Glossary of Technical Terms

A file used for servlet deployment with IBM WebSphere or BEA WebLogic, each of which uses a slightly different file format. This type of file is similar to an Apache Tomcat .war file.

A Java archive file used for packaging and distributing code. A Jar file can be examined and extracted using most ZIP utilities, such as WinZip.

A web archive file used for web application deployment, such as within the Apache Tomcat web application container. Similar to .ear files.

A failure message that is one of several messages in an external operation, which causes the other messages in the external operation to be skipped.

A parameter passed with HTTP data extraction requests. Action handlers specified in the URL do two things: provide different extraction results and provide the template with a different root object, or in some cases multiple root objects. For example, the ViewClaim action handler finds a specific claim then passes it to a template with the claim as the root object with the Gosu symbol claim.

The obsolete name used for a special type of plugin that Guidewire no longer supports. Some plugin interfaces have adapter in the name for historical reasons. However, this term merely indicates that the object is a plugin interface.

An open source software tool from the Apache Software Foundation for automating software build processes for Java development.

A set of functions and programming constructs that access the features or data of an application or service.

A part of systems management that monitors application performance metrics. APM helps to detect complex issues and maintain an expected level of service.

Code that handles assignment of business objects to users (such as accounts, activities, claims, or policies) by repeatedly asking the Rule engine to evaluate assignment rules for the item. Guidewire structures the base configuration assignment rule sets in a hierarchical fashion. As the Assignment engine works through assigning an entity, the assignment rules can assign the entity first to a location (a particular regional office, for example). It then assigns the entity to a specific group at that office. Finally, it assigns the entity to a specific person within the group.

Plugin that authenticates a username and password against a remote authentication system. Guidewire provides a default implementation that checks user authentication data against the application database. However, you can create a custom implementation to use other authentication services, such as LDAP directories.

A plugin that defines the logic for retrieving user login information from an HTTP request and putting it into a structured credential is called an authentication source. The plugin then returns this credential to the application. Guidewire provides a default implementation of this plugin that decodes the username and password information sent in a login form. However, Guidewire recommends that you create a custom implementation of this plugin if you want other forms of authentication, such as client certificates or a single sign-on (SSO) credential.

A networking term for a network entity that provides a single entrance or exit point to the Internet. Bastion hosts prevent cracking of a network by providing a barrier between private and public areas. Typically, you configure a bastion host with a firewall to reside in a special network area called the DMZ (De-Militarized Zone). Also, you typically use a bastion host for ClaimCenter ISO integration so that you can implement a callback URL from ISO that isolates your ClaimCenter servers from the external Internet. You can also use bastion hosts between other Guidewire applications to insulate the application from external systems and integration points.

A background process that performs important tasks independent of an administrator. All batch processes execute on the batch server. A batch process runs to completion and then reports its results back to a log or to the user interface. Examples include batch process that send invoices, identify that invoices are overdue, process payments, and pay commissions.

If there are multiple application servers in a cluster, exactly one server is designed as the batch server, which is responsible for certain operations. For all applications, the batch server manages the Send Queue for messaging and the execution of various batch scripts.

A data object (representing entities such as customers, coverages, and vehicles) that can be hierarchically linked to other beans. In InsuranceSuite applications, beans are represented on a branch (a policy revision). In InsuranceNow, beans are stored in the core Aurora database as XML files.

A Git-based code-hosting and collaboration tool that is accessible through the web. In Guidewire, Bitbucket is integrated with Jira and CI/CD services that allow you to build and test code.

In PolicyCenter, a graph of objects with a PolicyPeriod entity at the root. The graph collectively represents the truth of all effective dates in a contractual period as of the time it was made legally binding.

In PolicyCenter, a foreign key to the PolicyPeriod entity that contains this entity. Guidewire mandates that all entities within the same branch share the same BranchID value. This value cannot be null.

In software development, the practice of creating separate lines of development within a version control system, enabling multiple developers to work on different features, bug fixes, or experiments simultaneously without interfering with each other's work.

