Modeling

First steps

The modeling of a diagram is done in the new design interface.

You can check out your diagram to edit it. It is then locked for other users. After completing the editing, you have to check in the diagram again, so that other users can see the changes and continue to work on the diagram.

The design surface

The screen of the designer provides different functionalities and is divided into three areas.

Explorer: On the left side you can see the Explorer in which your repository and the categories containing checked-out diagrams are displayed.

Editor: The Editor represents your working area in which you can model and edit your diagrams as well as the necessary symbol palette.

Menu bar: The upper area of your screen displays further functionalities that you can use to model your diagram.

Figure: The surface of BIC Process Design is divided into Explorer (1), Editor (2) and Menu bar (3).

How do I edit/check out diagrams?

Authorized users (Administrators, Editors and assigned Authors) can access the new design interface in diagrams in the public workspace. If you open your diagram in diagram view and no other user has currently checked it out, the Checkout button appears in the upper right corner.

A click on the button opens the editor in a new browser tab, whereas the diagram is locked for other users. This prevents the parallel editing of one diagram by different users. If you checked out the diagram before, a button to enter the edit mode is displayed which opens the diagram editor again.

If the diagram has already been checked out by another user, you will see a lock icon. To receive information by whom and when the diagram was checked out, you can move the mouse to the icon.

In case the diagram has been checked out by another user and you are an administrator, you can unlock the diagram using the open lock button.

Note

If you check out a diagram in the designer, you will be able to edit it even in offline mode. You can save and check-in the changes as soon as you work online again, provided that you did not refresh or close the browser tab.

How do I save changes?

The user can save the editing of a diagram, but the changes are not yet available for other modellers. They are stored in the “Local Storage” of the used browser.

By checking in, the current state is being transferred to the BIC Process Design server and is visible in the public workspace. The diagram is released now so that other authorized users can edit it.

Hint

If OCL rules of the severity blocker (that are defined in the current method) are violated by the modeling, it is not possible to check-in the diagram. Moreover, the check-in is prevented if not catalog suggestions are used in the diagram. Further information can be found in the linked sections.

The editor is closed after you checked in the diagram and the information that the check-in was successful is displayed. By a click on close application the browser tab is closed.

Warning

According to your browser settings, local workstations may be discarded when the browser is closed or by clearing browser data. Regular check-in is therefore highly recommended.

How do I cancel the editing of diagrams without saving?

If you changed a diagram, but you do not want to check in these changes and transfer them to the local workspace, you have the following options to discard the changes:

Open the context menu of the corresponding diagram.

Select the entry Remove local version. Confirm the subsequent query to irrevocably delete your changes. The diagram is now unlocked to other users.

Where can I find help while modeling?

Click on the question mark in the upper menu bar to view the user documentation in a new browser tab. You will be navigated to this chapter of the documentation.

Objects

How do I add objects to a diagram?

Symbol palette

Objects can only be modeled in checked out diagrams. The symbols available for modeling vary for each diagram type. If you check-out your diagram, you will see the symbols which are available on the right-hand side of the editor (in the symbol palette).

You have several options to place symbols from the symbol palette into the editor.

Drag & drop: Select a symbol that you want to place in your model and drag & drop it into the editor. After placement, the text field of the symbol is automatically selected so that the symbol can be named individually. Also note the rename section when naming. Repeat this step for all desired symbols.

Stamp mode: You can use the stamp mode (the corresponding symbol is highlighted in the symbol palette), where you can create additional symbols of the same type. Select a symbol with a single click and place it by clicking into the editor. You can exit the stamp mode by pressing the ESC key or by clicking on the symbol in the symbol palette again.

Mini symbol palette

As an alternative to modeling with the symbol palette, it is recommended to use the mini symbol palette which displays all objects that can be connected to your current symbol.

Place or select a symbol in the editor. On the right side of the symbol, some symbols will appear, that can be connected to the selected symbol.

A connection between two symbols will be automatically created by placing a new symbol. The following options are now available. Also note the possible shortcuts.

Drag & drop: Select one of the symbols and place it in the editor while pressing the mouse button.

Releasing the mouse button creates the symbol including the connection.

Quick Modeler: If the user simply clicks on an item in the mini symbol palette (no drag), a new object will be created immediately. The new node is placed centered at the same distance from the predecessor to the last symbol. The direction depends on the predecessor, because the new node is placed on the opposite side of the predecessor. If there is no predecessor, then to the right of the node and at a preset distance.

You can create multiple descendants for a node.

