# Why and When to Use Event Rules and Event Definitions
**URL:** https://community.nextw.com/t/why-and-when-to-use-event-rules-and-event-definitions/1747
**Category:** Nextworld Platform
**Created:** [February 24, 2026, 4:56am UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/why-and-when-to-use-event-rules-and-event-definitions/1747 "2026-02-24T04:56:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@keiko.kasho](https://community.nextw.com/u/keiko.kasho)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2026, 4:56am UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/why-and-when-to-use-event-rules-and-event-definitions/1747/1 "2026-02-24T04:56:56Z")
Hello,
A majority of the time we are currently using event rules and event definitions to run after a certain workflow state to replicate a post run LB in workflow. A majority of our eventing is done to based on WF on sales orders. What is the reasoning to use this dev method vs a LB on workflow? Is it just cleaner and more simple than messing with checking out/customizing/extending workflow?
Also, when would you set up the event definition to be event type of user defined event? How is that hooked up and kicked off?
cc: @ellen.kaufman
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### Author:  [@ian.p](https://community.nextw.com/u/ian.p)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2026, 2:41pm UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/why-and-when-to-use-event-rules-and-event-definitions/1747/2 "2026-02-24T14:41:30Z")
From where I sit, a reason to use eventing in favor of post-transition LBs in workflow is to decouple the _success of the subsequent transaction attached to the event_ from the _success of the workflow transition_.
Consider a post-transition LB that is responsible for `transaction B`. If it errors, the workflow transition (`tranaction A`) goes into an error state. This situation is what is known as tight coupling. Depending on the situation, this may be appropriate that `transaction B` and `transaction A` live and die together. But frequently, it is not. If `transaction B` merely needs to be attempted/start after `transaction A` has completed and can live independently of the workflow transition that triggered it, then eventing is the perfect framework for that.
For more: [Event-driven architecture - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event-driven_architecture)
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### Author:  [@keiko.kasho](https://community.nextw.com/u/keiko.kasho)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2026, 2:15am UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/why-and-when-to-use-event-rules-and-event-definitions/1747/3 "2026-02-25T02:15:35Z")
@ian.p got it, thanks! How about the user-defined event type? How is that hooked up and kicked off?
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### Author:  [@keiko.kasho](https://community.nextw.com/u/keiko.kasho)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2026, 6:01am UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/why-and-when-to-use-event-rules-and-event-definitions/1747/4 "2026-02-25T06:01:09Z")
Also, couple other questions:
1. How do we find out where event rules/definitions are being used? I don’t think we can find out in Asset Usage or Metadata Where Used
2. How do we debug an event rule `nsCoxSpecialOrderPurchaseOrdersOpenReceived` since it’s tied to an external event target definition?
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### Author:  [@ian.p](https://community.nextw.com/u/ian.p)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2026, 2:31pm UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/why-and-when-to-use-event-rules-and-event-definitions/1747/5 "2026-02-25T14:31:59Z")
> [@keiko.kasho](#):
>
> How about the user-defined event type? How is that hooked up and kicked off?
Per Nextworld Help - User-Defined events are kicked off from logic blocks. What you get with these is decoupling - the logic and transaction owned by the event lives independently of the calling logic block. In some ways its similar to Queueing a Background Task, but Queueing a Background Task is limited to executing a logic block whereas Events can interact with services such as AWS Eventbridge. Background tasks also don’t have some of the capabilities native to eventing such as retry, and as such are not a great option if the logic has a chance of erroring.
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### Author:  [@ian.p](https://community.nextw.com/u/ian.p)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2026, 2:51pm UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/why-and-when-to-use-event-rules-and-event-definitions/1747/6 "2026-02-25T14:51:13Z")
> [@keiko.kasho](#):
>
> How do we find out where event rules/definitions are being used? I don’t think we can find out in Asset Usage or Metadata Where Used
You are correct, they’re not being surfaced in either of those places. To me that seems like a bug.
> [@keiko.kasho](#):
>
> How do we debug an event rule `nsCoxSpecialOrderPurchaseOrdersOpenReceived` since it’s tied to an external event target definition?
There is currently no mechanism for debugging what happens when an event rule gets processed and the associated target deliveries.
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### Author:  [@keiko.kasho](https://community.nextw.com/u/keiko.kasho)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2026, 4:26am UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/why-and-when-to-use-event-rules-and-event-definitions/1747/7 "2026-02-26T04:26:54Z")
Got it, thanks. Should I create a freshdesk ticket for that bug in order to track it?
Currently, is using the app monitoring tool the best way to see when event are being hit on a certain workflow?
And, how do you suggest we debug if there is no current way to do so for external event target defintions?
Lastly, since there is currently no debugging on events, is the best way to debug these event LBs by putting them on a row action on the app and then debugging from the UI?
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### Author:  [@ian.p](https://community.nextw.com/u/ian.p)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2026, 10:33pm UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/why-and-when-to-use-event-rules-and-event-definitions/1747/8 "2026-02-26T22:33:21Z")
> [@keiko.kasho](#):
>
> Should I create a freshdesk ticket for that bug in order to track it?
Yes
> [@keiko.kasho](#):
>
> Currently, is using the app monitoring tool the best way to see when event are being hit on a certain workflow?
Also consider using the Event Status Inquiry app for this.
> [@keiko.kasho](#):
>
> And, how do you suggest we debug if there is no current way to do so for external event target defintions?
There is no way to debug this. The closest mechanism available is simply to queue the event, have the event target fire, and monitor either the `Event Target Delivery Status` record or the `Jobs` record for any errors that occur during LB processing.
> [@keiko.kasho](#):
>
> Lastly, since there is currently no debugging on events, is the best way to debug these event LBs by putting them on a row action on the app and then debugging from the UI?
That could be a possible workaround for when the event targets are logic blocks, yes.