Report Definition rule form

A report definition rule defines a report definition report. This rule generates an SQL query that retrieves and sorts
information from the PegaRULES database, an external database, or an Elasticsearch index, and generates HTML
that displays the results in a variety of formats. You have a range of options for interacting with the results,
depending on the settings on the
Report Viewer
tab.

The following tabs are available on this form:

Query

Chart
Report Viewer
Data Access

Because of the ease-of-use of report definition rules, managers can create, share, modify, and schedule report
definition reports with little or no assistance from application developers.

Basic concepts and terms

The two types of report definition reports are summarized reports and list reports.

Summarized reports – Summarized reports display summary counts, totals, or averages, and you can drill
down to supporting information. At least one column must be a summarized column, which contains data that
is summarized by using one of the following built-in functions:

COUNT()

COUNT DISTINCT()

SUM()

AVG()

MIN()

MAX()

List reports – List reports display unsummarized or detailed data for individual cases or other data instances.

The columns in report definitions can contain either property values or the values of expressions using SQL
functions.

Where referenced

Query results for report definitions are stored on a clipboard page (typically of class
Code-Pega-List
). APIs allow
developers to run a report definition and access the data that is returned by its query without needing the report
definition itself to display the results.

Your application can reference a report definition in the following places:

Shortcuts List-to-list controls

 Data pages Read-only tree grid controls

Read-only grid controls Repeating rows

Dynamic select controls Repeating columns

Autocomplete controls Radio buttons

Multi-Select list controls

Access

Both developers and managers can create, update, and run report definitions.

Developers – Can create and update report definitions in

Dev Studio.
These rules are available from the
Reports category in the Application Explorer.

Work managers – Can browse and search for existing reports that are available to them, re-organize these
reports within user-defined categories, run reports, and create new reports from the Report Browser in the
Case Manager portal. Managers need access to a local, unlocked ruleset to work with the Report Browser.

Note: Using one shared, unlocked, local production ruleset for reports for all access groups for an application
simplifies the maintenance and migration of report definitions, report categories, and report shortcuts in the Report
Browser.

Completing the rule form

When creating a report definition by using the rule form, complete the tabs in the following order:

Use the
New
dialog box to enter a name for the report that describes the purpose of the report, using short
words and abbreviations.

Complete the
Query
tab to:
Define which properties, or expressions using SQL functions, to include as columns in the report, and
the settings that control the appearance of each column (heading, width, format, sort order, and so on).

Define filtering conditions that define which class instances are included as rows in the report or in
summarized data.

On the Chart tab, use the Chart Editor to design a chart to present
the report data. Charts are available only
for summarized reports.
Complete the Report Viewer tab to control how users can interact
with the report in the Report Viewer.

Complete the Data Access tab to:

Define joins to other classes, declarative indexes, and reports.

Define resource limits for the report that control how many rows of data are returned,
and how long the
report is allowed to run.

Define security restrictions and account access.

Note: Use the Access Manager to

define column-specific security restrictions for individual users or
user groups. The
restrictions are applied when the report definition runs.
 Complete the Parameters tab to document the name, description, and
data type of parameters used in the
report definition.

Enter a full Description on the

History
tab that explains the report in more detail. This detailed description is
displayed in the Report Browser when the pointer hovers over the report listing.

Save the rule or run the rule to preview the report in the Report Viewer.

Defining report definitions on abstract classes

You cannot run report definitions that are defined from the following classes from the rule form, but you can run them
in the Report Browser:

Rules defined on
Work-
or abstract classes derived from
Work-

Rules defined on
History-Work-
or abstract classes derived from
History-Work-

Rules defined on
Assign-
or abstract classes derived from
Assign-

When you run these rules in the Report Browser, the

Applies To
class of the report is resolved as follows:

Defined on: Applies To class resolves to:

Work-
or abstract classes derived from
Work- The current work pool of the application that is run

History-Work-
or abstract classes derived from The
History-Work-
class for the current work pool of the
History-Work- application that is run

Assign-
or abstract classes derived from
Assign- Assign-Worklist

Category

Report definitions are instances of the

Rule-Obj-Report-Definition
class. They are part of the Reports category.

Report Definition Query tab

The Query tab defines the content of the report, including the rows and columns included in the report. The
information on this tab determines the SQL query that runs to retrieve the data for the report.

Report Definition Chart tab

On the Chart tab, you can create or edit a chart in a summarized report by using the Chart Editor. To include a
chart, a report must have at least one summarized column and one group by column.

Report Definition Report Viewer tab

Use the Report Viewer tab to set general options for controlling the appearance of the report in the Report
Viewer, such as the title, header, and group heading sections. Also, manage how users interact with this report
in the Report Viewer, including

Report Definition Data Access tab

Use the Data Access tab to manage class joins and other settings related to accessing data from a database
by using a report definition.
 Report Definition Pages & Classes tab

Complete the optional Pages & Classes tab when other tabs contain references to properties on pages other
than the primary page of the rule (the page corresponding to the rule’s Applies To class name).

The Calculation Builder

In the Report Viewer, the Report Editor, and the Report Definition rule form, you can use the Calculation
Builder to select an SQL function, a literal value, or a column name. You can build nested expressions in the
Calculation Builder by using an SQL function as the parameter value for another SQL function.

Standard Report Definitions — Monitor Assignments

Standard reports in the pyMonitorAssignments category provide information about open assignments. Open
assignments represent a backlog of work for human operators.

Standard Report Definitions — Performance Analysis

Standard reports in the pyPerformanceAnalysis category analyze and summarize resolved (completed)
work items along quality dimensions. These reports support a retrospective review of past work to help identify
how business processes might be improved. The reports are derived from instances of Work- classes.

Standard Report Definitions — Work Analysis

Standard reports in the pyWorkAnalysis category identify by assignment which flow actions were selected,
how often, and the timeliness of the selection. These reports are derived from information in the History-
Work- classes.

Standard Report Definitions — Work Monitoring

The pyWorkMonitoring category includes reports that list or summarize open (unresolved) work items in the
current application. These reports support day-to-day monitoring of the business processes that are supported
by your application.

Standard reports by category

Additional standard report definition reports

More about report definition rules

About the pxRetrieveReportData activity

Related information:
Report types
Rules development
Creating a report definition