These are automatically created among each other using the Quick Modeler. Since the connection is centered, which means at the center port in the middle of the icon, it may overlap other symbols.

You can then reposition connections. Successors of successors are modeled either one below the other or one after the other, depending on the maximum distance to the predecessor in the x- and y-direction of the editor. By changing the position of the symbols you can adjust the behavior of the Quick Modeler.

The text field of the new symbol is selected so that it can be named individually. Also note the rename chapter.

Note

Depending on the symbol and the method, a selection menu for the automatically created edge may appear after placement from the mini symbol palette. To create the symbol, a selection must be made in this menu.

How can I create a personalized symbol palette?

In the symbol palette, you can add objects that you frequently model to your personal favorite symbols. Hold the mouse over any entry in the symbol palette in the Symbols tab. A star frame appears next to the entry if it has not been marked as a favorite.

By clicking on the star you can add this object to your personal symbols. The star frame then remains filled in, marking your individually selected symbols.

By marking an entry, the tab Favorite Symbols appears in the first place in the symbol palette. There, only your personal symbols are filtered and can be modeled from here. The order of entries is taken from the Symbols tab.

These settings are saved per user and per diagram type, so that each user can determine his or her individual symbol selection in each diagram type.

How can I remove favorites from my personalized symbol palette?

Got to the symbol palette to the tab Symbols. Navigate to the entry, which you want to remove from the favorite symbols. These are recognizable by the filled in, permanently visible star.

To remove symbol, click on the star. Thus, only the frame of the star is visible, if you hold the mouse over the symbol. If no symbol is marked as favorite, the Favorite Symbols tab disappears in the symbol palette. This tab is only visible if at least one entry is favored.

How do I create forms and graphical symbols?

Use the symbol view to navigate to the freeform symbols by selecting the second button in the symbol palette.

Select a freeform icon from the list and place it in the editor.

For example, the following freeform symbols are available: rectangles, ellipses, text fields, triangles, cubes, arrows, etc.. You can label freeform symbols by using the multilingual text field. By double-clicking or pressing the F2 key after selecting the symbol, you can also trigger the input field. In addition, freeform symbols have some attributes. You can search for these objects, allow catalog suggestions, which you can configure via the freeform object in the administration area of BIC Process Design. An exception is the line symbol, which does not have these properties.

How can I hide the symbol palette?

The Favorite Symbols, Symbols and Freeform Symbols can be hidden or collapsed with the symbol palette. Click on the Collapse button next to the title.

Now the symbol palette is collapsed and the associated title is hidden. Only the individual icons of the object types are displayed. If you hover over an entry, you can see the associated object type name as a tooltip.

Modeling by drag & drop and stamp mode works unchanged. By clicking the displayed title icon, the tab changes between Favorite Symbols, Symbols and Freeform Symbols.

Click on the Expand button to unfold the opened tab of the symbol palette and to show it completely.

Note

The symbol palette “Format” does not contain symbols. Collapsing this tab is not possible, otherwise the options would not be selectable.

How do I move an object?

You can reposition an object by drag & drop. To do this, select the object with the left mouse button and keep it pressed while you navigate the mouse to the desired position. The object moves with your mouse. If the desired position is outside the current diagram section, you can also move the diagram view field by pressing the right mouse button or using the scroll wheel while holding the object with your left mouse button. When you release the left mouse button, your object is placed at the mouse position.

Optionally, you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the object in all directions.

Note

You can also move a multi-selection of objects using this procedure.

How do I change the size of an object?

Select the object you want to change with a single click.

Press the left mouse button to alter the size of the object by using the blue points along the edge. Release the mouse at the desired position.

How can I switch the symbol of an object?

Within the modeling process of your diagram you have the possibility to change the symbol of an already modelled object. This can help you to dynamically change the view on single elements in your diagram according to your needs.

To change the symbol of an object within your diagram proceed as follows:

Right click on the symbol you want to change within the checked out diagram. The context menu for the object appears.

Select the entry “Switch symbol”. You will get a list of all symbol types, which are allowed for the given diagram type.

After you have selected the desired symbol type, it will be displayed in your diagram.

Symbols of container objects, such as pools, cannot be changed as soon as the object concerned already contains elements. In this case, the function for changing the symbol for this object is no longer available and is greyed out in the context menu.

Note

Symbols that are already part of a pool cannot be switched into the symbol type pool. By switching the symbol, placed attributes will be reset to their default. If no attributes are placed at the symbol by default, then no attribute will be placed after changing the symbol.

How can I label or rename objects in the editor?

