Published Release Notes

Autopopulated properties support savable data pages

To more easily source data, you can now save an autopopulated property that references a savable data page. For properties that you autopopulate by copy, save plans now execute on the copy, instead of on the data page. These enhancements reduce implementation time and make the applications that you build more manageable.

Updated default dynamic system setting for requestor pools

Clients can now enable or disable requestor pools for processing service requests using a new dynamic system setting called EnableRequestorPools with Pega-IntegrationEngine as the owning rulest. Previously, all deployments utilized requestor pools to improve service processing response efficiency; requestor pools eliminated overhead by automatically returning a requestor to the pool after it fulfills a service request. Starting in Pega Platform 8.4, requestor pools are disabled in Client-managed cloud deployments, since these deployments use autoscaling to handle service request traffic. Enabling requestor pools in Kubernetes environments is not recommended, because they can inhibit the default autoscaling settings in the environment.

Requestor pools remain enabled by default in Pega Cloud and on-premises environments.

To help clients navigate this change, Pega has updated its best practice guidance for configuring requestor pools. For an overview, see Requestor pooling for services. For guidance on the use of requestor pools in your application, see the EnableRequestorPools entry in Dynamic system settings data instances.

Upgrade impact

Requestor pools are disabled by default in Pega Platform 8.4 in client-managed cloud deployments. Clients who deployed previous versions of Pega Platform on a Kubernetes environment and who upgrade to Pega Platform 8.4 could see that their services behave differently.

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

If clients that are deployed in a Client-managed cloud environment need to configure their services to use requestor pools and they understand how to configure requestor pools for their optimized use, these clients can re-enable requestor pools. Clients should review the best practice for configuring requestor pools before they re-enable requestor pools. To re-enable requestor pools, you modify the EnableRequestorPools setting in the Pega-IntegrationEngine Owning ruleset from “disabled” to Enabled [no value]. For details, see Editing a dynamic system setting.

Automate business process tracking by importing Excel files

To track business processes status and data, you can now import Excel files when you create a case or data object in App Studio. This functionality provides the following enhancements:

• You can now upload a CSV file when you create a case or data object in App Studio. By importing a CSV file, you can use the data in your spreadsheet to define your data model.
• You can generate a data import template that you can use to import a file in its original format during production.
• You can upload .xlsx files to avoid resaving your Excel file as a CSV file.

For more information, see Creating a data model from a spreadsheet.

Data APIs support data exploration in React UI tables

Data APIs have been enhanced to support filtering, sorting, paging, and aggregation in React UI tables. You can use that functionality to access your data quickly and intuitively. For example, by using paging, you can query a data page to retrieve the second page of an employee contact list and specify the number of results that are displayed on the page.

For more information, see Data API performance and limitations.

Support for advanced validation of embedded and referenced data

To help you define validation conditions for a broader range of use case scenarios, Pega Platform™ now supports stage entry validation for embedded fields in the form of a validation matrix. You can now define validation conditions for both field groups and field group lists, and easily navigate between them. You can also select any fields and when conditions while building a condition for both field-level and stage-level validation.

For more information, see Validating field values for stage entry.

Support for application-specific REST API calls

You can now call an authenticated REST API in the context of any application that is listed on an operator record by using the application alias URL. With the application alias URL, you can also develop REST services without changing the access group in the service package. REST services run in the context of the access group that points to the provided application, instead of the access group that is specified in the service package.

For more information, see Invoking a REST service rule.

Support for sending emails by using Microsoft Graph

Email integration with Microsoft Office 365 now supports sending emails by using Microsoft Graph. With this enhancement, you can send email with a more secure protocol that complies with your organization’s security policy.

For more information, see Creating an email account.

Complete email and notification approval in App Studio

App Studio now supports complete email approval configuration directly in the Case Designer. Email approval settings now include composing a new message or selecting a template, saving templates to a library for future reuse, and adding attachments to an email. Additionally, you can now send the approval as a push notification to mobile users. With full configuration of email approval in App Studio, you save time and create unique and personalized email messages and push notifications in a no-code, intuitive way. 

For more information, see Obtain approvals from email and push notifications from App Studio (8.5), Requesting approval by email and push notification.

Business logic routing of approval steps

Pega Platform™ now supports routing of approval steps by applying business logic, in both App Studio and Dev Studio. Business logic uses a set of conditions to determine the most appropriate worker to approve a case by routing the approval based on defined conditions. For example, in a loan request case, the application can route the approval step to a manager if the importance of the case is set to high. For greater accuracy, business logic can also use skill set, availability, and workload to determine the appropriate worker. With business logic routing, you increase work efficiency and speed up case resolution.

For more information, see Determine a relevant case approver by using business logic (8.5), Requesting approval from users.

Failed Robotic Assignments work queue type changed to Standard

The default Failed Robotic Assignments work queue type is now Standard. In previous releases, the default type was Robotic. For usage information, see Configuring a work queue for robotic automation.

Upgrade impact

After upgrading to Pega Platform 8.5 and later, you cannot save case types in which you configure the Queue for robot smart shape to route new assignments to the Failed Robotic Assignments work queue. Existing assignments that you routed to the Failed Robotic Assignments work queue are not affected.

How do I update my application to be compatible with this change?

As a best practice, do not use the Failed Robotic Assignments work queue in your custom implementations. Instead, configure the Queue for robot smart shape to route new assignments to a Robotic work queue. When possible, update existing case types to use the robotic work queues that you created in your application.