🗃️Cases

What is a case?

Case Management is a form of Business Process Automation. A 'Case' is created after an event, often a need from a person, organisation or external system. A case has the goal to fulfil this need, for example to answer the question, to ship the product or handle the complaint. After the result is achieved, the case is closed.

An example is the need for a permit to organize an event. After an application for a permit has been submitted (the trigger is always something that has happened - an event that took place), a case is created. If everything goes well from the applicant's perspective, this results in 'something': in this case, a permit.

A case is per definition short-lived, whereby the definition of 'short' can be discussed. However: a patient, car or tree are not 'short-lived' and so not a case within the definition of Case Management. To summarize: the case in Valtimo is a business process, with a clearly defined start and end.

Cases and case definitions

To 'teach' Valtimo what it needs to do when it gets a request to execute a business process, models and definitions are used.

The definition of a business process is laid down in a case definition. Each case is an instance of a case definition. A case definition contains everything the system needs to know to execute the business process from start to end. This entails the proces models, definitions of forms for user tasks, decision tables, the definition of the data to be stored, the definition of access rights and so forth.

Data in a Case

Information provided by the event leading to the creation of the case is often the first data in the case. For example, a name, address and the complaint in case of a complaint process. During the proces of handeling the case, this data is enriched.

A definition of the data is made as part of a case definition. In the standard setup, this is a document definition in JSON.

The location of the data can be in- and outside Valtimo. The document is stored in the Valtimo database and forms the basis of a case. Data can also be stored in external systems - and referenced to. The case is conceptual: it is a reference to information - information can but does not have to be stored in the case.

Creating a case definition

Via UI

Via IDE

• Go to the Admin menu

• Go to the Cases menu

• Click on Create

• Follow the steps of the wizard to create a new case definition

After saving the case definition configuration, the case management page is opened. This page provides an overview of all the different elements that can and need to be configured for the case.

Case definitions can be created automatically by reading a configuration file. This file will only be used when creating a case definition to avoid overriding user configuration.

A file should be created on the classpath in the */resources/config/case/{case-definition-key}/{version-tag}/case/definition/ folder. The filename should be the name of the case definition and use the .case-definition.json file extension.

.../resources/config/case/example/1-0-0/case/definition/example.case-definition.json

Copy

{
    "key": "example",
    "name": "Example Case Definition",
    "versionTag": "1.0.0-beta"
    "final": false,
    "canHaveAssignee": true
    "autoAssignTasks": true
}

Case definition versioning

Each case can have multiple versions of the case definition.

Via UI

Via IDE

The version selector on the case management page allows users to switch between the available versions of a case definition. It provides contextual access to view or modify case configurations, depending on the state of the selected version (draft or final), while also clearly indicating which version is globally active.

Every version of a case definition can be categorized as either draft or final.

• A draft version represents a case definition configuration in progress. It allows users to modify all case-related configurations before finalization.

• A final version represents a deployed configuration of a case definition. All data associated with a final version is accessible in view mode only. No modifications are allowed.

Visual indicators

• Draft Versions are labeled with a red tag and explicitly include the word draft.

• Final versions are marked with a green tag in the version selector.

Globally active tag

The Globally active tag indicates which version of the case definition is set as the default configuration that is used throughout the system. A version can be set as Globally active on the case management page:

• Click on More

• Click on Set as active version

Note

• Only one version can be globally active per case definition.

• This setting does NOT affect historical cases that were started from a previous version. It only applies to new cases after the change.

See all versions modal

The version selector will show a maximum of five recent versions in the dropdown menu, and a sixth option, labeled See all versions, is provided at the end of the list.

Selecting See all versions opens a modal window containing:

• A full list of all available case definition versions.

• Metadata such as:

  • Version

  • Release date

  • Description

• The ability to select any version from this list.

Deployment

Before a case definition version can actually be used, it needs to be deployed first. This can be done on the case management page, by clicking on the deployment button.

When a draft version is selected, the deployment button enables direct actions to either finalize or discard the in-progress configuration.

• Users can finalize a draft, promoting it to a final version. This locks the contents and makes it available for operational use.

• Draft versions can be removed permanently if no longer relevant or needed.

Warning

Deleting a draft version is irreversible and will discard all changes made within that draft version.

When a final version is selected, the deployment button serves as a reference point for stable configurations.

• Users can create a new draft version based on any final version. This enables iteration or future changes without affecting the active version.

To create a new case definition version from an existing one:

• Click on Deployment

• Click on Create draft version and configure a new draft version:

Note

Final versions are immutable and cannot be modified directly. All changes must be performed through a new draft.

A new version for a case definition can be created automatically by reading a configuration file. This file will only be used when creating a case definition to avoid overriding user configuration.

A file should be created on the classpath in the */resources/config/case/{case-definition-key}/{version-tag}/case/definition/ folder. The filename should be the name of the case definition and use the .case-definition.json file extension.

.../resources/config/case/example/1-0-1/case/definition/example.case-definition.json

Copy

{
    "key": "example",
    "name": "Example Case Definition",
    "versionTag": "1.0.1-beta"
    "final": false,
    "canHaveAssignee": true
    "autoAssignTasks": true
}

Import and export

The Import/Export functionality enables users to seamlessly transfer complete case definition configurations between different environments (e.g., from a test/staging environment to acceptance or production). This ensures consistent deployment practices and reduces configuration errors across environments.

Export

• Go to the Admin menu

• Go to the Cases menu, select the case you want to export

• Click on More

• Click on Export

A .zip file will be automatically downloaded. This file includes all configuration elements related to the currently selected version of the case definition, such as:

• Forms

• Processes

• Business rules

• UI configurations

• Permissions and metadata

The exported configuration serves as a portable package that can be used for version migration or replication across environments.

Import

• Go to the Admin menu

• Go to the Cases menu, select the case to do an import in

• Click on More

• Click on Import

• Upload the exported .zip file.

• Follow the steps of the wizard to select the file and start the import

• The system will process the package and register it as a new draft version.

Recommended Workflow

Included/excluded in imports/exports

Most configurations and definitions are included in exports and imports. Some related configurations are not imported and exported, as they are not case definition specific.