Processes and automations

Verifying the details and status of the underlying payment is a fundamental step in any payment investigation. In Smart Investigate for Payments (SIP), investigators performed manual lookups in multiple systems or relied on limited integration with payment platforms. Some organizations introduced rule-based assessments of payment attributes.

SIAA enhances these features through improved integration with payment systems and a structured approach to payment verification. The system retrieves payment details from connected systems, compares them against the investigation request, and identifies discrepancies that might explain an exception. Automated verification reduces manual effort and accelerates the investigation process.

To configure payment verification:

• Define data mappings between payment system fields and properties in Pega Smart Investigate Agentic Automation.
• Configure automated payment verification rules to check:
  • Payment existence and current status.
  • Attributes such as the Straight-Through Processing (STP) indicator or payment repair history to identify manual interference.
  • Consistency between reported and actual payment details.
  • Processing history and previous exceptions.
• Implement a fallback process for manual verification when automated checks are inconclusive.

Understanding the context of an investigation, including the roles of all parties and the nature of the issue, is critical to efficient resolution. In SIP, this understanding depended on investigator experience and manual analysis.

SIAA introduces a structured approach to context diagnosis using a three-tiered case architecture. The system evaluates the roles of the initiating party, intermediaries, and the bank to determine the resolution path. This structured diagnosis ensures consistent handling of similar cases and supports automation.

Configure the Diagnose context stage to identify the following:

• Your institution's role in the payment chain (originator, intermediary, beneficiary).
• The inquirer's relationship to the payment (originator, beneficiary, other bank).
• The nature of the inquiry (status request, cancellation, return).

Implement rules to determine context based on:

• Message type and content.
• Payment direction and status.
• Relationship data from customer systems.

Additionally:

• Set up decision tables to map context scenarios to resolution paths.
• Configure the user interface to display contextual information clearly.

Selecting the appropriate resolution approach is a critical decision point in the investigation process. In SIP, this determination relied on predefined Case Types with limited flexibility.

However, the Resolution Activities framework in SIAA provides a modular and flexible approach. The system dynamically selects and sequences resolution activities based on investigation characteristics. This approach enables precise handling of complex scenarios and adapts to changing requirements.

To configure resolution activities:

• Map existing SIP case types to the Resolution Activities framework.
• Identify common resolution patterns.
• Break down complex Case Types into discrete resolution activities.
• Document decision criteria for selecting resolution approaches.
• Configure resolution determination rules based on:
  • Investigation context and roles.
  • Message content and intent.
  • Customer segment and service-level agreements.
  • Regulatory requirements and compliance considerations.
• Implement a resolution strategy matrix that maps scenarios to activities.
• Configure the orchestration layer to dynamically sequence activities.

Out-of-the-box (OOTB) resolution activities provide standardized approaches to common investigation scenarios. SIP included predefined processes, while SIAA offers a comprehensive library based on industry best practices.

OOTB activities cover common investigation types, from simple status inquiries to complex cases, and can be used as-is or customized. By using these predefined activities or creating new ones with Pega GenAI Blueprint™, banks accelerate implementation and benefit from embedded expertise.

To configure OOTB activities:

• Review available OOTB resolution activities.
• Identify activities that align with your business processes.
• Determine which activities require customization.
• Identify gaps where new custom activities are needed.
• For each selected activity, configure:
  • Business conditions that trigger the activity.
  • Integration points with internal systems.
  • SLA parameters and escalation paths.
  • User assignment rules and work queues.

Although SIAA provides a comprehensive OOTB library, most banks need custom activities for unique requirements or specialized investigations. In SIP, customization required significant effort and technical expertise.

Now, SIAA simplifies custom development through a modular architecture and reusable components. This approach extends functionality while maintaining consistency and orchestration capabilities.

To develop new activities:

• Identify gaps in OOTB activities that require custom development:
  • Unique business processes.
  • Regional or market-specific investigation types.
  • Specialized customer service offerings.
• Follow the development framework:
  • Define the activity purpose, inputs, and outputs.
  • Design the activity flow using Pega GenAI Blueprint to enable cross-business collaboration.
  • Configure views for manual steps.
  • Ensure that new activities adhere to the same standards as OOTB activities.