Extending processes

Processes are published and discussed in the Process Space, but not edited there.

Processes are published and discussed in the Process Space, but not edited there. To change and extend a process, you edit the process in the Modeler or in the respective modeling tool.

Processes are subject to change. To change or extend a process in the Process Space, you edit the process in the Modeler or in the respective modeling tool.

Processes that were created with the Modeler and added to the Process Space can be changed and extended in the Modeler. The edited process can be added to the Process Space again. It is automatically recognized as a new process version.

As a Designer, you have the following options for changing or extending process diagrams.

• You edit processes that were imported into the Process Space via the interface for BPMN files in the modeling tool used.
• You edit processes that were created with the Modeler and are used in the Process Space in the Modeler.
• You can import edited processes again as a BPMN file or add them to the Process Space. The process is automatically recognized as a new process version.

Editing a diagram

As a Designer, you can use the integrated Modeler to edit process diagrams that were created with the Modeler.

Prerequisites

You are a BPM Manager or Designer.

You have opened the process page of a process whose process diagram was created in the Modeler. The ⋮ Edit version as draft command is available.

Context

You can easily create and edit a process diagram with the Modeler. A process diagram created in the Modeler can be edited as a draft, revision and version.

The edited process diagram can be saved as a draft of a process and submitted in the Process Space as a process version (revision).

It can also be saved as an image in order to insert it into other documents.

Restriction: You can also export the process diagram as a BPMN file for a modeling tool in order to use its integration options in modeled data and software systems. However, process diagrams imported via a BPMN file can no longer be edited in the Modeler.

The Modeler offers the following operating areas.

Upper toolbar

The toolbar offers functions for the draft as a whole. If you position the mouse pointer over an icon, the function is displayed.

• New draft
• Open draft
• Save draft, Save draft as
• Delete draft
• Import BPMN file as draft
• Export diagram
• Undo
• Redo
• Translate into other languages
• Print draft
• Change participants

Prerequisite for participants: Participants can only be added once the process draft has been saved. Participants can only be added if they have permission to model. Only one participant at a time can ever work on a draft. Two or more participants cannot work on a draft at the same time.

Left toolbar

The toolbar offers functions for creating draft elements, some of which are also offered in the context menu of the draft elements. When you click an icon, a corresponding element is created and is located under the mouse pointer so that you can position it.

Zoom icons

You can change the display size step by step within a certain range or fit the diagram size to the window.

Properties

The Properties area on the right can be expanded and collapsed.

In the Title and description tab, you can enter a Name and Description for the process or for a selected element.

In the Fill color and text/border color tab, you can define the appearance of the elements if the Color option is activated under Manage Processes in the Modeler settings tab. The changes made are then available to all modelers as a default.

In the Global and local properties tab, you can define properties of the process elements. The global property Execution time is managed for tasks.

Context menu for elements in the modeling area

The context menu for an element appears when you click the element. It offers, for example, the elements that can be connected to the selected element. In addition, the element type can be defined.

Keyboard shortcuts

Process elements can be copied from one draft into another draft. Select the process elements you want to copy. Copy them to your clipboard using the key combination [Ctrl] + [C] (Apple: [CTRL] + [C]). You can paste the copied process elements from your clipboard into another draft, which you have opened in a second browser window, for example, using the key combination [Ctrl] + [V] (Apple: [CTRL] + [V]).

BPMN.IO info icon

At the bottom right there is an icon that opens an info field with a link to bpmn.io. The website provides information about the technical background of the Modeler.

Your process draft only becomes visible to others once you add it to the Process Space as a process version (revision). This means that you can first design it as you wish and save it as a “private” draft.

How to proceed

1. On the process page of a process diagram that was created in the Modeler, click ⋮ Edit version as draft.

   A note appears.

2. To use the current process version as a draft, click OK.

   The integrated Modeler appears.

3. To add another element, click a diagram node and use the context menu, or click an icon in the left toolbar and drag it to a free position.

   Starting from the context menu, the element is created with a connection; from the toolbar, it is created without one.

4. To create a connection between two elements, click the element and then the connection icon in the context menu and drag the connection to the element to be connected, or click the connection icon in the left toolbar and then click the elements to be connected one after the other.

   The connection between the elements is created.

5. To rename an element, change its name under Properties in the Name input field.

6. To change the description of an element, make the change in the Description input field.

7. To change the typing of an element, click Change type in the context menu and select the type of the element.

   Individual properties of the element relating to the previous type are lost.

8. To save the diagram, click Save draft in the upper toolbar.

   The draft is saved under the name entered. It appears on the Drafts page.

9. To save the diagram as an image or BPMN file, click the desired file type in the upper toolbar in the Export diagram submenu.

   The draft is saved in the default directory for downloads.

10. To submit the diagram as a process revision, click Submit at the top.

    The Submit as process revision dialog appears.

11. To submit the diagram as a process version (revision), click OK.

    The draft is submitted as a process revision. This process revision can be edited as a draft again.

    It is automatically assigned to the process based on an ID.