Pega Sandbox

Tag: pega-constellation

  • Pega Modular Architecture: How to Build Reusable Modules and Features

    Pega Modular Architecture: How to Build Reusable Modules and Features

    What is a module in Pega Platform?

    The Modular Applications and Reusable Features approach is similar to working with classes and functions in traditional programming languages.

    In this approach:

    • A module is similar to a class
    • A feature is similar to a function

    A module is a built-on application that contains processes, flows, decisions, data pages, views, and other reusable rules that address a specific business, integration, or utility use case.

    You can find more information about this topic in the Module Best Practices course on the Pega Academy website.

    When designing a module, it is very important to keep in mind that the module cannot depend on any specific part of the application. It must be self-contained and reusable across different flows, case types, or applications within the organization.

    Generally, a module is related to an entity in your case model. For example, Customer could be implemented as a module.

    But how can you determine whether something should be a module?

    You should analyze the following questions:

    • Is it transparent?
    • Can it be encapsulated?
    • Is it largely self-documenting?
    • Is it easy to consume?
    • Can it be parameterized?
    • Does it provide appropriate flexibility?
    • Is it App Studio–friendly?

    The main goal of a module is reusability. No matter which case type or application uses it, the module should work independently and be fully parameterized to support different scenarios.

    This means that modular applications should not contain business-specific logic, case types, or UI views. Instead, they should contain reusable features.

    What are the features in Pega?

    Features in Pega Platform work similarly to functions in programming languages.

    A feature:

    • Receives parameters
    • Processes information
    • Returns an output

    Examples of features include:

    • Integration with external APIs
    • Business logic evaluation
    • Data retrieval services
    • Utility processes

    It is very important that a feature can work in any application within the organization. This means it must not depend on specific case types, flows, regions, or divisions..

    How to build modular applications in pega?

    THow to Build Modular Applications in Pega

    To build modular applications in Pega Platform, we need to define the application class structure and data model.

    Let’s break the process into simple steps.

    Step 1: Define the Modular Situational Layer Cake

    This design pattern helps organize applications into reusable layers.

    The module application should not contain case types. Instead, it should contain reusable processes that function as features.

    These features can then be reused anywhere within the organization.

    Let’s imagine we are designing an Onboarding application for a banking institution.

    We will organize our architecture using the following layers.

    Pega platform

    This is the base layer of the class hierarchy.It contains all out-of-the-box rules provided by the Pega Platform, including assets required to run and automate the application.

    Enterprise

    This layer contains assets reusable across the entire organization.

    Examples include:

    • Shared data types
    • Common integrations
    • Shared utilities

    Example:

    A Contact data type that contains:

    • phone number
    • address
    • email
    • contact details

    This data type can be reused across multiple entities such as:

    Related party

    Customer

    Stakeholder

    Module layers

    This layer contains the modular applications.

    These modules are not part of the class inheritance hierarchy.

    Instead, they are added to the Built-On Applications section of an application’s definition.

    This allows the business application to reuse all the rules, features, and data objects from the module.

    Business applications layer

    This layer will contains the application that will have the business logic, case types, validations, stages, process, etc.. all the assets necessary for that application to run, for example on this layer We will define the onboarding application that will contains the case type to onboard a customer we can called it journey, the forms and steps to get all the data, and then we can call the features from the modules to get some information about our customer, generally since the modular application is already added to the built on applications in the onboarding app, this will get access to all the features for the customer module application and to his data objects.

    Step 2: Data model design

    This step is very important because we want to make sure that all data could be reusable for all the modules, is very important that all stakeholders gets involved in this two steps to align all departments with the business requirements.

    object oriented data model, another important point is that in constellation, views are created on the data objects for example you have a form that request all the information about the costumer, this form will be on a view, this view must be on the customer data type to access all his data, doing that you will have the form view in the modular application that can be reused in any application whit in the organization.

    there are couple of tools that will help you to design the data model I personally use drawio because is free and very easy to use, at work we use Visio that is a good choice if you have the license because you can design a large data model and can export it I high resolution.

