Adding and managing properties

Properties such as names or dates are defined at the solution level. These properties can be reused in any case type, document class, task, or step within that solution.

About this task

In Case Builder, you have the flexibility to generate new properties or reuse existing ones from the target object store. Reused properties remain unchanged and retain their original configuration throughout the solution deployment process. You can select from a range of reusable properties and apply sorting or filtering based on criteria such as name, unique ID, or type.

Adding properties to a case solution

About this task

You can add new properties or reuse existing ones from a target object store. Reused properties, which are defined in a deployed solution, can be used in other solutions. For instance, in an automobile insurance solution, you can create templates for properties like policy number and customer name, enabling efficient addition to various case documents within the solution.

Procedure

  1. In the solution page, click Data > Property Definitions, then click Add Property and select either New or Reuse Property.
    Note:
    • 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, reuse existing properties as much as 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 displayed property value fields vary based on the property type. Single properties have default values, and certain property types, such as float and integer properties, have specific minimum and maximum values. If no default value is assigned to a Boolean property in the solution design, the corresponding case instance Boolean property is without a value or has the value of None. This condition holds true even if a default value is not designated for a Boolean property in the solution design.
  3. Optional: If the types are a match, when you designate a property as a choice list, the choice list of a reused property can be added to the solution.

    To create a new choice list, on the Properties page, click Manage Choice Lists and define choice list values. 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 Builder, 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 you modify a choice list in the original solution where it was created and then redeploy the solution. It transmits the changes to other solutions by using the same choice list. When the solution designer opens the solution in Case Builder, they receive a prompt to synchronize the choice list with the updated version that is 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 Manage Choice Lists > Add Choice List and define choice list values.
    Note: 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.

Adding properties to a case type, document class, or task

About this task

Properties defined at the case type, document class, or task level exclusively pertain to the specific case type, document class, or task that is designed. For instance, in the creation of a case type for automobile claims, you can incorporate an existing reused property like the policy number to include it in the case type. Only case properties are accessible in the case views visible to users in the client application.

Procedure

  1. Click Add Property and then select an existing property that is defined for the solution, reuse a property, or create a new one.
  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 edit 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.
    On the Views page, you can designate a caseworker property as the Case Title Property. The chosen property is of string or integer data type, a single value property, and not hidden. In cases where no case property is assigned, the Case ID automatically serves as the default Case Title Property.

Adding one or more task preconditions

Procedure

  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.

Deleting case properties

To ensure proper removal of properties from a solution and its definition before deployment, it is crucial to delete the properties within the solution definition that uses Case Builder. However, it is important that deleting these properties post-deployment does not automatically remove them from the runtime environment, specifically the target object store. For more information, see Modifying solutions after deployment.

About this task

You need to delete properties that are not used in a solution. Keeping unused properties in elements like case types, activities, and in-baskets can confuse users and can cause database table limit issues during solution deployment. For more information, see How to plan project area or target environments appropriately for solution deployment to avoid column limitations on database tables.

Procedure

  1. Before you delete a property at the solution level, ensure that you have removed the property from individual pages, in-baskets, case types, etc.
    The Case Builder automatically verifies whether properties are used in pages, in-baskets, case types, etc., before allowing the deletion of the property at the solution level.
  2. Delete the properties in Case Builder by clicking the Remove icon for each property.
  3. If the property was added to either a workflow or configuration in relation to a FileNet® workflow system that is done outside of Case Builder.
    Use FileNet Process Designer to open the solution and delete the property (data fields) from the queues, in-baskets, and workflows. For more information, see Case Type Selection.
  4. Validate, save, and close the solution after you make the required changes.

What to do next

When creating your solution, avoid displaying long string properties from Content Platform Engine in the Search View of a case type if you are reusing them. Including long string properties in the Search View can lead to errors for caseworkers when searching using these properties. Long string properties support only the operators begins with, ends with, contains, is empty, and is not empty. If a caseworker uses a different operator in the client, the search fails.