A set of practices used in software development to streamline the process of building, testing, and deploying code changes.

In InsuranceNow, a reference to system-defined codes or configuration-defined list options that appear in a drop-down list in the user interface. InsuranceNow uses an XML structure to define simple lists of statuses and values. Each entry in a coderef structure contains an options key followed by one or more option value/label pairs.

The basic building block of the interface-level integration framework for a Guidewire InsuranceSuite application. A command expresses an action to perform anytime that you do something in the Guidewire InsuranceSuite application interface. For example, a command can open a browser window and take you to another (related) web application.

The context in which the services operate, giving the services the ability to discover and call each other. As part of initialization, the command shell starts each service, giving the service a reference to the shell and letting services get references to each other.

A practice that builds on continuous integration by automating the deployment of tested code changes. Continuous delivery means that code changes are automatically deployed to a staging environment, where it can be tested before being manually approved for production deployment. In continuous deployment, code changes are automatically deployed directly to the production environment after passing all tests.

A practice of regularly and automatically building and testing code changes. This practice helps catch errors and issues early in the development process and ensures that the codebase is always stable and functional.

A cloud-based monitoring and analytics platform that provides observability features for applications and services.

Services and tools to export a Guidewire application’s data into external formats in external systems, initiated by external code or systems. For example, an external system can request HTML versions of claims, structured XML versions of claims, or other custom formats by using Gosu templates.

The description of the database representation of all entities that are part of a Guidewire application (such as Claim, Policy, and Contact) and typelists (like the possible values of LossType).

Additions to the business entities that Guidewire provides in the base configuration data model. You use extensions to add new fields (properties) to an existing base entity or to create a new entity with custom fields. The InsuranceSuite application treats extension entities in an identical manner to base entities.

Plugin that authenticates the connection between a Guidewire application and its database.

A reusable data object that contains an interface and a default implementation of that interface. A delegate can add its own columns to the entities that implement the delegate. An entity uses a delegate to implement an interface, but delegate the implementation to the delegate. You often use a delegate so objects can share code. The delegate implements the shared code rather than each class having to implement copies of common code.

Abstraction of an external system to which Guidewire application messages can be sent, such as a mainframe, a proprietary email system, or a check printing service. Each destination can handle different events and includes a message request plugin. Each destination can also include an optional message request plugin, typically for pre-processing, and an optional message transport plugin for handling asynchronous replies.

A networking term for a network configured with network firewalls so that it is accessible from the outside world but partitioned off from the main internal network. For example, in ClaimCenter, DMZs allow ISO to respond to ClaimCenter through a callback URL. Thus, you do not need to expose ClaimCenter servers to the external internet. See bastion host.

Plugin that integrates with the application interface to extract data from the application, which it then uses to populate a letter from a document template. A document merge plugin can also populate other document types, such as a spreadsheet for calculating benefits or estimating reserves. The InsuranceSuite application typically includes default behavior for these actions. You can also implement your own plugins to handle other document types.

Plugin that integrates with the InsuranceSuite application interface to access a remote repository of documents. Guidewire applications implement this plugin with a default documentation source. However, if you want, you can implement a custom document source that interacts with a remote Document Management System.

Document source file, such as a Microsoft Word file, that the document template’s template descriptor file populates with application data.

Plugin interface that describes an actual document template such as a Microsoft Word mail merge template, an Adobe PDF form, or a Gosu template, for example. The IDocumentTemplateDescriptor interface defines the API interface for an object that represents a document template descriptor. Guidewire provides a default implementation of this interface that reads the template information from a standard XML file. (You can customize this XML file to meet your business needs.)

A method (function) associated with a Guidewire entity. If Gosu code has a reference to an entity, you can get or set fields on the entity, and also call domain methods on the entity.

See .ear file.

An entity is a business data model class or instance such as Account, Claim, or Policy. Entities are a subset of objects (see object). Entities have fields (properties) and in most cases have methods.

See Java API libraries.

An abstract notification of a change in a Guidewire application, such as a new financial transaction on a claim that might be of interest to an external system.