    I will give you an example below of a data model design even though there are not complete but it gives you the idea of what you need to accomplished on this stage.

    since you already create the customer module you need a data object for that module, in the picture above show a table called customer that will represent the data type for customer in Pega, customer will have some attributes such as Name, Last Name, Accounts.. etc, all the information that we are going to use in forms, features, etc.. must be on customer. then we create a separate table called contact, in this data type we encapsulated the address, phones, emails all the contact information.

    We are going to create de contact data type in a enterprise layer, this is because we identify that the contact information can be reused not only in customer, it can be reused in any other application or module that requires this information, lets say that you are building a stakeholder case, and need to capture the contact information, since we create this data object in the enterprise layer, you can create a field on the data object of stakeholder and reference the contact data, with that you will also have access to de views.

    Step 3: Identify and Design the features

    on this stage you have to identify the features that are necessary for each module, for example if you have the requirement to create an integration that you will send the id of the customer and it will return all the information of the customer if its finds it and if not you will get a response that says customer not found.

    So at this point we can identify if it can be a feature because it will receive information, process this information and returns a response, ok where do we put this feature in which module?, since we send information about the customer and receive information about the customer, this feature will need access to the customer data object so consequently it needs to be on the customer module. and that’s how you can define where to create the feature analizing the data that the feature will need and what is the purpose of this feature.

    So you can create a miro (is an application that is like a board that you can create bunch of stuff I think is free) with all the stakeholders and start designing all the feature for each module, something that we used to do in this stage is, list all the possible features, lists all the possible modules, and then

    the picture above could be an example of the very first stage of designing the features per module, you can listed and just give a brief explanation of what this would do. then when you have all the features already identified you can start designing you case types and journeys.

    Step 4 : Create a feature

    To create a feature you have to take in mind that will be a process, this process will return some data or do some work in your case type. this feature could be an integration with an API, it could be a data transform that evaluates some business logic and return a response.

    To be reusable in any application is necessary that doesn’t depend on any other feature or module, one very important point to take into consideration is the data that the feature needs I has to be created on the module where this feature lives, or any common layer that any application can reference to.

    Another Important point is that you have to mark as relevant the process of the feature, this is to be visible on app studio and you can integrate it to the application.

    this is what a feature may look like in the design phase

    In Pega you will have a process that will call an activity lets called Invokeweatherservice, this activity will be on charge to create the params that the service needs , invoke the service and then returns a response, then on the activity get that response and mapped back to the case

    Recap

    • Create you modular application for this example I created customer:
    • Create customer data model, I created using the ai from Pega and automatically create all the fields I need it
    • Crate the feature this feature could be an api, exernal service etc. create a flow and inside this flow call your logic. is very important that mark this flow as a relevant record
    • Invoke Customer application in business application for this example I will call it form the application KYC
    • add the feature to your case type, click on new process and then create a new process such as getCustomerFeature, then click on add process, since we already marked as a relevant record it will appears on the list even though we cerated in a different application

    and that is how you can create a modular application , features and used in a different application. if you came to the end of it please let a comment below if you have any questions, please like and subscribe , I will post a video explaining all this step by step in the upcoming days, thanks for being here

  • How to Import and Map Data, Pega Course for Beginners

    How to Import and Map Data, Pega Course for Beginners

    Welcome back! 👋
    In this tutorial, we’ll walk through three essential Pega skills you’ll use in almost any real application:

    1. Importing a CSV file into a Data Type
    2. Searching and displaying records using a Data Page / Data Type
    3. Creating an Auto-Complete field with visibility conditions

    Let’s get started.

    1. Importing CSV Data into a Pega Data Type

    First, open the Data Type you created in a previous lesson.
    We’ll be importing a CSV file into it—make sure you have your file ready.

    Step 1 — Import the CSV

    1. Open the Data Type.
    2. Go to the Records tab.
    3. Click Import and upload your CSV file.
    4. Click Next.

    Step 2 — Map Source to Target Properties

    Pega will display each column from the CSV.
    Map each one to the correct target property, for example:

    • first_name → FirstName
    • last_name → LastName

    (Complete all mappings based on your CSV.)

    Step 3 — Configure Import Options

    You can choose how Pega updates existing records:

    • Always update
    • Update if blank
    • Update if source is not blank

    For this example, select Always update.

