09-02-2023

PCF Intro
What is PCF file?
The Page Configuration File (PCF) in Guidewire is a file format used to define the layout and
behaviour of a specific page or section within the insurance application. The PCF file
contains information about the widgets that will be displayed on the page, as well as the
data that will be displayed in each widget. The PCF file also includes information about the
behaviour of the page, such as how data is displayed, how the page reacts to user actions,
and how the page interacts with other parts of the application.
The primary use of the PCF file is to provide a flexible and customizable user interface for
the policy administration process. By using PCF files, insurers can tailor the look and
behaviour of their application to meet their specific needs, while still taking advantage of
the underlying functionality provided by the Guidewire platform.

What is a PCF element?
Guidewire defines each PCF file as a set of XML elements defined within the root <PCF> tag.
Guidewire calls these XML elements PCF elements. These PCF elements define everything
that you see in the Policy Center interface, as well as many things that you cannot see. For
example, PCF elements include:
 Editors
 List views
 Detail views
 Buttons
 Popups
 Other PolicyCenter interface elements
  Non-visible objects that support the PolicyCenter interface elements, such as Gosu
code that performs background actions after you click a button.
For a reference of all PCF elements and their attributes, see the PCF Format
Reference in PolicyCenter/modules/pcf.html in your installation.
Every page in PolicyCenter uses multiple PCF elements. You define these elements
separately, but PolicyCenter renders then together during page construction. For example,
consider the tab bar available on most PolicyCenter pages:

1. Widgets:
A widget is an element that PolicyCenter can render into HTML. PolicyCenter then
displays the HTML visually. Buttons, menus, text boxes, and data fields are all
examples of widgets. There are also a few widgets that you cannot see directly, but
that otherwise affect the layout of widgets that you can see.
Displayable elements of the user interface rendered into html.

The purpose of the widgets in a PCF file in Guidewire is to define the user interface
for a specific section of the insurance application. The widgets in a PCF file provide a
visual representation of the data and functionality that are associated with that
section. By using widgets, insurers can design and implement a custom user
interface for their policy administration processes, tailoring it to meet their specific
needs and requirements.

Widgets in a PCF file serves several key purposes, including:

Data Display: Widgets can be used to display policy information, including coverage
details, policy terms, and customer information.

User Interaction: Widgets can provide fields for data input, allowing users to enter
and update information as needed.

Navigation: Widgets can provide navigation links and buttons to help users move
between different sections of the application.
Customization: Widgets can be customized and configured to meet the specific
needs of an insurance company, including the display of specific data fields and the
behaviour of buttons and links.

Overall, the widgets in a PCF file play a key role in enabling insurers to deliver a
seamless and efficient policy administration experience to their customers.

Types of Widgets:
1. Atomic Widgets
2. Container Widgets

a. Atomic Widget:
An atomic widget in a Page Configuration File (PCF) in Guidewire is a type of
widget that is used to display a single piece of information or data on a page.
Atomic widgets are designed to be simple and focused, and they typically display
data such as policy numbers, policy dates, or customer information etc.

These are the elements(widgets) which are further not broken down into any
smaller elements, for each atomic widget has only one value or execute only
individual actions.
In the context of the Page Configuration File (PCF) elements in Guidewire, atomic
widgets are small, self-contained user interface components that display a single
piece of information or data. The key characteristic of atomic widgets is their
simplicity and focused purpose, which makes them well-suited for displaying
information that is specific and important.

Some common elements that can be defined for an atomic widget in a PCF file
include:

1. Data Model: The data model for an atomic widget defines the source of the
data that will be displayed, such as a policy, a customer, or a coverage.
2. Display Configuration: The display configuration for an atomic widget defines
how the data will be displayed, including the font size, colour, and format.
3. Input Configuration: The input configuration for an atomic widget defines
how the data can be updated by the user, such as through a text field or a
drop-down list.
4. Behaviour Configuration: The behaviour configuration for an atomic widget
defines how the widget will behave in response to user actions, such as when
a value is changed or when a button is clicked.
5. Validations: Validations can be defined for atomic widgets to ensure that the
data entered by the user meets specific requirements, such as a valid date
format or a required field.
b. Container Widgets:

If we grouped atomic widgets or complex widgets into a single unit it is called as

the Container widgets. A container widget is collection of the atomic widgets and
the as well as the other container widgets, it organizes the data and functionality
into the logical groups.

