SAE-1

Defining the data elements

1. Introduction to data elements

i. Property modes:

1. Value mode – single value

2. Page mode – multiple values

3. Java object

4. Java properties

ii. Value Mode:

1. Single Value -

2. Value List – Ordered list of information (e.g., Job history in a specific order)

3. Value group – Unordered list of information (e.g., Phone number(s))

2. Introduction to data modeling

Page mode properties:

1. Establishes contextual relationship between single-value properties

2. 3 types:

a. Page – Single entity

b. Page List – Numerically Ordered list (e.g., Order Item (1))

c. Page Group – semantically ordered list (e.g., Address (home), Address (work))

3. Setting values of data elements

i. Value mode properties are defined and stored in a special page: pyWorkPage

ii. All the case data is also stored in pyWorkPage

iii. Data transform rule: Enables to copy and manipulate data in cases (e.g., adding numbers, concatenation, copying pages)

4. Inspecting data elements

i. Types of pages:

1. User pages – Contains data about the work being done

2. Data pages – Persistent, in-memory data sources that is cached to boost performance

3. Linked property pages – Contains information from data objects referenced by a linked property

4. System pages – Contains information about the operating environment (e.g., active users, active applications)

5. Enhancing user experience

1. Introduction to UI

i. UI rules

1. Harness

a. Is a kind of Web page (top level frame) that users use to resolve cases

b. Cannot add content to harness

c. 4 types of harness:

i. New –

1. Optional harness

2. Is rendered when a new case is created.

3. Useful in scenarios where it is required to collect info before creating case

4. Referenced only in starter flows

5. Name can be changed

ii. Perform –

1. Provides content to the user

2. Also provides different action paths that the user can take

3. Referenced in Assignment shape

4. Name can be changed

iii. Review –

1. To show UI in read-only mode

2. Name cannot be changed. However, content can be changed

3. Being referenced internally in PRPC engine

iv. Confirm

1. Name can be changed

2. Also referenced on flow actions

d. Customizations to harness is usually done by SSA

2. Flow actions

a. Placeholder for a specific action that users can take while processing a case

b. Must be defined on all assignments

3. Sections

a. Building blocks of an application UI

b. Layout enables aligning presentation of data elements in rows, columns etc.

4. Portals – Primarily used to display workspaces for users

5. Skins – Controls the styling

6. Controls – configuring presentation of data elements (e.g., text box, check box, radio buttons etc.)

2. Designing layouts

i. Layout types:

1. Dynamic – the New layout

2. Smart and Free-form – supported for backward compatibility reasons. Superseded by Dynamic layout

3. Repeating and

4. Column

ii. Dynamic layout is responsive and fits in any screen resolution

iii. It uses HTML5 tags which are supported by multiple browsers

3. Creating repeating layouts

4. Formatting data elements

i. Control UI rule

1. Controls the display and presentation of properties

2. Plays a key role in formatting the data elements

3. Property and controls are connected to each other

4. A Field references Property and Control rules

5. A Control UI is referenced in both the places: Layout cell and property

6. Control palettes includes: Basic and advanced

7. Some of the advanced controls include: Paragraph, auto complete, Smart label etc.

8. Height and width of a control can be configured in pixels or percentage

9. Drop down control:

a. Useful when a selection needs to be done from a list of choices

b. The choices can be a static list (e.g., day of a week) or a dynamic list such as product names

10. Radio button:

a. Orientation is applicable for radio buttons

11. Action controls: buttons, icons and links

5. Validating Data elements

i. Options to enforce users to enter valid data:

1. Property level – Define right property type

2. Control level – Enforces user selection at runtime (e.g., Calendar control enforces to enter valid date only)

ii. Validation rules:

1. Validate:

a. Useful in building condition (e.g., compared a property with a value or comparing two properties: password and confirm password)

b. It is possible to validate more than one property with a validate rule

c. Flag Continue validation if enabled, validation continues with rest of the properties

2. Edit Validate:

a. Useful in making sure the pattern is matched

b. E.g., SSN, Email address

3. Enforce mandatory fields can be achieved using:

a. Validate rule or

b. “Required” option on the field

6. Accessing data in an application

1. Introduction to Data tables

i. Structure used to store reference data outside the application in a dedicated database table

ii. Can be updated without impacting cases

iii. Data tables use a proprietary database table structure in terms of columns

iv. These tables are stored in same database as PRPC

v. Can be updated only through PRPC

vi. Data tables must be created in data class

i. Data pages are useful to access the results of the data table

ii. 2 Data pages are created:

1. Lookup – loads data based on key

2. List – used for loading entire list

iii. If dedicated tables option is not selected, PRPC uses a table named PR_Other to save data instances

iv. Data table wizard generated:

