"Work Object" compared to Case
Having gone thru SAE I and II training, the discussions were all around Case Management, Case objects, etc. Now that I am working with a vendor on implementing some Pega applications, they are using "work objects" - which were not discussed in our training.
I have searched PDN but have not found a good comparison of "Case" vs. "Work Object". Can anyone here give a brief overview, and when you want to use one versus the other? Or are they the same thing?
Thanks,
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Accepted Solution
Updated: 10 Apr 2015 12:36 EDT
Pegasystems
US
My understanding (and I look forward to hearing a more official answer from someone on the "case management" team) is that in general a "case" could be a group of work objects, but if it is only one work object, then "case" and "work object" are the same thing.
A slightly more complicated example would be when a "case" involves a cover object and one covered object within that cover. In that situation (I almost said "in that case" but realized that would be confusing), the "case" involves two work objects, the cover and the covered object.
Some of the available rule types such as "Case Type" allow automatic generation of subcases, which are actually just work objects. To read more about all this, go to app explorer, right-click one of your work classes, and start creating a rule of type "process - > case type" and when you get to the rule form choose "actions - > get help". /Eric
Centene
US
hmmm...when I try to do this
right-click one of your work classes, and start creating a rule of type "process - > case type" and when you get to the rule form choose "actions - > get help".
I can get to the "create and open" step but the identifier is "pyDefault" and marked not editable. When I try to "Create and open" it says 
hmmm...when I try to do this
right-click one of your work classes, and start creating a rule of type "process - > case type" and when you get to the rule form choose "actions - > get help".
I can get to the "create and open" step but the identifier is "pyDefault" and marked not editable. When I try to "Create and open" it says
Pegasystems
US
Hi Jim,
You should be able to get to the same contextual help either by using a different name, so you avoid "this instance already exists" , or by opening an existing case-type rule. /Eric
Centene
US
Back to the comparison of Case and Work object. One of my co workers is up in Boston for the SAE I/II training, and was told
"A case is merely a grouping of tasks that need to be performed. A work object is basically just the instantiation of a “case”."
Does this make sense or contradict Eric's earlier definition? These seem to be totally different definitions to me. Right now I feel like one of the 5 blind guys trying to describe the elephant
Pegasystems Inc.
US
I hear you man.
Instead of talking in vague definitions, how about I give you an example for context?
Imagine I am implementing an application for event planning at a large venue. I want to track all the work associated with the booking and execution of a single event, like a concert: such as giving a quote for the event, booking it, arranging for shuttles to the parking lots, and seating arrangements.
The event is the case and, based on how I implement it, the specific tasks I gave as examples would be the work items. They would have their own flows and data structures necessary to complete each task. But, since they are part of the case, that data can be propagated in order to give a comprehensive view of what has been performed for the event.
Let me know if that helps give some context.
Pegasystems Inc.
US
Jim,
Work item and work object are synonyms, as Brendan confirmed for you.
Work item is the newer, preferred term. Work object is the older term.
You should see work item used in more recent product documentation and work object used in older product documentation.
~Mary
Mary Carbonara | Technical Writer, Global Customer Support | Pegasystems Inc.