The writing area is displayed directly after modeling an object or by double-clicking on the object. A suggestion list for all the catalog entries used in the diagram is displayed then. You can select a proposal with a mouse click or label the object. When labeling, you can also choose from a suggestion list with catalog items of the server that contain the entered term. Otherwise, end the entry with a single click in the editor.

Optionally select the object by clicking on it once and press F2 so that the writing area is displayed.

You can also rename symbols using the attribute bar.

Note

Note some peculiarities when renaming and editing attributes of symbols in diagrams that are catalog items.

How do I change the size, line breaks and the position of text fields (labels)?

You can change the size of some text fields which contains the name of a symbol. For example, if the name is very long, you have the option to display it in two lines (by alerting the size of the label) and to shift automatic line breaks. Alternatively, you can add manual line breaks. The text field can be positioned as you like.

Change size

Select a text field by clicking on it.

Alter the size by using the blue points along the edge of the text field. Release the mouse button at the desired position.

Position

Select a label by clicking on it. Then click again, keep the mouse button pressed, move the field and release the mouse button (drag & drop).

Note

Note that the size and position of the text fields of symbols with block form, such as activities, cannot be changed. For those symbols, the label is located in the respective symbol. Furthermore, manual line breaks cannot be seen in the catalog, but are visible in the reports.

How can I place attributes at objects?

Some attributes of objects can be placed in the diagram. This includes all text attributes of the object that were maintained in the attribute bar.

Right-click on the symbol in the diagram to open the context menu and select Place attribute at object.

A window Attribute placement opens, in which you can select the desired attribute. All text and assignment attributes that are already maintained at the object are displayed here. If you want to select a text attribute that is not listed, you must first complete it in the attribute bar and repeat the first step.

The selected attribute then appears at the bottom right of the icon. You can change the position and edit the text field by double-clicking it, if it is not an assignment. The changes are applied to the attributes of the object. The placement also gets updated, if the attributes are changed in the attribute tab. Assigned persons, organizational units and diagrams are displayed as text, with several assignments in an attribute separated by a comma.

Note

Please note that tables you have used in the description attribute cannot be displayed in the diagram. In addition, the table border of a description is not rendered on mouseover pop-up when you move the mouse pointer over the i-symbol on the activity in the diagram.

Connections

Where can I place a connection to an object?

All possible options for placing a connection are indicated with a red dot when you hold the connector with the mouse over different points of an object.

If you link objects using the outer port, the connector will stay fixed at that side of the object even when you shift it.

If you link objects using the centerport, the connector will move when you shift the object.

Connection can be added via drag & drop or by selecting the start and end ports (depending on the connection type). This is explained in the following.

How do I change the link type?

You can connect symbols using an orthogonal or diagonal connection. Orthogonal connections are horizontal or perpendicular resp. they are a combination of such lines. A connection of the type diagonal goes straight from the start to the end port without any bending. The active connection type is displayed in the menu bar as Change link type button. Select the button to change the type.

The symbol of the button changes accordingly: orthogonal - angled arrow, diagonal - straight arrow. If you draw a new connection between two symbols, the connection will be straight resp. orthogonal.

How can I connect symbols orthogonally?

You have the following options to add an orthogonal connection between two symbols. The connection type can be switched in the menu bar. If the connection type button shows an angled arrow, the connection will be orthogonal

Insert the desired two symbols into the editor or open a diagram with at least two symbols which can be linked (e.g. an event and an activity).

Connection icon

Select one of the symbols in the editor. A connection icon appears in the mini symbol palette (upper right corner next to the symbol).

Select the connection icon and afterwards a desired point at the other symbol. A sequence is added between the two symbols.

Connection Mode

If you activate the connection mode, you can add several connections. In the menu bar, click Connection Mode. A red dot appears on the edge of the icon when you hold the mouse pointer over it. This dot shows the possible start points. Select the point where you like to start your connection.

Then hold down the mouse key over the second symbol and select the location where you want to place the end of the connection. A sequence is added between the two symbols. Deselect the symbol afterwards by a click on a free space. Then you can start a new connection.

To terminate the connection mode, click on the connection mode-button again.

Port area

Hold the mouse over the edge of a symbol for a while without clicking it. The connection mode becomes active. Now you may add a new connection as described for the connection mode. The connection mode will be deactivated automatically after you added one connection.

How can I connect symbols diagonally?

You have the following options to add an diagonal connection between two symbols. The connection type can be switched in the menu bar. If the connection type button shows a straight arrow, the connection will be diagonal

Insert the desired two symbols into the editor or open a diagram with at least two symbols which can be linked (e.g. an event and an activity).

