Working with class groups
A class group data instance unifies a set of classes in the PegaRULES database that share a common name structure and common key structure. A class group causes all instances of these classes to be stored in one database table. As a result, processing can later convert an instance of any member class from its current class to another class within the class group, without affecting the key structure or changing the database table that holds the instance.
Class groups are primarily used to group a set of related subclasses of the Work- base class; such class groups are also known as work pools.
For example, a work item created from a scanned document may initially be assigned to a general work type. After a worker reviews and classifies the work item, she may convert it to a more specific type. Ordinarily, both the general and the specific work types belong to one work pool (one class group), so the "conversion" does not affect the key of the work item, and does not require moving the object from one table to another in the PegaRULES database.
A class group has one key part, which is the name of a concrete class. Objects of this class (and of subclasses of this class, except as overridden by other class group instances) are stored in a single database table.
Class groups can help with database table management, backup, space, and reporting.
Class groups with dedicated database tables
For reporting, performance, and other reasons, it is often desirable to place the work
items for a class group in a single, dedicated database table, rather than the default
pc_work table. In development systems (only), the system can create a
PegaRULES datable with the appropriate structure automatically as the class group is
created.
External classes
External classes cannot be part of a class group. Each external class has an associated Database Table instance ( Data-Admin-DB-Table class).