Published Release Notes

Support for large binary data item storage in Pega Client for Windows

Pega Client for Windows can now store and synchronize large binary data items and their corresponding actions from the action queue. As a result, offline-enabled application users can view, attach, and delete data files from within a case view, whether the Windows-based device is online or offline. To use this feature, enable offline case attachment support, which allows offline-enabled applications to synchronize case attachments between Pega Platform™ and the device.

For more information, see Attach content support in offline mode and Enabling offline case attachments support.

Facebook and Web Chatbot configuration in the preview console

When you develop a Pega Intelligent Virtual Assistant™ (IVA) for Facebook or Web Chatbot, you can now teach interactive bot conversations by chatting with the bot in the preview console and guiding the artificial intelligence algorithm to the right responses. This ability greatly accelerates conversation development and simplifies configuration, while providing the developer with more transparency in the mechanisms that produce specific responses.

For more information, see Simulating a conversation and building a chatbot runtime and Testing and building a chatbot from the preview console.

Visualize application layers for case processes and sections

In App Studio, you can now easily visualize the application layers for case processes and sections, including work areas and views. When you click the Discover gadget for a case process or section, you are shown a visual representation of the application layers. You can open a layer in Dev Studio to see the rulesets and other attributes of an application.

For more information, see Discover gadget.

Support for rich user interface controls in IVA for Web Chatbot

You can now use rich user interface controls in Pega Intelligent Virtual Assistant™ (IVA) for Web Chatbot because Pega Platform™ includes a framework for advanced user interface controls. You can use a date picker control and add file attachments while chatting with the chatbot. These features provide a richer and more robust user experience and they help the user accomplish tasks more quickly without the need for complex validation messages.

For more information, see Use rich user interface controls in Web Chatbot.

Date range configuration added to DateTime control

The DateTime (calendar) control now includes an option to specify a custom date range. The users will be able to quickly select valid start and end days of a period by choosing dates in an interactive calendar in an overlay.

For more information, see Configuring the basic settings for a DateTime control - date range

Enhanced SLA settings in App Studio

You can now reuse existing service-level agreements for assignments and approvals in App Studio without switching to Dev Studio. For example, you can select an action that the system performs when a task goal or deadline is past due, such as reassigning the task to a different user.

For more information, see Setting goals and deadlines for task completion and Defining an escalation action for an incomplete task.

Support for rich HTML text in IVA for Email

Pega Intelligent Virtual Assistant™ (IVA) for Email now supports rich HTML text in email conversations, which enhances the overall user experience. You can enable this option in the Email channel configuration in IVA for Email to display rich text in email conversations for case triaging. Natural language processing (NLP) analysis works flawlessly in scenarios for all email content that contains rich HTML text.

For more information, see Enabling rich HTML text in emails.

Multiple actions triggering during intelligent email routing

Pega Intelligent Virtual Assistant™ (IVA) for Email now supports triggering of multiple actions during the intelligent routing of incoming emails, which improves the artificial intelligence capability of IVA for Email so that it is more responsive to user input. For example, you can set up intelligent routing for an Email channel to trigger multiple actions, such as creating a case and automatically replying to an email for the content that you receive.

For more information, see Intelligent email routing, Configuring routing conditions for automatic email handling, and Setting up intelligent routing in Intelligent Virtual Assistant for Email.

Improved rich user interface controls in IVA for Web Chatbot

In Pega Intelligent Virtual Assistant™ (IVA) for Web Chatbot, you can use additional rich user interface controls, such as the time and date picker or a simple form, to help users accomplish tasks more quickly and to limit errors. IVA for Web Chat can now also display a welcome message in the chat window, for example, to inform the user about the person with whom they are chatting.

For more information, see Streamline conversations in IVA for Web Chatbot with rich user interface controls.

Upgrade impact

The new Ul controls for Web Chatbot are enabled by default upon upgrade. If you do not want the controls enabled, you must disable them.

Also, if you have changed the styles for the welcome message, you may need to make changes to the welcome message to incorporate the new areas in the bot conversation area (such as quick replies).

What steps are required to update the application to be compatible with this change?

Existing channels will behave as they did previously, so you should determine whether you want to use the new UI controls. If you want to use the new Ul controls, configure the new design-time options.

If you have changed the default styles for the welcome message, review the new settings to ensure that the welcome message is configured properly. 

Facilitated application development with saving changes in branches in App Studio

For improved development of your application, you can now define branches in which you save changes that you make to your application in App Studio. Create features in branches so that you can review and merge them without affecting other features in the application. You can quickly identify and review any changes to rules because you know in which application layer they were saved. 

For more information, see Setting branch preferences in Dev Studio, Setting branch preferences in App Studio.