Connection icon

Select one of the symbols in the editor. A connection icon appears in the mini symbol palette (upper right corner next to the symbol).

Select the connection icon and draw a connection between the current symbol and another by using the drag & drop function.

Connection Mode

In the menu bar, click Connection Mode. A red dot appears on the edge of the icon when you hold the mouse pointer over it. Click on one of the symbols where you want to start the connection.

Press and hold down the mouse key and move to the second symbol. Release the mouse key at the location where you want to place the end of the connection. Then click on the connection mode-button again to terminate the connection mode.

Port area

Hold the mouse over the edge of a symbol for a while without clicking it. The connection mode becomes active.

Now you may add a new connection via drag & drop as described for the connection mode. The connection mode will be deactivated automatically after you added one connection.

How do I change an existing link to another link type?

Select an existing connection between two symbols and open the context menu by right-clicking. After that select the Change to straight connection or Change to orthogonal connection entry. The connection is then changed.

How can I change an existing link?

The connection sequences are created automatically when a connection is created. You can change both its path as well as the input and output.

Select the connection you want to change.

Change path

You can move the blue points of a connection by using the drag & drop function.

If you want to create a new nook, click on the desired location and drag a corner into the connection.

Change the port of an existing link

Use the blue points on an object to change the location of the connection on the same symbol. Simply drag & drop the existing link to another dot along the edge. Any possible inputs or outputs are indicated by red dots.

Note

Existing connections cannot be moved from one symbol to another symbol.

How can I label or rename connections?

The label is directly displayed by double-clicking on the connection. You can now label the object. Click somewhere within the editor to finish the entry.

Optionally select the connection by clicking on it once and press F2 so that the label is displayed.

How do I insert an object into a path?

You can insert an object into an existing path using Drag & Drop. The connection between the corresponding objects has to be defined in the method.

Drag a new object from the symbol palette or a free object from the editor to the desired edge. This edge must be of the type sequence flow. When it appears blue and dashed, you can drop the object.

The edge is exchanged by two new edges where the new object is an intermediate node in between the two former objects. All attributes and the optional label of the old edge are copied to the newly created edge where the placed node is the target node.

If you remove the new object, the edge returns to its previous state and connects the initial two objects. In case the object types do not allow a connection, the edge does not change its layout as described above. Dropping the new object will place it on top of the edge without any connection.

Copy, paste and more functions

How do I copy and paste symbols?

Select one or more symbols that you want to copy within a diagram or between diagrams. Then click the Copy-button in the menu bar (alternatively CTRL+C).

Click on the Paste-button in the menu bar (alternatively CTRL+V).

Optionally you can right-click on an object or in the editor to open the context menu and select Copy or Paste.

You can paste objects into another diagram of different type (e.g. EPC to BPMN) if the object is available in the target diagram type. When you copy several objects, each object is checked for this requirement and pasted when applicable. If you want to paste an object which is not allowed in target diagram it will not be pasted. Furthermore, Connections will only be pasted between two pasted objects, i.e. if an object could not be pasted its connections to other objects will also not be pasted. If an object is allowed in the target diagram but the symbol of the object is not, the object will be pasted with the standard symbol. If an element could not be pasted, you will be informed about the reason for that.

Note

Copying catalog items and symbols that are not part of the catalog differs. Regardless of the object type, copies of catalog items are always reused. This means that an expression copy is created and the object remains the same. Changes to this copy will also cause changes to the original if the catalog item has not yet been accepted. Objects that are not in the catalog are doubled, a definition copy is created. Changes to the copy are thus independent of the original.

There are also differences in copying connections. A copied connection is newly created if one of the connected and also copied objects is a definition copy; this is the case if one of the objects is not a catalog item. A connection is reused if the connected objects were occurrence copies; this is the case if they are both catalog items.

Note

Please note that when copying elements, relationship attributes are not automatically taken over. This means that if you copy an activity, for example, the associated role is not automatically copied as well. Make sure that you transfer relationship attributes separately if this is necessary.

How can I cut symbols from a diagram?

Click on a symbol that you want to cut. Now use the Cut-button in the menu bar to select the desired symbol (alternatively CTRL+X).

Optionally you can right-click on an object to open the context menu and select Cut.

How can I delete symbols from a diagram?

Right-click on the symbol you want to delete to open the context menu and select Delete.

Optionally, you can delete selected symbols via the “Del” button on your keyboard.

