Open a workflow definition

In Process Designer, you can open workflow definition files in two formats: PEP format, the native format for Process Designer, and XPDL 2.0 format, a standard format for Business Process Modeling Notation. For both formats, the workflow definition is represented as a workflow collection. For an XPDL file that contains more than one workflow definition, the first workflow in the collection will display.

Workflow definitions can be stored in either an FileNet® repository (object store or CS library), or in your local file system.

To open a workflow definition from an object store or library

1. From the Process Designer File menu, choose FileNet > FileNet Open/Checkout.
2. Open the appropriate object store or library, then locate the workflow definition file—PEP or XPDL.
3. Select the workflow definition file, then choose Checkout or Copy.
   • Checkout opens the file for editing and locks the file in the object store or library until you check in a new version of the file.

     Checkout is not available if the file is currently checked out by another user and you do not have permission to assume the checkout. If the file is currently checked out to you or you have permission to assume the checkout, you can assume the checkout.

   • Copy opens a copy of the file and does not lock the original file. If you change the file, you can save it with a new name; you cannot check it in as a new version of the original file.
4. Click Open.

To open a workflow definition from your local file system

1. From the File menu, choose Open.
2. Browse to the folder where the file is stored.
3. Select the workflow definition file—PEP or XPDL, then click Open.

CAUTION  If you open an XPDL file produced by a BPMN modeling application, the drawing will not be a complete workflow definition ready to launch. You need to assign steps to appropriate participants and queues for processing, specify routing conditions, specify attachments, and add system functions and other details as necessary to produce the desired processing.

When you export an XPDL file from a BPMN modeling application, the export process should complete with no errors. If errors are detected, these errors should be corrected and the file re-exported.

NOTE  When you open workflow definitions created in a previous version of Process Designer, step icons might display with a default icon. When you click on a step, the step icon will convert to the appropriate icon for the type of step.

TIPS

• To cancel a checkout using an Alt key sequence, press <Alt>+<F>. When the File menu displays, release both keys, and then press <H>. If you don't release both keys, the help menu displays instead.