The business rule is a precise statement that is defined by the guidelines, regulations and procedures embedded in enterprise systems. Such rules can be applied to calculations, correlations, pricing, competence checks, point collection or data validation, just to mention a few. A rule is typically constructed in the following way:
IF < Condition(s) > THEN < Event(s) > ELSE < Event(s) >
Decision making services perform the management of the individual rules. They forward the data or documents, then return the response data that is built on a decision or activity based on a particular business rule.
Decision making services are managed by the Business Rules Management Systems (BRMS). Its tools and processes support the management of rules and the communication, installation and implementation of business guidelines.
ILOG JRules
ILOG JRules BRM tools provide support on basically two areas:
• On the one hand they manage the services at the decision making points of business processes.
• Their other significant area of application is to support the given enterprise’s decision making at different levels of human resources.
ILOG JRules BRMS toolkit includes the following elements:
• User devices that enhance the business users’ sphere of authority.
• Rule Team Server repository, where is collects and stores rules.
• Rule engine that facilitates the simple reuse of rule-based decision making services..
The tool provides a comprehensive support to all stakeholders:
• it has an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for modeling, operating, troubleshooting, installing and managing business rules applications.
• Its central repository provides support for customizing rules management features as well as collaboration of the IT and business area.
• It has a sophisticated, business user-friendly rule editor (through the point-and-click features).
• It facilitates automated checking, through which rules integration can be retained, thus achieving greater performance and accuracy. 
• It has a Web-based rules management to support remote access and management.
• Its business rules descriptive language can be also used outside the system and languages can be assigned to rules and user roles
• It is equally applicable in Java™ and .Net environment (ILOG JRules and ILOG Rules for .NET).

BRMS tools play an extremely important role in SOA solutions development
By deploying them, business users can formulate and implement the rules and they it provides the ability for business analysts and rules managers to make decision planning transparent and manageable. Business logic changes more frequently within the business processes than the business process itself. With the help of ILOG JRules rules can be modified without the need to modify the processes, which also reduces the Time to market cycle.
Enterprises normally seek the answer to two important questions prior to implementation. On the one hand how relocate rules management from the IT side to the business side, and on the other hand, how business users can write, test and install the IT processes-based rules.
These are the areas where ILOG JRules Business Management System provides assistance.
• Partly it facilitates for the business team to manage those business rules that automate their processes,
• and partly it supports the development team to install these business rules as completely formalized decision services and to integrate them – independently from the vendor – into any SOA platform.

Areas of Application of the  Business Rules
Banks: underwriting, loan application, granting, consolidation, detecting and reporting frauds, campaign management (customer loyalty programs), loan processes and decision management, financial planning, pension fund administration, accounting.
Insurance companies: underwriting, claims processing, invoicing, e-insurance, product offering and compensation payments.
Capital market companies: asset management, automated sales and pricing, cross-selling, ensuring compliances (AML, SEC, Basel II, SOX), account reconciliation and settlement.
Public administration institutions: e-government, welfare expenses administration, claims consideration and compensation payment, risk management and detection of frauds, compliance checks with legal regulations and rules, defense and home affairs.
Telecommunications companies: income insurance, Customer Relations Management (CRM) and invoicing, network and services management, inventory management and media management.
Retail enterprises: pricing, income management, promotions and loyalty programs.