If the object is connected with other objects via exactly one incoming and one outgoing edge of type Sequence Flow, a new edge of the same type is created. This connects the neighboring objects with each other in the same direction. The attributes of the previously incoming edge are adopted for the new connection.

Deleting symbols in the diagram does not automatically delete associated catalog items in the catalog. This creates unused catalog items, which can be reorganized.

Note

You can also use the multi-selection of symbols to delete several symbols at the same time. The new edge is also created here for the neighboring symbols, but without the transfer of attributes.

How can I undo or redo modeling steps?

To undo individual modeling steps, select the Undo-button in the menu bar or alternatively CTRL+Z.

Use the Redo-button to restore steps. Alternatively, press CTRL+Y.

The Redo-button and Undo-button can be used until the diagram has been changed.

How do I add images to a diagram?

You have the option to add images which have the file formats jpg, jpeg, bmp, png and gif (without animation) to a diagram. To do so, the execution of the following steps is necessary:

Check out the diagram into which you want to insert an image. Now you can navigate to the memory location of the image (on your computer) and drag it into the editor.

Tip

The functions Edit shape, Format and Change size can be used for editing an image. For example, you can crop your picture or set a frame.

Note

Copying images between different browser tabs is not supported.

Note

Files stored in interlace mode, such as available for PNG files, are not fully supported. This includes the print preview. In this case, saving the affected file without interlacing and inserting it into the modeling is recommended.

How can I add an image to an activity?

You can add an image to an activity (or any other object). This can be helpful, if you want to create navigation objects and want to highlight them.

To do that, you need to do the following:

Check out the diagram in which you want to add the image. Copy the image which you want to add. Select the activity (or other object) that the image should have as background. Paste the image (Ctrl+V).

Formatting

The different formatting options affect not only free-stream symbols but also symbols, such as activities and connections.

How do I change the format of symbol and diagram?

Navigate to the format settings in the symbol palette by selecting the third entry in the symbols menu.

Select an existing symbol (or several symbols at a time) in the editor. You can now choose between Form, Text and Print.

If you select the Form menu item, you can format fill, line, shadow, attribute symbols and watermarks for the selected symbol.

What options do I have to format objects?

Available settings for the form of symbols:

• Fill: You can choose between the following options for the filling of a symbol: None, Solid or Gradient. You can also adjust the color and transparency of the filling.

• Line: For the line of a symbol, you can select whether there is no line or a solid line. Furthermore, the transparency and the color can also be set. In addition, you can set the style of a line (for example: dotted line, etc.) and the line width. With open symbols, such as connection or the freeform symbol line, you can change the edge shape as well as the arrow type. To adapt these characteristics the following options are available: Line End, Line Join, Start Arrow Type and End Arrow Type.

• Shadow: You can choose different shadow types for a symbol. The color can also be set here.

• Attribute symbols: You can enable or disable the display of attribute symbols for an object. Attribute symbols are the icons that appear below an object, for example when a description has been maintained.

• Watermark: You can enable or disable the display of watermarks and create them for symbols. In this case, there is a wide range of adjustment options, such as the adaptation of the size and color of the watermark.

• Background: You can use an image as a background for an object.

What are the options to format text?

Available settings for the text in symbols:

• Font: The font, size, color and style of texts can be changed.

• Text field: Defines the behavior of the text field, e.g.: do not resize form. Furthermore, you can define the position of the text field. Your options are: at the left, right, upper and lower text margins.

How can I save print settings in the diagram?

Use the symbol palette to navigate to Format and select the menu item Print. The editor then changes to the print preview (including sheets and page margin). There you can make some print settings for your diagram.

• Paper: Different format (e.g. DIN A4) and orientation settings (landscape/portrait) can be selected here.

• Scale: Page limits and the factor of scale can be set here.

When saving and checking in, these settings are taken over for the diagram, just like other formatting. Thus, users with the rights of an author can set user-independent presets for printing. These are then automatically displayed in the print preview. They can also be individually changed there, but not saved across the board.

How can I transfer a formatting?

The copying of a specific formatting is available to modelers as a functionality in the menu bar. This allows you to transfer formatting from one object to the next.

Select your formatted object by clicking on it once. Then select Copy format in the menu bar. Once you click on the button, you can transfer the format to another object. If you double-click, you can edit several objects.

Click on the object to which you want to transfer the formatting. With a click somewhere in the empty editor or pressing ESC you can cancel/exit the Copy format mode.

How do I change the shape of symbols?

You can change the shape of existing symbols.

