# Rules in Sailpoint IdentityNow **URL:** \ **Category:** SHF Discussion and Questions\ **Tags:** rules, identity-security-cloud\ **Created:** [November 6, 2026, 1:26pm UTC](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/t/rules-in-sailpoint-identitynow/229440 "2026-11-06T13:26:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shubhamgutte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@Shubhamgutte](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/u/Shubhamgutte)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 1:26pm UTC](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/t/rules-in-sailpoint-identitynow/229440/1 "2026-11-06T13:26:26Z")
Hi All, I’m new to SailPoint IdentityNow (IDN) and previously worked with SailPoint IdentityIQ (IIQ). In IIQ, we can view the list of available rules through the Debug pages. I’m trying to understand how this works in IdentityNow. I understand that IdentityNow uses Transforms for certain functionalities, and there are also different types of rules available in IDN. Could someone please help me understand: 1. Where can we find the list of rules available in an IdentityNow tenant? 2. Is there any equivalent to the Debug pages in IIQ for viewing rules in IDN? 3. Where exactly can we view or manage different types of rules from the IdentityNow UI? 4. Are Transforms used as an alternative to rules, or do they serve a different purpose? Any guidance or documentation would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! Regards, Shubham ---
**Author:** ![Gopi2000](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/sailpoint/discuss/user_avatar/developer.sailpoint.com/gopi2000/32/21706_2.png) [@Gopi2000](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/u/Gopi2000)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 1:51pm UTC](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/t/rules-in-sailpoint-identitynow/229440/2 "2026-11-06T13:51:39Z")
Hi Shubham, The model is quite different from IIQ, so here are your four questions in order. 1. Where to find the list of rules ISC has no rule list in the UI. Rules are limited and are not stored as editable objects the way they are in IIQ. You can read the rules in your tenant through the **API** (connector rules have their own endpoint, and an **SP-Config export** can include rule objects). You can also open a source or provisioning policy to see which rule it references. Cloud rules are installed by SailPoint, so the rule name only appears where it is used. 2. Is there an equivalent to the IIQ Debug pages? No. ISC has no debug pages or object browser. You work through the UI, the REST APIs, the SailPoint CLI, vsCode Sailpoint ISC extension and SP-Config. 3. Where rules are viewed and managed ISC has [two types of rules](https://developer.sailpoint.com/docs/tools/colab/getting-started-with-rules): cloud rules and connector rules. [Cloud rules run in the multi-tenant cloud and connector rules run on the virtual appliance](https://developer.sailpoint.com/docs/extensibility/rules). You can’t upload a cloud rule from the UI: it goes through [a support request for review](https://developer.sailpoint.com/docs/extensibility/rules/cloud-rules) before SailPoint installs it in your tenant. Connector rules can be managed through the connector rules API. 4. Transforms vs rules [Transforms](https://developer.sailpoint.com/docs/extensibility/transforms/) are the preferred, supported way to change data in ISC. They are JSON definitions you create and manage yourself, used for identity profile attribute mappings, provisioning policy fields, and similar tasks. Rules are code (BeanShell/Java) for cases transforms can’t handle, and SailPoint recommends [using rules as a last resort](https://developer.sailpoint.com/docs/extensibility/rules) and using ISC features instead whenever you can. Hope this helps ---
**Author:** ![punna0001](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/sailpoint/discuss/user_avatar/developer.sailpoint.com/punna0001/32/42011_2.png) [@punna0001](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/u/punna0001)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 2:48pm UTC](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/t/rules-in-sailpoint-identitynow/229440/3 "2026-11-06T14:48:54Z")
I would add how to actually read the rules in your tenant, since that is the UI part you asked about. Easiest no-code route is Configuration Hub: create a backup that includes the rule object types (or All Objects), then Actions \> View Summary \> View Details to read each rule as read-only JSON (`RULE` for cloud rules, `CONNECTOR_RULE` for connector rules). Alternatively, use the SP-Config API: `POST /beta/sp-config/export` with `"includeTypes": ["RULE", "CONNECTOR_RULE"]`. It is async, so poll `GET /beta/sp-config/export/{id}` (the `{id}` is the returned `jobId`) until the status is `COMPLETE`, then download with `GET /beta/sp-config/export/{id}/download`. For connector rules specifically, `GET /connector-rules/v1` lists them. Docs: [Configuration Hub backups](https://documentation.sailpoint.com/saas/help/confighub/config_hub_backup.html), [SP-Config](https://developer.sailpoint.com/docs/extensibility/configuration-management/saas-configuration/) ---
**Author:** ![schattopadhy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/sailpoint/discuss/user_avatar/developer.sailpoint.com/schattopadhy/32/8854_2.png) [@schattopadhy](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/u/schattopadhy)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2026, 4:16am UTC](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/t/rules-in-sailpoint-identitynow/229440/4 "2026-11-08T04:16:02Z")
Hi @Shubhamgutte **1. Listing the rules in a tenant** - **Connector rules** (BuildMap, MapToResourceObject, Before/After Provisioning and similar): use the Connector Rule Management API. `GET /beta/connector-rules` lists the rules deployed to your tenant, and the same API can validate, create, update and delete them. The SailPoint CLI wraps these calls too. - **Cloud rules** (for example identity attribute rules or other platform-level rules): these are not self-service. SailPoint’s services or support team deploys them, so you can’t list or edit them yourself in the UI. - **Rules a source uses:** pull the source configuration with `GET /v3/sources/{id}`. The rule names appear in the connector attributes. - Also now visual studio plugin can fetch you cloud rules **2 Is there an equivalent to the IIQ Debug pages?** No. IdentityNow has no debug page, so you can’t browse or edit rule XML in the UI. The API (and CLI) is the closest equivalent, and you use it to inspect or change connector rules.For cloud rules you need to use support ticket to get the logs however for connector rules you can get in in VA **3 Where to view or manage rules in the UI** Rules attached to a source are visible only by reading its config via the API OR Sailpoint CLI . Transforms have more UI support. You can build and attach them in an Identity Profile’s attribute mapping, and in provisioning policies, source schemas and account profiles. You can also list and edit them through `/v3/transforms`. **4 Are transforms an alternative to rules?** Mostly yes, but they differ in what they do: ## Transforms vs. Rules (BeanShell) in IdentityNow | Aspect | Rules (BeanShell) | Transforms | | --- | --- | --- | | **Ease of use** | More complicated and error-prone | Simple to use | | **Flexibility** | More versatile than transforms | Less flexible, but covers common use cases | | **Performance** | May vary depending on implementation | Consistent | | **Review before publishing** | Required | Not required | | **Build and deploy time** | Longer | Rapid: a simple API call | | **Skills needed** | Java skills | No development skills | | **Connector-level use** | Available | Not available at connector level | ### Summary - **Use a transform** when it can do the job. It is quicker to build and deploy, needs no review, and performs consistently. - **Use a rule** only when you need logic a transform can’t express, or when you need to act at the connector level. The cost is more complexity, Java skills, a review step and a longer deployment. ---
**Author:** ![Jerinhrb04](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/sailpoint/discuss/user_avatar/developer.sailpoint.com/jerinhrb04/32/42240_2.png) [@Jerinhrb04](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/u/Jerinhrb04)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2026, 6:40am UTC](https://developer.sailpoint.com/discuss/t/rules-in-sailpoint-identitynow/229440/5 "2026-11-08T06:40:58Z")
Hello @Shubhamgutte , You can view the rules and Transforms through VS code also once you add your tenant using the ISC extension. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sailpoint/original/3X/4/7/470682d51e2da49984ee2ba9392e364fcd62cd16.png)