produce unexpected results.
  • Empty input: If there are no input items, the node will return an empty array.

Error messages:

  • Errors related to missing or malformed parameters (e.g., if "rules.item" is not provided) may occur. Ensure all required fields are filled in the node configuration.

Links and References

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