Select a symbol in the editor that you want to modify and select Editing by right-clicking in the context menu. It is now possible to edit individual points of the symbol, which allows you to change the shape of the predefined icons.

Change the symbol by moving an editing point to a different position while holding down the mouse key. You can repeat this for further processing points. The editing mode is active until you click somewhere in the editor. The same processing also applies to connections.

Support for visual adjustments

How do I rotate symbols?

You can change the orientation of symbols in the editor. That means it is possible to rotate symbols to any position you like. Analogous to the position and size, it is also possible to change the orientation of symbol names independently of the orientation of their symbols.

Click on a symbol in the editor. If you only want to change the orientation of the name, click on the symbol twice. A circle appears above the symbol. Select the circle above the symbol by mouse click and drag it to the left or right to change the orientation of the symbol. This allows you to rotate the symbol for example by 90 degrees.

How do I change the order of symbols?

You can define the order of overlapping objects in the editor. This applies to all objects you can use in the editor, including free forms and connections.

Select the object. Then navigate to the Order-button in the menu bar.

Four options are available:

• Foreground: The selected object becomes the top level of the overlapping objects.

• Background: The selected object becomes the lowest level of the overlapping objects.

• Move up: The selected object is set one level higher.

• Move down: The selected object is placed one level lower.

Once one of the options is selected, the arrangement of the symbol changes accordingly.

Note

Recently created objects always lie within the topmost plane of arrangement. This layer can still be changed later. Pools always lie within the lowermost plane of arrangement due to their technical meaning.

How do I use the alignment tool?

To simplify the positioning of symbols, you can use the alignment tool, both for existing symbols as well as for the creation of new symbols in the editor.

Open an existing diagram that contains symbols and drag a symbol from the symbols view into the editor. Afterwards, align the symbol with other symbols by placing it beneath another one. You will see that alignment lines are displayed. They can appear at the outer edges of symbols as well as through the center of a symbol, depending on the position to other symbols.

You can turn off the alignment tool by pressing the Alt GR key while positioning the symbol.

Warning

In the Google Chrome browser you can turn off the alignment tool with Alt and Alt GR. When using Internet Explorer, keep in mind that the Alt key opens the menu bar of the browser. So please only press Alt GR for turning off.

How do I align symbols to each other?

You can use an Alignment function to align symbols to each other.

To do so open a checked out diagram that contains elements that you want to align to each other. Select several elements at the same time, either by dragging the mouse with pressed key over the area in which these elements are located, or by using the Shift key and clicking on the symbols. To finish, select Align from the menu bar and select an entry (for example, Top align). The elements are aligned to each other according to the first selected entry.

How do I match the size of symbols to each other?

Open a checked-out chart that contains items whose size you want to match. Then, select several elements at the same time, either by dragging with pressed mouse key over an area in which these elements are located or by using the Shift key and clicking on the corresponding symbols.

Select Resize from the menu bar and select an entry (for example, Fit to largest Shape). The size of the elements is adjusted accordingly.

How do I add or remove space?

With the function Add/ Remove free space, you have the option to insert or remove space between symbols.

In your checked-out diagram, you can access the function by a click on the option Add/ Remove free space in the menu bar. Alternatively, open the context menu by right-clicking in the editor and select the entry Add/ Remove free space there.

Two blue dashed lines appear, one running horizontally and the other vertically through the diagram.

Click on a point in the diagram to set the start point where you want to start removing or adding free space.

Add space

Click on a point in the diagram that is located on the right side or underneath the start point to add free space.

Remove space

Click on a point in the diagram that is located on the left side or above the start point to remove free space.

How do I use the layout assistant?

The layout assistant helps you to layout the process flow. This means that the sequence flow and activities are in the foreground. By default these are the diagram types BPMN, EPC and VCD. In edit mode of these diagrams you can layout the selection of a container object, multi-selections as well as the entire modeling. After layouting, the diagram is positioned at the 0/0 corner. In order to layout the whole modeling, you should not select anything in the diagram or select a symbol, which is not a container symbol. Your selection persists after layouting.

Navigate to the menu bar and click Layout. This will automatically layout the objects involved in the process. In the meantime, the editor is overlaid by the corresponding message. It is distinguished between satellites and sequence flow.

Satellites: The various satellites associated with an activity, such as roles and documents, are divided into quadrants according to their modeled position. Within this quadrant, the satellite is automatically positioned uniformly depending on the modeling. Furthermore, the edge ports are reassigned here. The arrangement of the edges in EPC diagrams takes place on the right and left side of activities. In BPMN diagrams, the ports are created at the top and bottom of activities.

