In Shibumi, there are three ways to define a value for a metric or attribute:
- A user manually enters the value
- A Set Value business rule assigns the value
- A calculation expression defines the value
Manual entry by a user can take place on work items in form fields (for attributes) or in columns on lists/views (for metrics and attributes). Each time values are manually edited, the activity is tracked by user and date.
A business rule setting a value to a metric or attribute must be defined on a template. Each time values are edited by a business rule, the activity is tracked with the date of the change plus either the user who initiated the business rule or “Shibumi” to indicate that a timed business rule (initiated by the system) modified the value.
Calculation expressions can be defined in the attribute/metric settings dialog accessed from the template’s data panel. The calculation expression is defined using the Shibumi expression language and, when an expression is defined, users will not be able to edit the value (i.e., it is read-only). If a Set Value business rule attempts to set a value to a calculated metric or attribute, the business rule will fail.