Interactive Guide to Pharmaceutical Scheme Validation
An exploration of the complex logic, architecture, and best practices required to build a robust promotional scheme validator for the pharmaceutical industry.
Explore the ConceptsThe Challenge: Decoding Pharma Promotions
Pharmaceutical promotions go beyond simple discounts. They involve complex rules, fractional quantities, and strict regulatory oversight. This application must precisely translate abstract schemes into tangible, deliverable units.
The Power of Fractional Schemes
A simple "10+1" scheme offers a 9.1% discount. A fractional "10.5+1.5" scheme, when normalized to "105+15", offers a more compelling 12.5% discount. This interactive chart visualizes the increased value provided by fractional schemes, a key driver for their use in competitive markets.
From Fractions to Fulfillment
The core challenge is translating fractional schemes into whole, physical units that can be shipped. A "5.5 + 0.5" scheme isn't physically possible. The system must intelligently scale it to a deliverable equivalent.
Scheme: 5.5 + 0.5
Normalized: Buy 55, Get 5 Free
This normalization ensures inventory accuracy, regulatory compliance, and logistical feasibility. Our interactive simulator below lets you explore this logic in action.
The End-to-End Validation Workflow
A robust validator follows a multi-stage process to ensure every promotion is defined, evaluated, and applied with precision and compliance. Click on each step to learn more.
Interactive Scheme Simulator
Experience the validation logic first-hand. Choose a scheme, enter a quantity, and see how the system calculates the free items based on normalization and rounding rules.
1. Configure Your Order
2. Validation Results
Normalization
Scheme 5.5+0.5 scaled by 10 → 55+5
Calculation
120 ordered / 55 buy qty = 2.18 sets
Auto-calculated Free Quantity
Calculated: floor(2.18) * 5 free = 10 free items
Final Result
Validation Status:
Anatomy of a Scheme
Validation relies on a rich set of data points across products, customers, and the schemes themselves. Explore the key data categories that drive the validation engine.
Building a Scalable System
A modern, scalable validator is built using a microservices architecture. This design separates concerns into independent, manageable services that communicate asynchronously, ensuring resilience and flexibility. Hover over each component to see its role.
📦 Scheme Mgt
🎯 Eligibility Service
⚙️ Rule Engine
🧮 Calculation Service
🔐 Approval Service
📋 Audit Service
All services communicate via an Event Bus (e.g., Kafka) for asynchronous, real-time processing.
Core Principles for Success
Three core principles underpin a successful and trustworthy scheme validator: accuracy, auditability, and flexibility.
🎯 Accuracy
Precision is paramount. The system requires clear business rules, rigorous testing, and precise calculations to prevent financial loss and inventory discrepancies. All rounding must be explicit and policy-driven.
🔍 Auditability
Every action must be logged. A granular, immutable audit trail of who did what, when, and how the system responded is non-negotiable for regulatory compliance and internal control.
🔧 Flexibility
Markets change. The system must adapt. Externalizing business rules from code allows marketing and sales teams to configure and launch new schemes quickly without developer intervention.