Identifying parts of rule and data forms

Form Name

Displayed in the upper-left corner, the form name provides an easier-to-say name associated with the rule type or data class.

See Rules by form name and Data classes by form name for the complete lists. Form names are similar to common names in most cases.

The category image suggests how this rule type (or data class) is used.

Indicates whether this form contains a locked (read-only) instance, or errors, or other modes. A smaller version of the icon is always visible in the top bar. Two common examples:

	You cannot change this instance, the form it marked Read-only. It may belong to a RuleSet version you cannot access. a class you cannot update, a locked RuleSet version, or you may need to check out a rule before you can update it.
	You saved a form successfully and have not changed any values on the form since the form was last saved.

See How to complete rule and data form fields for an explanation of form modes.

The contents of the header depends on your Explorer setting. To review or change this setting, access the Application Explorer and choose Customize, the final entry in the drop-down list. Choose a Display Type radio button:

• Label to repeat the Short Description text in the header.
• Name to show all the key parts in the header.

See Using the Application Explorer.

The expanded header area lists all key parts, with field labels.

You cannot alter the value of rule key parts directly on the form. You determine key parts in the New form or the Save As form. See Completing the new rule dialog rule and How to enter rule keys using Save As.

The Short Description text aids other developers in identifying the purpose and source of this instance.

For flow rules, flow action rules, and certain class rule instances, the text you enter here may be visible to users of your application. See Creating good Short Descriptions.

Optional. For rules only. If a developer has defined custom fields (of type Text) for this rule using the Custom Fields facility on the History tab of this rule, you can change the values here.

1. Click  Edit Custom Fields .
2. In the resulting pop-up window, enter a new text value for any of the custom fields associated with the rule.
3. Click  Apply  .

Custom fields provide another way — in addition to key parts, RuleSets, versions, and circumstance — to label or classify rules. For more about the uses and development of custom fields, see How to classify and select rules based on Custom Field values.

The appearance of this area is determined by an HTML rule named Embed-CustomFields.defaultFields, which your application can override. Your form may present drop-down lists, check boxes, and radio buttons, and may validate your entries. (For more information, see Pega Developer Network article PRKB-17693 How to allow developers to review or update Custom Field values.)

For rules, identifies the RuleSet and version that apply to this rule. Rules in RuleSet names beginning with the five characters Pega- are reserved and locked. If your Operator ID appears here, this rule is checked out into your private RuleSet.

For rules, an icon indicates whether this rule is available, blocked, withdrawn, or final. See available rule. Click the Availability toolbar button () to change the availability setting.

A green clock icon indicates that this rule is time-qualified.

A green lock icon () indicates that this rule is checked out by a developer other than yourself. Access a ToolTip for this icon to identify how the rule is checked out. See check out.

When a displayed rule is checked out (usually by yourself), this field shows the original RuleSet and version. Click the link to open the current checked-in version.

When you later check this rule in (with the Check-in button ) the revised rule instance returns to this RuleSet and version, replacing the earlier copy. See check out and private RuleSet.

When you access a rule that is checked out by a developer, the Checked out by field identifies the Operator ID of that user. Click the link to review the checked-out copy.

If this rule is circumstance qualified, the property name and value appear here, with a circumstance icon (). See circumstance.

If this rule is a base rule for other rules (that are qualified by circumstance or time-qualified), the base rule icon () appears.

Identifies the date and time this instance was last saved.