Sequence flow: Mainly underlying activities are assigned to a column. In the same way, adjacent activities are assigned to rows. Within these rows and columns, the activities are arranged in a straight line using the layout assistant. An activity including satellites is considered as one related object. This affects the height and width of columns and rows. Sequence and message edges between activities are reassigned if necessary.

Note when layouting containers in the diagram:

• If you want to layout the whole diagram with a container in it, the size of the containers is adjusted in addition to the changes described. The containers thus keep a configured distance from the internal elements. When resizing, however, the header side of pools is excluded, so that no configured distance is kept there.

• If a container, such as a horizontal or vertical pool or lane, is selected, the layout assistant takes the symbols within this container into account. The layout of the elements in any container always follows the same rules, while the container size remains unchanged.

This chapter describes the default settings. The layout may behave differently, if the settings to a diagram types are adjusted in administration area of BIC Process Design.

Note

The layout assistant does not support the simultaneous use of horizontal and vertical pools within a diagram.

How can new symbols be layouted automatically?

The layout assistant is permanently activated by pressing CTRL -key and simultaneously clicking on Layout. The associated icon remains highlighted in the menu bar. When creating new symbols with one click via the mini symbol palette, the symbols are directly routed and placed in the corresponding position.

With CTRL and left mouse button, the permanent setting can be deselected again. A single click on Layout still corresponds to the Layout described above.

Note

The “Undo” and “Redo” modeling features exclude these layout assistant changes.

Details

This section explains various display settings of diagrams and symbols used in diagrams. These options are each part of the Details bar which you can open for a diagram while modeling. Click on the details button in the top bar of a checked-out diagram and the details bar opens on the right side.

Depending on the administration settings in BIC Process Design the bar can contain the attributes, occurrences and the profile. For more information on the Details bar, see the following questions and answers.

How can I view the occurrences of symbols in checked out diagrams?

If you want to display the occurrences of a symbol while modeling, proceed as follows.

Right-click the desired symbol. A context menu opens. Select Show occurrences. This opens a bar on the right-hand side, listing all uses of this object.

Optionally you can also navigate from the attribute bar to the occurrences of an object. Select the desired object and click the Details in the menu bar. The attribute bar opens and by clicking on the button Occurrences represented by a pin, the same list of uses is displayed here.

Tip

You can also check a symbol’s occurrences while the diagram is checked in.

How can I display the profile while modeling?

To view the profile while modeling, follow these steps:

Select the Details button in the menu bar to open the right side bar. Then, you can switch to the profile of your diagram via the equivalent button on top.

To display the profile of an object, select it in the editor before or after navigating to the profile in the side bar.

The valid standard configurations for the profile entries are described in the chapter about the profile in diagram view.

Click on the Close-button to exit the profile view.

Note

Please note that the button Profile in the details bar can only be selected if this was specified in administration. Furthermore, the content of the profile may vary depending on the configuration, object type and diagram type.

How can I access attachments of entries in the profile?

If a profile lists objects that have maintained a file or URL in the attribute “Attachment (URL)”, they can be accessed directly.

The sorted order of maintained files and/or URLs is alphabetical. If an object is not maintained in your active content language, it will be moved back in the list and labeled as [no Content]. If a diagram lists an object with restricted access or if an object differs from a specific stage, it will appear at the end of the list.

Navigate to the profile of a diagram or object. If the chip of an entry contains a paperclip, an attachment is maintained. Clicking on the paperclip opens the attachment directly or instead a selection menu if several attachments are available.

Attributes

How do I display attributes in diagrams?

In the checked-out diagram, you can view diagram or symbol attributes in the sidebar on the right. Note the administration settings in BIC Process Design for the attribute bar in the different stages.

Click on a symbol or diagram and click the Details button in the menu bar.

The attribute bar appears on the right-hand side, displaying the diagram type above and the attributes of the currently selected diagram below it.

If you have selected a symbol before or after clicking the Details button, the right side bar shows the attributes of the corresponding object. Objects that are “catalog suggestions” or an approved “catalog item”, have this additional information in the attribute bar next to the object type.

Optionally, you can right-click on a symbol and select the entry Show attributes of the appearing context menu to display the attributes of the corresponding object. If you right-click on a free space, you can open the attributes of the diagram.

In the attribute bar, all attributes of the diagram or of the selected object are displayed. You can edit the attributes or set a new value if an attribute has not been maintained yet. But you should note the behavior when you change a catalog object. By default, further attribute groups, such as Governance, are hidden in the attribute bar. By clicking on the respective heading, you can display those attributes.

