Concept & Configuration
A Data Page is a declarative rule that loads data onto the Pega clipboard on demand and caches it for reuse. Think of it as a smart data container — it knows WHERE to get data, WHEN to refresh it, and WHO can see it.
Why Data Pages exist (two key reasons from Pega docs):
●Declarative loading — data loads automatically when first referenced (no manual activity calls needed)
●Scoping & reuse — unlike user pages (always thread-scoped), data pages can be shared across threads, requestors, and even nodes
Data Pages on the clipboard:
●Read-only data pages appear under the Data Pages category
●Editable/Savable data pages appear under the User Pages category
●Names always start with D_ prefix (e.g., D_CustomerList, D_CountryLookup)
The key components of every Data Page:
1. Structure — Page (single record) or List (multiple records)
2. Mode — Read-Only, Editable, or Savable
3. Scope — Thread, Requestor, or Node
4. Source — Where data comes from (RD, Connector, Activity, etc.)
5. Refresh — When to reload (Load Management tab)
6. Parameters — Input values that filter/customize the data
Real-World Tips & Patterns
Historical note: Data Pages were originally called Declare Pages in older Pega versions. You'll still see some system data pages in the clipboard starting with "Declare_" — that's the legacy naming.
Where Data Pages are used:
●Sourcing dropdown lists and autocomplete controls
●Populating Repeating Dynamic Layouts
●Feeding dashboards and charts
●Caching reference data (countries, states, product catalogs)
●Loading customer/account data from external systems
●Backing Data Types (auto-generated D_ pages per data type since v7.4)