This term is used in BillingCenter. On the Invoice entity, it is the name of the field that corresponds to the invoice's Bill Date. On the InvoiceItem entity, it is the name of the field that corresponds to the invoice item's Placement Date.

In PolicyCenter, this ID describes one refashioned entity in multiple branches, or an entity in a branch with multiple effective/expiration dates. For example, suppose you need to change a car license plate number. The database contains two rows for the car. One contains information from before the change. The other contains information from after the change. However, both rows have the same revision-independent ID so that the system knows that it is two versions of the same car, not two different cars. In previous releases of PolicyCenter, this was called a revision-independent ID (RIID).

An open-source programming language originally written by Guidewire. For more information, see the Gosu Reference Guide.

See plugin.

A text-based template file with static information with embedded blocks of Gosu code. The embedded Gosu code includes Gosu blocks (<% … %>) and Gosu expression blocks (<%= … %>). Gosu expression blocks (<%= … %>) evaluate Gosu expressions and export the result as text. Gosu typically has access to one or more symbols that represent root objects from which to extract information, such as a claim field. Also, see template.

A test framework for writing and executing unit tests for Gosu configuration code.

A Java class (also known as a worker class) where the majority of business logic resides. Helper classes are typically associated with a module or data structure, and contain the methods needed to work with that module or data structure.

See Tomcat.

See .jar file.

Java libraries that let you write Java code that accesses entity data and runs inside the Guidewire application JVM.

See plugin.

Java Management Extensions (JMX) provides the tools for building tools for managing and monitoring devices, applications, and service-driven networks. Guidewire applications provide JMX support through support of an abstracted management plugin. Guidewire provides an example management plugin that implements JMX.

In PolicyCenter, code that coordinates all the work associated with creating or changing a PolicyPeriod. While the data model uses the term job, the PolicyCenter interface lists completed jobs as Policy Transactions. Subtypes of PolicyCenter jobs include submission, issuance, renewal, rewrite, policy change, cancellation, reinstatement, and audit.

A messaging feature that Guidewire applications use to include entity fields in a message payload. The Guidewire application only evaluates these fields immediately before sending the message to a destination.

You typically use early binding, in which the Guidewire application evaluates the entity fields at message generation time. You can use late binding for the public ID field of an entity if another message acknowledgement or API can change the public ID before the current message is sent.

In InsuranceNow, a module that implements a search function within the technology stack to locate the appropriate version of a system resource. MDA locates tiles (panels) for user interface display, finds rule files, and determines the rating logic to use. Using a provided MDA string (also known as a UMOL), MDA functionality searches the hierarchy to retrieve or build the right version of a resource.

Depending on the type of system resource being sought, the MDA function either merges the file contents or overrides the use of a lower-level file with one higher in the hierarchy.

For panels and forms, MDA starts at the top (Customer layer) and proceeds downward in the technology stack until it finds a requested resource. It selects a single file and uses it in its entirety. For templates, MDA starts at the bottom (spiCO layer) and proceeds upward, merging items to create the file that is ultimately selected.

An abstract encapsulation of information sent form a Guidewire application to an external system in response to an event. A Guidewire application can send one or more messages to each message destination interested in each event. Each message has a message ID, status information, and a message payload. The payload is the main data content in text format of the message.

A plugin that implements asynchronous replies to messages from remote systems, and optionally performs post-processing such as field updates to application data. These plugins implement the plugin interface MessageReply. You only need to implement this type of plugin if you need to send messages asynchronously. If the MessageTransport plugin can send the message synchronously, then there is no need to define a message reply plugin.

Plugin that implements optional pre-processing of a message, and optional post-send (not post-acknowledgement) message processing. This type of plugin implements the MessageRequest plugin interface.

Plugin that implements sending of a message on some transport such as a messaging queue, a remote procedure call, or any other custom transport to an external system. If the transport is capable of synchronous acknowledgements, this plugin can acknowledge the message and optionally perform post-processing such as field updates. This type of plugin implements the MessageTransport plugin interface.

