---
title: Set claim context
summary: Loads an application session by claim number or claim ID, evaluates claim security, and triggers subclass retrieval.
status: draft
owner: Technical Writer
last_reviewed: 2026-07-30
library: SAIF.Application.Claim
reference_type: package
operation_id: OP-AC-01
trigger: Caller invokes SetClaimContext(String) or SetClaimContext(Decimal) with a claim number or claim ID
---

# Set claim context

This operation establishes a claim-scoped session for a `ClaimAppManager` subclass. The caller supplies either a claim number or a claim ID; the manager creates a `ClaimContext`, loads the corresponding claim data, evaluates the caller's security access to that claim, and finally invokes the subclass-specific retrieval logic.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| **Operation ID** | OP-AC-01 |
| **Trigger** | Caller calls `SetClaimContext(inClaimNumber As String)` or `SetClaimContext(inClaimID As Decimal)` |
| **Inputs** | Claim number (`String`) or claim ID (`Decimal`) |
| **Outputs** | Active `ClaimContext`, populated `clsClaimData`, updated `ClaimSecurity` snapshot, subclass-specific retrieved state, and a caller-facing `Message` |
| **Primary components** | `ClaimAppManager.SetClaimContext`, `ClaimAppManager.ChangeContext`, `ClaimContext`, `ClaimSecurity`, `clsClaimData` |
| **Entry point** | `Application\SAIF.Application.Claim\ClaimAppManager.vb` |

## Steps

1. `SetClaimContext(inClaimNumber As String)` checks `inClaimNumber.Trim.Length > 0`.
   - If true: creates `New ClaimContext(inClaimNumber)` and calls `ChangeContext()` (step 3).
   - If false (blank input): clears `m_ClaimData`, calls `MarkContextNotSet()`, and sets `Message = ClaimAppConstants.PLEASEENTERCLAIM` ([BR-006](../business-rules.md#br-006-invalid-claim-input-returns-the-standard-claim-message)). `ChangeContext()` is not invoked on this path.
2. `SetClaimContext(inClaimID As Decimal)` checks `inClaimID > 0`.
   - If true: creates `New ClaimContext(inClaimID, 0)` and calls `ChangeContext()` (step 3).
   - If false (zero or negative): clears `m_ClaimData`, calls `MarkContextNotSet()`, and sets `Message = ClaimAppConstants.PLEASEENTERCLAIM` ([BR-006](../business-rules.md#br-006-invalid-claim-input-returns-the-standard-claim-message)). `ChangeContext()` is not invoked on this path.
3. `ChangeContext()` runs the context-change pipeline in a fixed order: `OnContextChanged()`, then `OnCheckSecurity()`, then `OnRetrieve()`.
4. `OnContextChanged()` loads claim data for the new context:
   - Calls `GetClaimData()`, which reads `Context.ClaimID`; if it is greater than zero, it retrieves the claim through `clsClaimData.GetData(DPI, Context.ClaimID)`, otherwise through `clsClaimData.GetData(DPI, Context.ClaimNumber)`.

     > **Origin**: Claim retrieval by ID or claim number is implemented by `clsClaimData.GetData` in `SAIF.Business.View.Claim`, executed on behalf of this operation. That library is documented in the previous format, so no per-operation page exists; see [Retrieve claim summary data](../../saif-business-view-claim/operations/claim-summary-and-detail-retrieval.md) in the `SAIF.Business.View.Claim` documentation set.
   - Sets `Message = ClaimAppConstants.CLAIMNOTFOUND` and calls `MarkContextNotSet()` by default.
   - If `m_ClaimData.IsValid` is true: clears `Message` and calls `MarkContextSet()` instead.
     - On failure (claim not found or invalid): the context remains not-set and `Message` retains `CLAIMNOTFOUND`.
5. `OnCheckSecurity()` evaluates the caller's access to the loaded claim:
   - Calls `ClaimSecurity.CheckClaim(ClaimData)`, which evaluates conflict access ([BR-001](../business-rules.md#br-001-conflict-claims-require-conflict-access-or-an-override)), exposure access ([BR-002](../business-rules.md#br-002-exposure-claims-require-exposure-access)), hostile-worker/secure-claim access ([BR-003](../business-rules.md#br-003-hostile-worker-claims-require-secure-claim-access)), and health-issue access ([BR-004](../business-rules.md#br-004-health-issue-exposure-claims-reuse-exposure-authorization)) against the claim's flags.
   - Calls `MarkViewOnly()` unconditionally as the default post-security role.

