Creating a Process Diagram with the Modeler

As Process Designer, you can use the integrated Modeler to draft process diagrams.

Prerequisites

You are BPM Manager or Process Designer.

You have given the process draft a name and description.

Context

It is easy to use the Modeler to create processes and, in doing so, use all basic BPMN elements.

The integrated Modeler helps you to create flows. The necessary process steps are created as tasks, starting from a process aim. A task represents a single, closed activity that is not subdivided further. A task can be typed according to execution type.

The process steps are linked in the right order by flows. Junction flows are branched and merged using gateways.

Data objects that buffer process-specific data within a process and data stores that store both cross-process data and data beyond the process end time frame can both be used to assign all process-relevant information.

The created process diagram can be saved as a process draft and submitted as a process version (revision) into the process space. It can also be saved as a graphic so that it can be added into other documents.

Constraint

You can also export the process diagram as a BPMN file for a modeling tool so that you can use its integration possibilities in modeled data and software systems.

Process diagrams imported as a BPMN file cannot be edited in the Modeler.

The Modeler has the following user areas:

The toolbar contains general draft functions. Hovering the mouse pointer over an icon shows the function.

 New Draft

 Open Draft

 Save Draft, Save Draft as

 Delete Draft

 Import BPMN file as draft

 Export Diagram

 Undo

 Redo

 Translate to Other Language

 Print draft

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

The toolbar can be used for creating draft elements. The draft elements' context menu may also contain some of these. Clicking on an icon creates the relevant element. The mouse pointer then appears on top of this element so that you can reposition it.

You can change the  display size or  diagram size to fit the window.

The Properties right-hand area can be opened and closed.

You can enter Name and Description for the process or a selected element in the  Title and Description tabs.

If the Color option is activated in the Modeler Preferences tab under Manage Process Space, then you can set what the elements look like in the  Fill Color and Text/Frame Color tabs. The changes are set as default for all designers using the Modeler.

You can set properties for process elements in the  Global and local properties tab. The Execution Time global property is managed for tasks.

An element's context menu appears when clicking on the element. It shows e.g. elements that can be linked to the selected element. The  element type can also be set.

Process elements can be copied from one draft into another draft. Select the process elements to be copied. Copy them into your clipboard with the [Strg] + [C] (Apple: [CTRL] + [C]) shortcut keys. You can paste the process elements copied in your clipboard into another draft that you e.g. have open in another browser window using the [Strg] + [V] (Apple: [CTRL] + [V]) shortcut keys.

You can see an icon in the bottom right-hand corner that opens an info field by clicking on the bpmn.io link. The website will give you technical information about the Modeler.

Your process draft will not be visible to others until you add it to the process space as a process version (revision). This means you can design it however you want to start with and save it as a "private" design.

How to proceed

  1. Click on  Create New draft under  Drafts.

    The record mask for the process draft appears.

  2. Click on Open Modeler in the record mask for the process draft.

    The integrated Modeler appears.

  3. If you want to add an element, click on a diagram node and use the context menu or click on an icon in the toolbar on the left-hand side and drag it to a free position.

    The element is created with a connection using the context menu.

  4. To create a connection between two elements, click on the element and on the connection icon in the context menu; drag the connection to the element to be connected and click on the connection icon in the toolbar on the left-hand side and then on the elements to be connected.

    The connection is created between the elements.

  5. Enter the element's name in the Name input field in the Properties area which can be expanded on the right-hand side.

    The name appears in the diagram.

  6. Enter the element's description in the Description input field.

  7. To change an element's type, click on  Change type in the context menu and select the element's type.

  8. To save the diagram, click on  Save Draft in the toolbar at the top.

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

  9. To save the diagram as a graphic or BPMN file, click on the file type you want in the  Export Diagram submenu in the toolbar at the top.

    The draft is saved in the standard directory for downloads.

  10. To add the diagram to the process space, click at the top on Submit .

    The Submit as Process Revision dialog appears.

    The draft is saved to the process space with the name you entered.