Another name for non-safe-ordered message. The messaging destination user interface uses the term message without primary.

Plugin that implements one of three types of messaging plugin interfaces for the purpose of preparing or sending a message. The three types of messaging plugins are message reply plugin, message request plugin, and message transport plugin. See those glossary entries for details.

In PolicyCenter, the identification of a specific branch associated with a policy. When PolicyCenter promotes a branch, PolicyCenter assigns a new model number, one greater than the previously most recently promoted branch on its period. The model number is a read-only property. Contrast with term number, which starts with 1 and increments by 1 only for renewals or rewrites.

In PolicyCenter, the real-world date and time that a version of the policy (or other object) was bound. See effective time.

A single instance of an application. A node can be a part of a larger system, such as a cluster, that provides a service.

See safe-ordered messaging.

An instance of a class, such as ArrayList, Account, Activity, Claim, or Policy. (See entity.)

See message / message payload.

A class that an InsuranceSuite application invokes to perform an action or calculate a result. For each plugin, the InsuranceSuite application provides a plugin interface that defines the set of required methods for any implementation. Additionally, there is a registry that enables the InsuranceSuite application to determine which class implements a plugin interface. An example of a plugin that calculates a result is a claim generation plugin, which returns a new claim number. An example of a plugin that performs an action is a messaging plugin, the purpose of which is to send a message to an external system. It is possible to implement a plugin in either Gosu or in Java. If you write your plugin implementation in Java, Guidewire recommends using OSGi to encapsulate your plugin code. In Guidewire Studio, use the Plugins Registry to specify the Gosu class, Java class, or OSGi bundle that implements a plugin interface.

A primary entity represents a type of high-level object that an InsuranceSuite application uses to group and sort related messages. A primary object is a specific instance of a primary entity. Each InsuranceSuite application specifies a default primary entity type for the application, or no default primary entity type. Additionally, messaging destinations can override the primary entity type, and that setting applies just to that messaging destination. Only specific entity types are supported for each InsuranceSuite application. See safe-ordered messaging for more details.Contrast with the term root object.

A string of characters that uniquely identifies an entity (a business record) in a Guidewire application. A public ID sometimes corresponds to a record ID in an external system. However, in some cases (such as the web service APIs) the application can create it for you. All entities have a public ID if they are identified in the application’s Data Dictionary with the keyable attribute. Public IDs must be unique for that type of entity, but different entities can share the same public ID without problem.

In InsuranceSuite applications, the main objects to be read or updated by an API. The term root object describes the types of objects (Claim, User). The term is sometimes informally applied to the symbol that refers to a root object available to a Gosu template.

In the context of messaging and messaging events, a root object for an event is the entity instance most associated with the event. This might be a small subobject or a larger object graph.

In the context of messaging and messaging events, a root object for a message is the entity instance most associated with the event. This might be a small subobject or a larger object graph.

By default, the message’s root object is the same as the root object for the event that caused its creation in Event Fired rules. This default makes sense in most cases. However, you can override this default for a message.

Contrast with the term primary entity.

A feature of an InsuranceSuite application server that evaluates Gosu rules when the system is running. It uses the rules and rule sets created and edited in Guidewire Studio to make automated decisions.

See safe-ordered messages.

A messaging feature that prevents related messages from sending out of order in relationship to each other. Messages are grouped by their related primary object for each messaging destination. See primary entity.

Messages send in creation order with other messages that are associated with that same primary object for that destination. Any messages associated with a primary object for that destination are called safe-ordered messages. The application waits for an acknowledgment before processing the next safe-ordered message for that same primary object for that destination. Delays or errors for that destination block further sending of messages for that same destination for that same primary object.

In ClaimCenter, by default, any messages associated with a claim send to each destination ordered by claim. Optionally, if a messaging destination sets Contact as its alternative primary entity, messages associated with a contact send grouped by contact for each messaging destination and send in creation order.

