UniComm

This is the Landing Page of the Application. Also shows "My Worklist"
This is where users need to create a "new" communication case
This is where the users will need to provide outbound communication details
This is where user will need to upload documents for printing, sequence them and upload for preview generation
This is where the user views the preview of the generated PDF and confirms for printing
This is the confirmation page, when the document has been sent for printing and confirmation has been received

Access to Content:

For accessing the demo URL or Vimeo Link, you would need credentials. The credentials are hosted in the given Github repository and invitation has been sent to PegaCommunityHackathon@pega.com to access it. Please refer to the _ReadMe* document in GitHub for accessing all contents.*

Inspiration:

Like most of the enterprises, COVID-19 has had unprecedented impact on the business operations of large and SMB business alike, across the world. Cognizant has partnered with many of its clients to rise up and respond to the emergency, ensuring client’s business continuity by engaging its workforce execute their functions without disruption.

With almost whole of its workforce are forced to work from home, one key impacted area of large organizations is the ability to send out ad-hoc communication to their customers and partners, which are typically handled by their local offices and local dispatch functions. Cognizant has helped develop a Pega based Universal Ad-Hoc Communication Management Tool, facilitating WFH wherein the users are able to send in their communication requests and upload the necessary files to be finally serviced by a shared outbound printing function, while being at home.

The problem area is an universally applicable problem area where employees of large enterprises across the world are working from home and such a global solution that can integrate with output communication functions, can potentially support all such enterprises send out ad-hoc and regular mail communications

What it does:

UniComm, the Pega enabled the Universal Ad-hoc Communication Management Solution enables ad-hoc printing of documents.

This application allows users to create a case & provide necessary communication details, upload multiple word and pdf files, merge them and create one single PDF for final print; they can review the PDF and send the file for printing. This application can integreate with central outbound printing function of organizations through an API. It displays success / failure messages to users. Not only that it also supports multiple validations at various stages like case creation, file generation, printing, to ensure that the communications are properly sent out. There are some reporting features, as well.

How we built it:

This application is built using Pega platform 8.2.2 . We have leveraged OOTB case management and UI components

Challenges we ran into:

Pega 7.4 onward word to pdf conversion activex libraries has been removed. This is required to support docx format to covert in pdf.

org.apache.poi.xwpf has been considered which has limitation to convert checkox, text box content. Also supporting library has been overridden with OOTB library which has created product issue in export to excel. This were rolled back and leveraged latest OOTB libraries.

iText library has been leveraged to consolidate pdf and add even blank pages to separate out print documents.

Accomplishments that we're proud of:

The MVP version of the tool with all the important scenario was prepared in just three days. The app has been built with an user friendly UI and easy navigation, considering no training should be needed to use this App. Also, we have developed this app to be a generic app, applicable across industries and geographical borders. Thanks to Pega's rapid development platform, and out of box features that allowed us to deliver the solution with minimal customization.

What we learned:

“Small feature” can have cross industry usability. While technical implementation, the group may think that this is simple and may not have a business value. However, in a practical business scenario, while the business was working from home, this was found to be most effective, time saving and handy application for outgoing mail communications.

While working on fulfilling requirements, we learnt Pega limitations on docx to pdf conversion. We were able to connect with end user needs, actual work and pain of not being able to have simple functionality at covid19 WFH.

What's next for UniComm?

The solution can be extended at multi-channel as if anyone can share email with attachment to Pega’s emailbox and Pega listener feature can read, convert, send to print and acknowledgement PDF to sender.

Also this feature can embedded to Pega’s framework or product capability to enable all platform customer. As stated it’s small but has good business value.

Built With:

Pega