     > **Origin**: `MarkViewOnly()` sets the single effective application security role defined by `AppManagerBase` in `SAIF.Application`. That library is documented in the previous format, so no per-operation page exists; see [Security role assignment](../../saif-application/operations/security-role-assignment.md) in the `SAIF.Application` documentation set.
   - If `ClaimSecurity.ConflictAccess` is false: calls `CheckForSecurityOverride()`.
     - Sub-step: `CheckForSecurityOverride()` delegates to `ClaimServices.HasOverrideAcess(DPI, ClaimData.ClaimID, SecurityPrincipal.UserName.ToString)`.

       > **Origin**: The security-override lookup is implemented by `ClaimServices.HasOverrideAcess` in `SAIF.Business`, backed by an override-security table read. That library is documented in the previous format, so no per-operation page exists; see [Claim authorization and visibility checks](../../saif-business/operations/claim-information-and-authorization-support.md) (step 4, [SQL-014](../../saif-business/sql/SQL-014-override-security-lookup.md)) in the `SAIF.Business` documentation set.
     - If the override check also returns false: calls `MarkNoAccess()` and sets `Message = ConfidentialAccessDeniedMessage` ([BR-001](../business-rules.md#br-001-conflict-claims-require-conflict-access-or-an-override)).
     - If the override check returns true: no-access is not applied; the caller keeps the view-only role assigned in the previous bullet.
6. `OnRetrieve()` is abstract in `ClaimAppManager` and executes only in the concrete subclass, which loads its own application-specific state for the now-validated claim context. This library does not implement `OnRetrieve()` itself.*

## Process flow

The following diagram visualizes the claim-context-entry control flow.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
	Start([Caller invokes SetClaimContext]) --> Valid{Claim number or ID valid?}
	Valid -->|No| Blocked([Context not set;<br>PLEASEENTERCLAIM message])
	Valid -->|Yes| NewCtx[Create ClaimContext]
	NewCtx --> ChangeContext[ChangeContext]
	ChangeContext --> GetData[GetClaimData via<br>clsClaimData.GetData]
	GetData --> IsValid{ClaimData.IsValid?}
	IsValid -->|No| NotFound([Context not set;<br>CLAIMNOTFOUND message])
	IsValid -->|Yes| ContextSet[MarkContextSet]
	ContextSet --> CheckSecurity[CheckClaim: conflict,<br>exposure, hostile, health-issue]
	CheckSecurity --> ViewOnly[MarkViewOnly]
	ViewOnly --> Conflict{ConflictAccess false?}
	Conflict -->|No| Retrieve[OnRetrieve in subclass]
	Conflict -->|Yes| Override{Security override granted?}
	Override -->|Yes| Retrieve
	Override -->|No| NoAccess([MarkNoAccess;<br>confidential-access message])
```

## Failure and edge-case behavior

- A blank claim number or a claim ID that is zero or negative leaves the manager out of context and sets `Message = PLEASEENTERCLAIM`; `ChangeContext()` never runs for these inputs ([BR-006](../business-rules.md#br-006-invalid-claim-input-returns-the-standard-claim-message)).
- A claim number or ID that resolves to no row (or an invalid `clsClaimData`) leaves the context marked not-set with `Message = CLAIMNOTFOUND`, and `OnCheckSecurity()`/`OnRetrieve()` still execute against the unpopulated claim data since `ChangeContext()` does not short-circuit after `OnContextChanged()`.*
- A conflict claim without conflict access and without an override is marked `NoAccess` and returns `ConfidentialAccessDeniedMessage`, which names the responsible adjuster and phone number when available, or the generic `ERRORCONFIDENTIALCLAIM` message otherwise.
- `OnRetrieve()` has no base implementation; if a subclass does not override it, no application-specific data is loaded even though the context and security state are otherwise valid.*

## Related documentation

- [Operations and processes](../operations-processes.md)
- [Business rules](../business-rules.md)

> **Note:** Statements marked with `*` were inferred from code structure, naming
> conventions, or contextual evidence where direct confirmation was not available
> in source artifacts.

## Sources

- `Application\SAIF.Application.Claim\ClaimAppManager.vb`
- `Application\SAIF.Application.Claim\ClaimContext.vb`
- `Application\SAIF.Application.Claim\ClaimSecurity.vb`
- `Application\SAIF.Application.Claim\ClaimAppConstants.vb`