    Step 4 — Match Existing Records (Optional)

    If your Data Type already contains data, you can match rows by a unique ID.

    We do not have IDs in this example, so we’ll select FirstName as the match key.

    Click Next.

    Step 5 — Validate and Import

    Give the import a name, then:

    • Validate the file
    • Confirm there are no errors
    • Click Finish

    Your Data Type will now show all imported records—hundreds of rows ready to use!
    This is extremely useful when populating lists such as countries, states, cities, or any reference table.

    2. Building the Customer Search Auto-Complete

    Now let’s go back to our case flow.

    We’ll create the first assignment form where users search for an existing customer.
    If the customer isn’t found, we’ll later add a button to create one.

    Step 1 — Open the Section

    1. Open the Flow Action.
    2. Open the Section rule.
    3. Switch to the Full Section Editor.

    This is where we build the customer search UI.

    Step 2 — Add an Auto-Complete Field

    1. From the palette, go to Data Capture → Auto Complete.
    2. Drop an auto-complete field on your form.
    3. Set the Target Property (create a new property if needed).

    Step 3 — Use a Data Source

    Auto-completes can source from:

    • A data page
    • A clipboard page
    • A report definition
    • A property

    Because our customer data is stored in a Data Type, we will use a Data Page List.

    ⚠️ Important: A Page List Data Page must be used to return multiple results.
    A single-record Data Page only returns one item based on a parameter, so it won’t work for autocomplete.

    Step 4 — Select the Data Page List

    Choose the Data Page List created from your Data Type.

    Then configure the search results:

    • Search field: FirstName
    • Display fields: First Name, Last Name
    • Identifier: .pyGUID (the unique ID)

    Step 5 — Add the Hidden Customer ID Field

    Create a property to store the selected ID.

    When the user picks a name from autocomplete, we’ll capture the GUID silently.

    Now save the section and test it.

    3. Testing the Auto-Complete Search

    Open the User Portal and create a new case.

    Start typing in the Customer field:

    • Type C → Suggestions appear
    • If no exact match exists, it shows similar names
    • Example: Typing “Cri” may show Cristian

    This works perfectly for large datasets.
    Avoid dropdowns when you have hundreds of rows—autocomplete is the correct approach.

    4. What’s Next? Visibility Conditions

    Now that customer selection works, the next step (in a future tutorial) is adding conditional fields.

    For example:

    • Show address fields only after a customer has been selected
    • Reveal a section only when the customer is new

    We will configure visibility based on the selected customer’s ID or property values.

    ✨ Final Thoughts

    In this tutorial, you learned how to:

    ✔ Import CSV data into a Pega Data Type
    ✔ Map and validate records during import
    ✔ Build an auto-complete search field using a Data Page List
    ✔ Capture the selected record’s unique ID
    ✔ Test your search functionality in the User Portal

    These skills are essential for building real-world Pega applications using best practices.

  • How to Create a New Application in Pega Constellation

    How to Create a New Application in Pega Constellation

    What Is Pega?

    Pega is a low-code platform designed to help organizations build applications that automate business processes, manage workflows, and make intelligent decisions using AI and rules. It’s widely used across industries like banking, insurance, healthcare, and government to increase efficiency and improve customer experiences.

    Creating a New Application in Pega

    To create a new application using Dev Studio, follow these steps:

    1. Start the Application Wizard

    1. Log in to your Pega environment.
    2. Click Application → New Application.

    You’ll be presented with two options:

    • Build from scratch
    • Select an existing application type from Pega’s out-of-the-box (OOTB) offerings

    If you click Search all types, you’ll see a list of available applications. Since the Personal Edition includes fewer preloaded apps, we will proceed with Build from scratch.

    2. Choose the Application UI Architecture

    Pega provides three UI frameworks you can build your app with:

    • Traditional UI
    • Cosmos (modern, flexible, dynamic)
    • Constellation (the latest React-based, component-driven UI model)

    For this example, we’ll select Traditional UI, then click Next.

    3. Name and Create the Application

    Enter a name for your application and proceed to create it.

    You will then be prompted to define:

    • User types
    • Roles

    For now, we will skip this step and click Done.

