Adding and reusing properties

You define properties, such as names or dates, at the solution level and reuse them in any case type, document class, task, or step in that solution.

To add or reuse properties:

• Add to the solution:
  1. From the solution home page, open the Properties page. Then, click Add Property and select either Reuse Property or New.
     Reused properties are properties that have been defined in a solution that has been deployed. Reused properties can be used again in other solutions. For example, if you are building a solution for automobile insurance, you might need properties for a policy number and for a customer name in most case documents in the solution. You can create the policy number and customer name properties as templates to quickly add the properties where you need them throughout the solution.

     Important: You can reuse String, Integer, Boolean, Float, and datetime type properties. You cannot reuse a property that is of type Business Object. You cannot use multi-value properties that are configured as unique and unordered or as hierarchical choice lists.

     To reduce the amount of space that is used by properties, try to reuse existing properties, if possible. When you select Reuse Property, you can select one or more properties that exist in Content Platform Engine.

     If necessary, create new properties. To reduce the amount of space that is used by properties, see the tips in Minimize database row sizes.

  2. Define property values. The property value fields that are displayed depend on the type of the property. For example, single properties can have a default property value. Some properties, like float and integer properties, can have minimum and maximum values.
     Note: When a default value is not assigned to a Boolean property in the solution design, then the case instance Boolean property has no value (or the value of None).
  3. Optional: If you define a property as a choice list, you can use the choice list from a reused property that you added to the solution if the type matches. To create a new choice list, on the Properties page click Manage Choice Lists and define choice list values.
     Important: IBM® Business Automation Workflow does not prevent you from entering duplicate values in a choice list. For example, assume you add First as a choice item and assign the value as 1. You then add Primary as another choice item and assign the value as 1. In Case Client, both First and primary appear in the choice list.

     Restriction: If the solution was created from a template that included a choice list, the choice list is read-only. You cannot change the choice list. You can create a new choice list with the same or different values.

     If a choice list is updated in the solution where it was originally created, and the solution is redeployed, the change is propagated to the solutions that reuse the choice list. When the solution that reuses the choice list is opened in Case Builder, the solution designer is prompted to update the choice list to the version that has been redeployed to the target object store.

  4. Optional: Without going to solution level, you can add a choice list, at the case level. To create a quick choice list, on the Properties page click Add Choice List and define choice list values.
     Restriction: You cannot edit the existing choice lists; you can add a single choice list and that gets automatically set in the choice list drop-down.

     After a choice list is added by using Add Choice List, that choice list is auto-selected in the property wrapper choice list drop-down.
• Add to a case, document class, or task:
  1. When you create a case type, document class, or task, click Add Property. You can select an existing property that is defined for the solution, reuse a property, or create one by clicking New.
  2. Define property values.
     The property value fields that are displayed depend on the type of the property. For example, single properties can have a default property value. Some properties, like float and integer properties, can have minimum and maximum values. If you are editing a property that existed in the solution, any values that you enter here apply only to this case type or document class. For example, you can override the default value that was set at the solution level.
  Properties that you define at the case type, document class, or task level apply only to the case type, document class, or task that you are currently designing. For example, when you create a case type for automobile claims, you can add the existing reused property for policy number so that the case type includes the policy number.

  Only case properties are available in the case views that case see in the client application.

  You can assign a caseworker property as the Case Title Property on the Views page. The selected property must be a string or integer data type and a single value property. The selected property must not be hidden. If you do not assign a case property, the Case Title Property is the Case ID by default.

• Add one or more task preconditions:
  1. When you create or edit a task, click the Preconditions tab.
  2. Select a precondition type. Depending on the task, you can select:

     A case property is updated

     To configure this precondition, select a property in the Case properties list.

     A document is filed in the case

     To configure this precondition, select Any document class or select one or more types in the Document classes list. You can make this task repeatable.

     A property condition is met

     To complete this precondition, click Add Condition to select a case property that can be included in an expression. For example, you can set a precondition for the claim value property so that if the claim value exceeds a specific value, then the fraud assessment task starts.

  3. To add another precondition in which a property condition must be met, click Add Condition.
     You can add other conditions, such as the AND or OR conditions.