1. Properties for each column defined

2. Data transforms to set defaults

3. Validate rule to validate the data associated with properties

4. List rules to display data in read-only and edit mode

5. 2 data pages

6. Report definition to display results

2. Accessing data in user interface

i. Data pages contains details on the

1. Source of data: Data tables, external system

2. Whether uses lookup or report definition or activity or data transform

3. Data structure used – Page or List

4. Scope – Thread(case), Requestor (User session) and Node (across all sessions)

5. Refresh strategy

ii. Data pages advantage is it separates data from process, UI and logic

iii. Data pages are invoked declaratively

3. Creating a dynamic user interface

i. Samples of PRPC dynamic UIs include

1. Visible when – hide / display fields

2. Refresh when – display changed values

3. Read only when

4. Disable when

ii. Events are tied to source or controlling field

iii. A target or controlled field is the one which will be impacted when an event is raised

iv. A field can be both a source and target

v. Some common actions:

1. Display – Post value, Refresh, Set value, Show smart tip

2. Other – Run Data transform

vi. Benefits of dynamic UI

1. Decrease number of full page refresh

2. Increase performance

3. Compress more functionality into single page

4. Create a compelling modern user experience

4. Accessing External systems

i. PRPC uses “Connectors” to read data from external systems

ii. PRPC uses “Services” when external systems request data from PRPC

7. Automating Business Policies

1. Intro to Declarative processing

i. Primary benefit of declarative processing is PRPC processes the relevant actions and sets of properties automatically

ii. It is run automatically when a property value is set or changes

iii. It is not required to explicitly called or does not require to run in a sequence

iv. Advantages: Faster development and easier maintenance

v. 6 types: Constraint, Declare expression, Declare onChange, Declare Trigger, Declare Index and Data page

vi. Some events that may trigger the declarative rules

1. When a user submits a flow action

2. As each step in a data transform or activity runs

3. During flow execution

vii. Forward chaining means that PRPC computes the target property value automatically each time when any of the input values in the expression change.

viii. Forward chaining is configured in change tracking tab using the default option “Whenever input changes”

2. Conditional Processing

i. When Rule:

1. It allows to define a True/False condition based on comparing one or more properties with any other value or with other properties

2. Can be used to:

a. Alter Stage behavior

b. Alter Step behavior

c. Alter Flow behavior listed in a step

ii. To use a When rule, the decision shape type should be changed to Fork.

iii. The When rules will be configured on the outgoing connectors of the decision shape

3. Automating Business policies using Decision rules

i. Decision tables and trees are frequently used in flows to direct processing of a case

ii. They can be used with a decision shape to define conditions

iii. They can also be used declaratively. Use a declare expression to evaluate decision table or tree and use the outcome to define a property value

iv. Testing decision rules:

1. Show conflicts: Verify if all rows/branches can be tested

2. Show completeness: Verify that all possible permutations of conditions can be tested

3. Run the rule: Test with realistic data to verify result

8. Advanced Case Processing

1. Routing Cases

i. Routing queues in PRPC are known as Work baskets

ii. Assignment shape object is required to:

1. Establish SLAs

2. To know the effectiveness in which cases are being processed

3. Support functionality where more than one operator is required to work in a case at the same time

iii. Work list – list of all cases that are waiting for an operator to work upon

iv. A manager can access the work list of all the users reporting to him

v. Workgroup is a record that ties up a set of operators together

1. An operator can access all the workbaskets that are part of work group

vi. Push routing: System pushes the cases to operators

vii. Pull routing: Users pulls from the workbasket

2. Case stage configuration

i. The Stage Entry validation field references a validate rule and when used, the stage cannot be started unless the validate rule is successful

ii. Stage can be skipped by using a When rule

iii. Optional actions

1. Can be added at: Case, Stages, Processes, on a specific assignment

2. When added on a stage, accessible across all the processes of the stage

3. Does not progress forward on submission and is not mandatory

3. Creating an optional process

i. Can only be instantiated manually

ii. Can be configured at Case or stage levels

4. Intro to Task based smart shapes

i. Smart shapes types:

1. Pre-configured utilities:

a. Orange in color

b. E.g., Send email, Create PDF, Change stage, Create case, Update case, Persist case etc.

2. sub-processes

a. Blue in color

b. E.g. Duplicate search sub-process and cascading approval sub-process)

5. Creating case level SLA

i. SLA facilitates timely processing of assignments

ii. It contains:

1. Goal: Preferred time expected from users to complete task

2. Deadline: Maximum amount of time an end user can use

9. Documenting the application

1. Documentation should be generated as needed. Need not wait for the completion of application

2. Types of documentation:

i. Application document –

1. Documentation for developers and/or end users

2. 3 levels of documentation

a. High level overview

b. Full documentation

c. A Property reference that list all the data elements

3. Possible to add outside content

ii. Application profile – Proposal document for stakeholder review. Can be used a solution proposal by business analyst and project managers

iii. Specification document –

1. Integral part of development process

2. Specification sets for design review and elaboration

3. Application designers use these documents as guides for application development