Case types

Case types define the tasks, the necessary document classes to support the task, the task steps, and the roles that must complete those steps to solve a business problem. The case type also includes properties that are displayed to case workers in views. Related case types make up a solution.

An example of case type is a loan application. A loan application case in the Case Client contains detailed information such as correspondence, tasks, policies, and events that case workers or case teams collaborate on to resolve and close that case. Case workers and case managers work together on cases.

For each case type you define the following data:

Case Type information

You can define attributes such as the name and description for each case type. The system assigns a unique identifier for the case type.

You can specify a starting document class. When a document of this class is added to the repository, a new instance of this case is automatically created.

You can enable custom activity creation, which allows end users to design additional tasks for the case.

You can enable users to add documents and attachments that are in a repository other than the case management object stores.

For the Add Case, Split Case, and Case Details pages, you can choose which of the page types to use as the default layout for that page.

Properties

You can assign properties to the case type, and you can decide which properties are displayed in the client views. You can assign existing properties that were defined for the solution, or you can add new properties.

Views

The case views define the properties and their display order in the Case Client. A single property can be used in one or more of the case views.

The summary view is shown in the Case Information widget, and the properties that you specify are displayed in the search results.

The view for the Search widget controls which properties the user can search against.

For the Properties widget, you can create properties views that define how case properties are laid out in the Case Client interface.

If you do not define views, IBM® Business Automation Workflow uses a default layout.

Case folders

You can assign an empty folder structure to which the case workers can add documents that are required to complete the case. Folders provide logical groupings for documents that are related to the case. You can create more than one top-level folder, and you can create subfolders for any folder.

When cases are designed with a predefined subfolder structure that includes a large number of folders, the case can take a longer time to create and initialize. To maintain a reasonable response time during case creation, limit the complexity of your predefined folder structure for a case to ten or fewer subfolders.

If your solution requires cases with a more complex subfolder structure, the best practice is to create the subfolders later, after the case is initialized. You can add the subfolders programmatically, within an automatic activity process, or on demand by a user as needed.

Folder names can contain 255 characters. The folder name cannot contain the following characters: {\ * / < > : | ? "}

Restriction: Character limits might vary depending on your language.

Rules

You can create business rules to implement business policies and practices, such as determine process routing or update case properties if particular conditions are met. After you create rules, you can use them in a workflow by adding rule steps.

Activities

Each case type contains one or more activities that can include a workflow process to complete that activity. An activity has one or more steps that must be completed in order to complete the activity. A case is not complete until all required activities are completed or manually disabled.