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

• Use the Quick Create feature located the on My Cases header. The operator enters a name in the text field and clicks the Quick Create button. By default, the work is routed to the current operator. There are no overall case goals or deadlines.

• Select a case on the Case Manager portal My Cases and using the Create Ad Hoc Case right-click menu to create an ad hoc child case. Operators can add these child cases to other ad hoc cases and child cases.

·  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:

• Name — The name of the case. The name appears on the Case Manager portal and on user forms.

• Description — Optional. Provide a text description of the work that will be done.

• Routing — Select the routing of the work. The options are:

• Me — Default. The worklist of the current operator.

• Operator — The worklist of another operator in the current operator's work pool.

• Workbasket — A workbasket referenced in the current application.

• Service Level — Optional. Define the overall Goals and Deadlines for this case.

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:

• Assign To −Selects the operator who will perform the task. By default, it is the operator adding the task.

• Instructions − Enters a text description of the task that will be performed.

• Deadline − Enters or uses the calendar control to specify the task's deadline. The default is one business day from the current date. The deadline cannot occur before the default.

2.               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.

3.               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:

• Update the text used by .pyLabel from "Instructions for task " to "Describe what you plan to do".

• Change the .pyDeadlineTime default increment from one day (1, 2, 3,...) to two days (2, 4, 6,...) by editing its source expression as follows:

@(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:

• Clicking the Configure for Reuse icon on the Ad Hoc Case Dashboard assignment.

• Selecting a case on the My Cases list and using the Configure for Reuse right-click menu.

• Clicking the Configure for Reuse button on a user form header.

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

• If the ad hoc case is a top-level case or has no children, the system converts the ad hoc case to a top-level case type. The name of the new case type can be edited in the text field.

• If the ad hoc case is a parent, the dialog lists the ad hoc child cases. Select the Include check box to convert the child cases to child case types in the case management structure. The names of the new case types can be edited in the text fields.

• If the ad hoc case is a child of a standard case (case type instance), the dialog displays radio buttons that let you choose to convert the case to a top-level case or a child case of the current parent. Edit the name of the new case type in the text field.

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