In PolicyCenter, by default, messages associated with an account send grouped by account for each messaging destination and send in creation order. Optionally, if a messaging destination sets Contact as its alternative primary entity, messages associated with a contact send grouped by contact for each messaging destination and send in creation order.

Messages will group and order for each BillingCenter destination by the primary entity for that messaging destination. These messages are safe-ordered.

There are objects in all applications that are not associated with the primary entity for a particular messaging destination, such as messages associated with User and Group objects. For ClaimCenter, a Catastrophe message is typically unassociated with a primary entity. All messages that are not associated with a claim (the primary object) are called non-safe-ordered messages.

The Studio user interface sometimes refers to non-safe-ordered messages as messages without primary.

The web services protocol based on XML and typically implemented across the HTTP protocol. SOAP supports remote APIs in a platform-neutral and language-neutral way. Guidewire applications make extensive use of SOAP in its native web services features. Refer to http://www.w3.org/TR/soap.

An open-source search platform that provides distributed search and indexing functionality. When enabled in Guidewire Cloud Platform, Solr extends InsuranceSuite applications with free-text search capabilities. Solr allows you to search for policies, claims, and contacts using, for example, partial names or address data.

A specific type of encryption of a data stream. SSL is commonly used to encrypt HTTP connections, which are then referred to as HTTPS connections (and HTTPS URLs begin with “https://”).

A database table used temporarily to prepare data to import into an application’s database. Each application provides a table-based import interface for very high volume data import. Staging table import is typically used for large-scale data conversion, and is used in ClaimCenter and BillingCenter for a variety of types of business data. For PolicyCenter, staging tables are used only for loading zone location data, not for loading administrative data or business data such as policies.

The integrated development environment (IDE) for Guidewire applications. Use Studio to manage rule sets, Gosu classes, PCF pages, workflows, entity types, display keys, plugins, message destinations, and web services.

A feature of Git repositories that we use to tie together all files that make up a release. Tagging makes it easy to pull a particular release from Git, and enables it to be rebuilt exactly as it was when released. This feature is particularly handy when trying to duplicate issues.

A Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) tool that you use to automate the building and testing of your code.

There are two types of templates in any InsuranceSuite application. One type is a Gosu template, which is a text file that generates text-based output. It is used for generating message payloads to external systems and also for HTTP-based data extraction. Gosu templates consist of static text content and blocks of Gosu code that dynamically generate text. The other type of template is a document template, which produces a document source file, such as a Microsoft Word file. It is populated with an application’s data, based on specifications of the document template’s template descriptor file.

See document template.

A free open-source application server and Java web application container provided by the Apache Jakarta project. Tomcat is one of several recommended application servers for Guidewire applications.

In InsuranceSuite applications, a set of values (called typekeys), that represent a finite set of choices for a field. In the web service APIs, typelist values are represented as constants within enumeration classes. For example, in the web service APIs, the LossType class contains LossType typelist values such as LossType.TC_WC for the Workers Compensation loss type.

Universal Model Object Locator. Refers to the location of a file as specified in an MDA search function. The UMOL identifies the appropriate version of a system resource (such as a configuration file or Java class) to use in a given situation.

A scripting language created by the Apache Software Foundation to render HTML. Used by InsuranceNow to process rules and to render the data used for printing.

See .war file.

A software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network. Web services define a set of operations in WSDL format. At run time, web services use the SOAP protocol typically over the HTTP protocol. Messages sent and received through web services are in XML format. Guidewire web services conform to additional WS-I specifications.

Viewing a PolicyPeriod object’s subobjects; accessing data for all effective dates in that policy period’s start date and end date.

The web services API description language, which describes an API interface for web services, including interface names, method names, method arguments, relevant entities (classes), and return values of methods. A system uses a web service by following the definition provided in the WSDL file for each API. Related to XML and SOAP. Refer to the World Wide Web Consortium at http://www.w3.org/TR/wsdl .

A communications protocol that provides authentication security for web services.

A standard that describes complex structured data in a text-based format with strict syntax for easy data interchange. For more information, refer to the World Wide Web Consortium at http://www.w3.org/XML.