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Working with ad hoc cases

An ad hoc case is a case an operator can manually create to track work that is not instantiated from a case type defined in the current application. Ad hoc cases cannot be automatically instantiated when a parent case is created.

Operators employ ad hoc cases to efficiently handle exceptions that may arise in the course of expected business processing without having to wait for modification of the application's case type structure. For example, a human resource hiring specialist, after completing a phone interview, may want to perform a background check in order to continue with the hiring process. Since there is no background-check case type in the organization, the specialist creates an ad hoc case to track this work.

An ad hoc cases is an instance (called Simple Case) of class Work-Cover-SimpleCase, which is created by the standard Simple Case flow (pySimpleCaseWorkFlow). The case contains one assignment named Ad Hoc Case Dashboard in which operators create tasks that are processed as assignments in the standard Complete Task flow (Data-AdHocTask.WorkTask).

Note: Standard ad hoc starting flows Standard Ad-Hoc Task (pyManualTaskStandardAssignment) and Ad-Hoc Task Needing Manager Approval (pyManualTaskStandardApproval) are supported in existing configurations but are deprecated. Use pySimpleCaseWorkFlow instead.

Creating ad hoc cases

At run time, an operator can create ad hoc cases in the Case Manager portal, user forms, and Pega Pulse.

Case Manager portal

  • See Case Manager portal - Using My Cases.
  • User forms

    Select Create Ad Hoc Case from the Other actions menu.

    Pega Pulse

    Select Create a Task from the Action menu on a Pega Pulse post.

    Using the Create Ad Hoc Case action

    When an operator invokes the action, the following fields on the Create Ad Hoc Case dialog, or the user form action area appear.

    Enter values for:

    After completing the fields, the operator clicks Create.

    The Create Ad Hoc Case action invokes the standard pyCreateAdhocCase flow action, which you can apply to a flow or any local action.

    Adding tasks on the Ad Hoc Case Dashboard

    After creating an ad hoc case, the operator adds tasks by opening the Ad Hoc Case Dashboard assignment and clicking the Add Tasks icon. This opens the Create Tasks flow action (pyCreateAdHocTasks).

    To add one or more tasks, the operator:

    1. Clicks Add Item to add a row and create the first task. The operator edits the following fields:
    1. Optionally, clicks Add Item again to add a second task. Each additional item is processed in sequence, starting from the first task. The second deadline defaults to one business day from the first task's default deadline. The third task's deadline is one day from the second task's default, and so on.
    2. When finished, the operator clicks Submit. The first task appears on the form's action area and on the Case Contents assignment list.

    If a user adds more than one task in the Create Tasks flow action, the assignments are processed iteratively. When one task is completed, the next task on the list becomes the open assignment.
    The tasks are processed in the order they were entered regardless of the deadline dates.

    The Create Tasks flow action is also available, by default, from an ad hoc user form's Actions menu. Operators can employ the Other Actions menu to create additional tasks while working in a task's user form. The new tasks are processed independent of the ones previously defined in the case.

    Editing the Create Tasks flow action default settings

    You can change some default settings on the Create Tasks action by updating source values in the data transform Data-AdHocTask.pyDefault

    Examples:

    @(Pega-RULES:BusinessCalendar).addTime("", (Param.lastRowToRetrieve x 2), 0, 0, 0, true, pxRequestor.pyCalendar)

    The default service-level agreement settings for a simple case are located in pySimpleCase (Data-AdHocTask.pySimpleCase).

    You can modify the default C-prefix by copying the data transform Data-Cover-.pyDefault to your application RuleSet in Data-Cover-SimpleCase and updating the pyWorkIDPrefix source value. Alternatively, you can add Work-Cover-SimpleCase to the Case Types list on the Application record's Cases and Data tab, and modify the value in the Work ID Prefix field.

    Configuring cases for reuse

    The Configure for Reuse feature is useful where the operator repeatedly uses ad hoc cases to process specific exceptions. If these exceptions become routine, the operator may decide to copy the ad hoc case structure (top-level or child) to the application's case type structure without the assistance of an application developer. When invoked, the system automatically creates the case type and its default case type, starter flow, work parties, and activity rules.

    This feature is available only if the operator's access group references the standard pyPega-ProcessEngine:CaseDesigner role, which contains the privilege .pyCaseInstitutionalize.

    Verify that the current application contains an unlocked RuleSet version.

    The operator can access the feature by:

    When the user selects this option, the Configure for Reuse dialog appears.

    When the user clicks OK, the new case type appears in the Case Type Explorer.

    Portals in applications

    Definitions portals, case, assignment, flow
    Related topics About the Case Manager portal
    About Portal rules
    Portals for application users
    Using the Case Type Explorer