    4. Why You Don’t See the App Immediately

    After creating the application, you might notice that it doesn’t appear in your Application menu.

    This is expected.

    When Pega creates a new application, it also generates required system assets—one of those is an Access Group. Access Groups determine:

    • Which applications a user can access
    • What permissions and roles they have

    Since your operator ID does not yet include the access group for the new application, you cannot access it.

    5. Assign the Access Group to Your User

    To add access to the new application:

    1. Click your operator name in the lower-left corner.
    2. Select Operator → Application Access.
    3. Search for the Access Group created for your new app.
    4. Add it to your user profile.
    5. Log out and log back in.

    After logging in again, your new application will now appear in the Application menu.

    Your application is ready! From here, you can start configuring case types, data objects, UI components, and more. Let me know if you want a follow-up tutorial on building your first case type or setting up data structures.

  • Pega tutorials-Create an external data source with REST integration in Pega

    Pega tutorials-Create an external data source with REST integration in Pega

    In this tutorial, we’ll walk through how to create an external data source in Pega, configure it using an external REST API, and finally use it to populate a dropdown in a case.

    1. Creating the Data Object

    To begin, go to:

    Data → New

    This opens the wizard for creating a new data object.

    Enter a name for your Data Object, then click Next.

    In the System of Record dropdown, select Create new, and enter a name for the new system of record.

    For this example, we will integrate with an external API that returns a list of countries.

    2. Defining the External Data Source

    Since we are retrieving information, we’ll use a GET method.

    Enter the endpoint URL for the external API.

    In this example, the service does not require headers or authentication, so we can simply click Initialize call to generate the structure.

    3. Selecting the Fields to Source

    The API response includes multiple details—country name, currency, languages, and more.
    You do not need to map all values. Instead, select only the properties you need.

    Click Add new and choose the specific fields that should be included in your data object.

    Environment Settings

    This section displays the Integration System Settings created automatically.
    These help manage different endpoints across development, staging, and production environments.

    4. Reviewing the Generated Data Type

    Open the data type you just created. You will notice:

    • The System of Record is set to External
    • The data source is the Get Countries API

    The wizard also automatically generates a Data Page in Page List mode.
    This Data Page is ready to be used as the source for:

    • Dropdowns
    • Autocomplete fields
    • Any UI component requiring country data

    5. Reviewing the Generated Data Page

    The Data Page is already configured with:

    • The Connector
    • The Response Data Transform

    Since the API does not require parameters, no Request Data Transform is needed.

    Click Run to test the Data Page.
    This confirms:

    • The API connection is successful
    • The response mapping works correctly
    • All returned data is visible under pxResults

    You should now see a list of all countries retrieved from the API.

    6. Using the Data Page in a Dropdown

    Next, let’s use the Data Page as the source for a dropdown field.

    In your case or UI section:

    1. Select Field type: Data Page
    2. Enter the Data Page name created by the wizard
    3. Set the parameter value to countries (or the name used in your Data Page)
    4. For the Property value, select Alpha Code
    5. For the Display text, select Name

    Click Save, and then run a case to verify that the dropdown loads correctly.

    Open the dropdown and choose any country.
    Check the Clipboard to confirm the selected country is saved properly.

    This completes the process of creating and using an external data source in Pega—from configuring the API to integrating it into your UI. If you have any questions or run into issues, feel free to ask!

  • How to Create a Bank Application Using Pega Blueprint (Step-by-Step Guide)

    How to Create a Bank Application Using Pega Blueprint (Step-by-Step Guide)

    In this tutorial, we’ll walk through how to create a complete pay (KYC onboarding) application using Pega Blueprint, the new automation tool that allows you to generate case types, data models, personas, and application structure with minimal manual setup.

    Blueprint drastically reduces the time required to build an application from scratch, giving you a ready-to-customize foundation aligned with your business needs.

    1. Accessing the Blueprint Dashboard

    To get started, navigate to:

    mega.com/blueprint/dashboard

    Log in with your account, and you’ll see the Blueprint dashboard.
    Click Create Blueprint to begin.

    2. Selecting Templates and Application Context

    Blueprint provides a library of templates according to the industry and type of application you’re building.

