Model editor

Contextual menu

When you select a model item, a contextual menu appears, providing a shortcut to the most used actions. The contextual menu displays as a floating toolbar near the selected element with icon buttons for quick access to common operations.

Available commands in the contextual menu:

Icon	Command
	Open the cross-reference view
	Add an element (of the selected type) to the model and connect it to the currently selected element
	Add a comment to the current element
	Display extra configuration settings for the selected element
	Delete the current element
	Change the color of the current element
	Activate the global connect tool
	Link a decision table

You can associate the item with systems and roles defined in the Model types section.

After you associate the selected item, you can view and modify the related elements.

Command palette

The command palette contains all the main commands and tools that can be applied to the currently opened model. You can use the following tools:

• Hand tool
• Lasso tool
• Create/remove space tool
• Global connect tool

There are different types of items in the command palette. You can create the following item types:

• Events
• Gateways
• Tasks
• Expanded sub-processes
• Data references
• Data Object
• Pools/participants
• Groups

Properties sidebar

The Properties sidebar appears on the right side of the model editor when you select an element. You can use it to review and edit all the properties of the currently selected item.

The Properties sidebar is organized into tabs:

In the General tab you can do the following actions:

• Name a selected item
• Add an optional description of the item
• Add associated systems and roles defined in the cross-references
• View and edit the element ID

In the Others tab you can create the following configurations:

• A responsibility assignment matrix (RACI) related to the roles defined in the Model types section. RACI defines who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for each activity.
• User-Defined Properties are a custom key-value pairs where you can define the name and the value for any additional metadata you want to track.

Components of the model editor

The model editor includes the following BPMN components:

Task

Tasks are represented as rectangles with rounded corners in the BPMN model. Task types are intended to model the processes that are technically executable and infrequently applied.

You can define the specific type of a task from the configuration settings in the contextual menu. Available task types include:

• Service Task
• User Task
• Manual Task
• Business Rule Task
• Script Task
• Send Task
• Receive Task

Loop

A loop task repeats until a defined condition either applies or ceases to apply. To specify a task as the loop task, select the rounded arrow icon from the configuration settings in the contextual menu.

Multiple instance

A multiple instance instantiates repeatedly and can run in sequence or in parallel. To specify that a task has multiple instances, select one of the following options from the configuration in the contextual menu:

• Three horizontal stripes if the task is sequential.
• Three vertical stripes if the task is parallelized.

Subprocess

A subprocess describes a detailed sequence. Both task and subprocess are the part of the activities class and are represented as rectangles with rounded corners. The subprocess is distinguished by a plus sign (+) in the center, indicating a stored detailed sequence that can be expanded or collapsed.

You can specify that a task is a subprocess from the configuration settings in the contextual menu. You can also choose to collapse or expand the subprocess to show or hide its internal details.

Ad hoc subprocesses mark a segment in which the contained activities (tasks or subprocesses) can run in any order, run several times, or be skipped. Ad hoc subprocesses are indicated by a tilde (~) symbol.

You can define an ad hoc subprocess by selecting the Wave icon from the configuration settings in the contextual menu.

Gateway

Gateways are represented as diamond shapes in the BPMN model and control the flow of the process by splitting or merging paths. You can define the specific type of a gateway from the configuration settings in the contextual menu.

Available gateway types:

Exclusive Gateway

Represented by an X symbol inside the diamond. Routes the flow to exactly one of the outgoing paths based on conditions.

Inclusive Gateway

Represented by a circle inside the diamond. Routes the flow to one or more outgoing paths based on conditions.

Parallel Gateway

Represented by a plus (+) symbol inside the diamond. Splits the flow to all outgoing paths simultaneously or synchronizes multiple incoming paths.

Event-Based Gateway

Represented by a pentagon inside the diamond. Routes the flow based on events that occur.

Data

Data elements represent information that is used or produced by the process. You can use the following data types:

Data Object

Represented by a document icon with a folded corner. Represents information flowing through the process, such as documents, forms, or records.

Data Store

Represented by a cylinder shape. Represents a persistent data repository, such as a database or file system, where information is stored and retrieved.

Events

Events are represented as circles in the BPMN model and indicate something that happens during the process. You can define the specific type of an event from the configuration settings in the contextual menu.

Event types include:

Start Events

Thin circle border. Indicates where a process begins.

Intermediate Events

Double circle border. Occurs during the process flow.

End Events

Thick circle border. Indicates where a process path ends.

Each event type can have different triggers or results, such as message, timer, error, signal, or conditional events, indicated by different symbols inside the circle.

For more information, see BPMN Reference webpage.

Model versions

To work with versions of your model, you can do the following actions:

• Create a copy of your model.
• Open and review each model version.
• Compare selected models.

You can create a version of each model to track the changes. To open the version of a model, click Versions in the toolbar and select the version's name.

You can also activate the visual comparison tool. To compare two versions of a model, complete the following steps:

1. In the Versions toolbar, click the Compare button.

2. Select the two versions that you want to compare.

3. You can view two models side by side with highlighted changes between them. The following colors indicate a type of the change:

   Red

   Removed elements.

   Green

   Added elements.

   Yellow

   Changed elements.

   Blue

   Moved elements.

Also, you can obtain a tabular list of changes by clicking the List of changes button.

Searching the business repository

You can search within the business repository using two methods:

In-model search

On supported Windows operating systems, press CTRL+F (CMD+F on Mac) to search inside the currently opened model. A search box appears where you can enter your search term. You can navigate through the results by using your keyboard arrows or by scrolling and selecting with your mouse. Matching elements are highlighted in the model.

Full-text search

Use the search box in the navigation menu to perform a full-text search across your entire business repository. Enter your search term and the system searches through:

• Model names and descriptions (processes and landscapes)
• Element names and properties within models
• Attached documents and their content
• Comments and annotations

Search results are displayed in a list showing the model name, element name, and context where the match was found. Click on a result to navigate directly to that element in the model.

Managing models