For ex: if I wanted to display the address of the user we have lot of widgets
which tells us about the different fields of the address such as line1, landmark,
postal, street, etc... so we can put all the atomic widgets into the single unit
which is called as the Container Widget, later we can change name of the
container as address, and we can reuse this container whenever we want.
In the context of the Page Configuration File (PCF) elements in Guidewire,
container widgets are user interface components that are used to group and
organize other widgets, including both atomic and complex widgets. Container
widgets provide a way to structure the user interface and to manage the layout
and behaviour of multiple widgets as a single entity.

Some common elements that can be defined for a container widget in a PCF file
include:

1. Layout Configuration: The layout configuration for a container widget defines

the arrangement of the widgets it contains, such as in a grid, a list, or a flow
layout.
2. Display Configuration: The display configuration for a container widget
defines the appearance of the container itself, such as the background colour
and border style.
3. Behaviour Configuration: The behaviour configuration for a container widget
defines how it will behave in response to user actions, such as expanding or
collapsing to show or hide its contents.

 Input set:
In Guidewire, an input set is a type of container widget that is used to
group related input fields together in a page configuration file. An input
set defines a set of inputs, such as text fields, checkboxes, or radio
buttons, that are related to a specific purpose or task.

The input set helps to organize and structure the input fields in a user
interface, making it easier for users to understand the purpose and
context of the inputs. It also helps to ensure consistency and coherence in
the way the inputs are presented, and allows for easy customization and
reusability of the input fields.

 Detailed view panel:

A Data View Panel in Guidewire PolicyCenter is a type of data panel that is
used to display information in a specific format. The data view panel
allows you to define the layout and style of the information that is
displayed in the user interface. You can use a data view panel to define
the layout of tables, forms, and other data structures.

 List view panel:

A list view panel in a container widget in a Guidewire page configuration
file is a type of view that is used to display a list of items, such as policy
information, claims data, or other related information. It is a container
widget that provides a way to display a list of items in a structured and
 organized manner, and allows the user to interact with the data in various
ways, such as sorting, filtering, and pagination.

The list view panel is typically used in combination with other

components, such as table columns, headers, and footers, to display the
data in a tabular format. It also allows you to customize the appearance
and behaviour of the list, such as controlling the number of items
displayed per page, adding custom columns or headers, and defining the
sorting and filtering behaviour.

Primary View:

It has the 3 views which are

1. Detail view panel
2. List view panel
3. Input set
1. Detail view panel:

A detail view is a panel that is composed of a series of data fields laid out in one or
more columns. It can contain information about a single data object, or it can include
data from multiple related objects. Any input widget can appear within a detail view.

The following is an example of a detail view as it appears both as it is being viewed

and as it is being edited:

A Data View Panel in Guidewire PolicyCenter is a type of data panel that is used to
display information in a specific format. The data view panel allows you to define the
layout and style of the information that is displayed in the user interface. You can
use a data view panel to define the layout of tables, forms, and other data
structures.
2. List view panel:
A list view is a panel that displays rows of data in a two-dimensional table. The data
can be an array of entities, results of a database query, reference table rows, or any
other data that can be represented in tabular form.

In most cases, data is viewed in list views and then edited in detail views. However,
there are some places—for example, in the ClaimCenter financial transaction entry
screens—in which it makes more sense to edit a list of items in place. For this
purpose, you can make a list view editable so that you can add or remove rows or
modify cells of data.

The list view panel is typically used in combination with other components, such as
table columns, headers, and footers, to display the data in a tabular format. It also
allows you to customize the appearance and behaviour of the list, such as controlling
the number of items displayed per page, adding custom columns or headers, and
defining the sorting and filtering behaviour.
3. Input set:

In Guidewire, an input set is a type of container widget that is used to group related
input fields together in a page configuration file. An input set defines a set of inputs,
such as text fields, checkboxes, or radio buttons, that are related to a specific
purpose or task.

The input set helps to organize and structure the input fields in a user interface,
making it easier for users to understand the purpose and context of the inputs. It
also helps to ensure consistency and coherence in the way the inputs are presented
and allows for easy customization and reusability of the input fields.
We can use the input set inside the data view panel only, we cant use this as
independent