Mobile app Channels

Enhance the content of your mobile app by managing the out-of-the-box user interface pages or adding custom ones. Implement native components, such as mobile search or a floating Action button, to further improve the user experience.

List pages

A list page is a native screen that displays list content. A list page has fluent transitions and a search bar in the header by default, which improves the responsiveness and load time of the user interface in your mobile app. For example, you can create a native list page that displays all expenses in the Lodging category. A manager who uses your app can search for a specific employee name to get results that include all the lodging expenses of that employee.

In prescriptive low-code authoring for list pages, you can use Case Types from your Pega application. You can then fine-tune how your app displays the Case Type data on mobile devices.

Case pages

With a Case page, users can efficiently view and edit Cases on their mobile devices. Customize Case pages in the low-code authoring environment to highlight the most relevant information in one user-friendly mobile View.

You can customize the Case page by adding Views and organizing Views into tabs, to best address user needs specific to your business. Pega Platform provides several predefined Views and widgets that you can add to your Case page, for example, a To do View that displays a list of tasks associated with the Case, or the Pulse widget that provides users with a space for exchanging Case-related information. You can also add your own custom Views to the Case page.

Each mobile app Channel is associated with a single user Persona to determine who has access to the Channel. For example in an HR application, the ManagePro Channel is associated with the Manager Persona and only users associated with the Manager Persona can access the Channel.

To make your mobile app more secure, you can select an authentication model and configure the locking settings for your app. For example, the expenses mobile app that uPlus company employees use to submit and manage expense reports contains sensitive company data. To match modern standards for mobile app development and prevent unauthorized access to the data, the company wants to increase the security of the mobile app. A uPlus developer is tasked with securing the mobile app with the corporate single sign-on authentication service and an effective locking mechanism.

Use Pega Platform to build consistent mobile apps in a low-code, prescriptive environment. For a professional look and feel and to ensure a consistent user experience across the Channels, select a preexisting theme to match the branding requirements.

Icon and launch screen design

To ensure that users can easily recognize and find your mobile app, use the Mobile app Preview to create a personalized app launch screen and icon and specify corresponding icons and background colors. You can customize the app branding by uploading an image, selecting from a list of font icons, or using the default text-based icons.

For advanced settings, you can turn on advanced branding to upload a ZIP file with custom branding that adds assets to the existing design model.

Use the mobile app preview to model the Channel configuration on a mobile device with the Pega Mobile Preview app. With Pega Mobile Preview, you do not have to obtain certificates or generate your mobile app package before you access the contents of your mobile app. You can use Pega Mobile Preview to access your Pega Platform application on your device as a mobile app for up to 30 days by scanning the provided QR code. 

When you finish developing the content for your mobile app, prepare your app for testing and distribution by generating an installation package. Building a native iOS or Android mobile app from the Channel configuration requires configuring access to the mobile app build server and creating a certificate set from uploaded signing certificates provided by a recognized certificate authority.

The Constellation UI architecture displays offline data and provides the ability to edit Case details and collect information while mobile apps are offline. The offline-ready Constellation UI architecture enables users to continue their work while disconnected.

For example, users who are offline can continue to update existing details and enter new information for their Cases, view offline-enabled Assignments, and view attachments on forms, such as images and PDFs. After connecting to a network, users can continue Case processing by changing Case Stages, reopening Cases, and uploading new attachments. Users do not need to do anything to synchronize data with the server.

Constellation supports the following key work scenarios when your users have limited or inconsistent connectivity:

• Field workers support: Maintain business continuity and assist users with specific offline tasks. Field workers who are offline can edit and add information for any Stage of a Case.
• Data always available: Keep business running and help users get the information they need for offline tasks. Field workers get offline data they need for their jobs, like offline lists of addresses or parts.
• Case attachment support: View attachments in forms, like videos or PDFs, that are seamlessly available offline. When mobile users go back online, they can create and upload new attachments to Cases.

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