    1. Industry: Select Banking
    2. Click Next
    3. Sub-Industry: Choose Retail Banking
    4. Department: Select Onboarding New Customers

    Blueprint will then ask for the application purpose. Choose:

    • Know Your Customer (KYC)

    You’ll also select:

    • Language
    • Location

    Click Next, and Blueprint will start generating your template.

    This process may take a minute. Blueprint analyzes your inputs and builds an initial application with stages, case types, personas, and data objects tailored to your selection.

    3. Choosing Case Types

    Once the generation is complete, you will be prompted to select the case types to include in the application.

    For banking and KYC workflows, common case types include:

    • Global KYC Customer
    • Screening Cases (e-screening, adverse media, etc.)
    • Onboarding Investigation
    • Related Party Onboarding

    Select the case types that apply and click Next.

    Blueprint will display each case type with its stages and processes. For example:

    • Identification & Due Diligence
    • Background Screening
    • Risk Assessment
    • Final Resolution

    4. Selecting the Data Object

    Blueprint will then ask for the primary data object.
    For onboarding workflows, select the basic customer information object.

    Click Next.

    5. Defining Personas

    You can now define the personas who will interact with the application. Example personas include:

    • KYC Analyst
    • Operations Manager
    • Credit Analyst Manager

    Blueprint can auto-generate personas using AI, or you can manually add them.

    Click Next.

    6. Reviewing Your Blueprint

    Blueprint generates a complete application outline, including:

    ✔ Stages and Workflows

    For example:

    • Identify Due Diligence
      • Required customer information
      • Screening and documentation review
    • Perform Due Diligence
      • Background checks
      • Regulatory validations
      • Risk evaluation
    • Resolve
      • Final decision
      • Case closure

    ✔ Data Model

    Blueprint creates:

    • Properties and fields
    • Data objects
    • Embedded objects
    • Child cases

    ✔ Personas and Access Layers

    ✔ Sample Data

    When everything looks correct, download the Blueprint file.

    7. Uploading the Blueprint to Pega

    Go to your Pega environment and create a new application.

    Choose:

    “Build from a Blueprint”

    Upload the file you downloaded earlier.

    Pega will begin generating:

    • Case types
    • Data objects
    • Personas
    • Portals
    • Sample data

    This process may take several minutes. In my example, Blueprint generated:

    • 13 case types
    • 17 data objects
    • 14 personas
    • 3 channels (portals)

    8. Reviewing the Application in Dev Studio

    Once the application is created:

    1. Switch to Dev Studio
    2. Verify that the correct branch is attached
    3. Review:
      • Case types
      • Workflows
      • Data objects
      • Views
      • Background rules

    Sometimes Blueprint may not fully configure all case creation rules, so minor adjustments may be required.

    9. Exploring the Application in App Studio

    App Studio is the best place to work with:

    • Views
    • Data models
    • Relationship maps
    • Case previews

    Use the Data Model Viewer to visualize relationships between data objects.
    Use Case Type Preview to run a test case, review screens, and evaluate user flow.

    In the example:

    • The Global KYC Customer case type has stages automatically created by Blueprint.
    • Some child case creation steps needed manual correction.
    • Views are fully editable in App Studio, replacing old-style section rules.

    10. Editing Views and Data Models

    Constellation uses views instead of sections.

    You can:

    • Add fields
    • Modify layouts
    • Use data transforms
    • Configure validation
    • Reuse views across case types

    If a rule appears locked, check your branch settings.
    Always work with Branch Development ON to prevent version conflicts.

    11. Final Notes and Next Steps

    Blueprint gives you a strong foundation, including:

    • Application structure
    • Case lifecycle
    • Personas
    • Data models
    • Sample logic

    From here, you can:

    • Refine workflows
    • Add missing logic
    • Configure validation
    • Build UI views
    • Define relationships between objects
    • Customize the entire onboarding process

    In upcoming tutorials, we’ll explore:

    • Creating views in Constellation
    • Building and connecting data objects
    • Configuring background logic using calculated expressions
    • Fixing child-case creation flows
    • Mapping end-to-end onboarding processes

    If you have questions, leave them in the comments — I’m happy to help.