Furthermore, you can display the occurrences of a symbol in the opened attribute bar.

How do I create a link to another diagram?

You can place links to other diagrams to create subprocesses of diagrams. These subprocesses allow you to map diagram hierarchies.

Create an activity in a diagram and open the attributes of this activity. Then, in the attributes, click the Subprocess attribute. Afterwards insert the name of the diagram you want to save. You will receive a suggestion list of diagrams containing the entered term in the name.

Select the diagram from the suggestion list. The subprocess is saved and is made visible in the diagram by the attribute symbol showing up below the activity.

Note

Variants and allocation models can be linked in the same way. Only existing diagrams can be linked as they are added via the suggestion list.

Tip

If you also maintain the process type of the activity as Call activity, a subcase in BIC Process Execution will be started for the subprocess.

How can I connect users to diagrams and objects?

The attributes of diagrams and objects can be used to connect to users and user groups. This is possible using the governance attributes author, reviewer, responsible, scope, and restricted access for various functions.

Navigate to the appropriate attribute in the attribute bar in the catalog or diagram. Then enter a term and you will get a suggestion list of all users or user groups that contain this term in their name. You can select a suggested user or user group by clicking on it. The corresponding person or organizational unit from the catalog will then be entered in the respecting attribute. Finally, save your changes.

Tip

You can also search for the user’s e-mail address. If a user is selected from the list and is not linked to a catalog object of the type “person”, a new catalog item will be generated with the name and the e-mail of the given user. If more than one person exists with the e-mail address you are looking for, the catalog item found first will be taken by selection of the user.

How can I maintain governance attributes?

You can maintain governance attributes for diagrams and some catalog items. To do this, check out the affected diagram or navigate to the corresponding catalog item and open the attributes. In the Governance attribute group, you can use a suggestion list to select users and user groups. The corresponding catalog object person or organizational unit will be set for the attribute, when the user or user group has been selected from the suggestion list. When you save the catalog item or additionally check in the diagram, your changes are taken over. The different governance attributes and their functions are presented below.

Author: Users of the role Author only have the permission to edit diagrams if they are entered as author in the diagram attributes. This is possible for both users and user groups. In addition, you can enter authors in governance attributes of catalog items. Then not only creating and editing suggested catalog items is allowed, but registered authors can also edit accepted master data. An author of a published diagram or catalog item is (by default) informed via e-mail about a resubmission.

Examiner: Users who are registered in the attribute Examiner execute the release step of a publication and will be notified of the pending release step. The examiner role can be assigned to individual users as well as user groups per diagram and per catalog item. Per entry, that means per person and per organizational unit, one approval is required in the examine step to initiate the next workflow step. The first three examiners of a published diagram or catalog item are (by default) informed via e-mail about a resubmission.

Responsible: A maximum of one user or user group can be entered in the Responsible attribute. This entry is required if a catalog item is to be published individually or the diagram is to be published. The responsible user or user group is finally notified at the release step of the publication and can confirm it. Moreover, they receive a notification and a resubmission task before the validity period of a diagram or catalog object is reached. The attribute responsible (resubmission) can be used instead. In this case, the responsible will receive the information mail about the scheduled resubmission.

Responsible (resubmission): The Responsible (resubmission) attribute is available for diagrams and catalog items. Either an individual user or a user group can be entered here. The responsible persons then receive the notification and a resubmission task before the validity period of a diagram or catalog item is reached. If this attribute is empty, the Responsible receives the corresponding task and notification.

Tip

You can also search for the user’s e-mail address. If a user or user group is selected from the list and is not linked to a catalog object of the type “Person” or “Organizational unit”, a new catalog item will be generated. This will have the name and e-mail of the corresponding user or the name of the user group as name and identifier.

Special retention period (in years): This attribute enables you to define an individual retention period for the archive entries of the concerning diagram or catalog item. The retention period determines for how long an entry is saved in the archive. A general setting can be made in the administration. In case the period of archive entries in publication stage should differ for your diagram or catalog item, you can set the desired value here. Maintaining an integer greater than zero leads to an archiving of new entries for the corresponding number of years whereas negative values will be ignored (i.e. the time set in the administration is applied). If no archive entries should be created for this object (in publication stage), simply enter the number zero.

Hint

Please note that the attribute Special retention period is deactivated by default. If it should appear in the governance attributes, it can be activated in the method. However, the special retention period is only applied to a diagram or catalog item if the general archiving has been activated for the corresponding type in the administration.

How do I attach files to objects?

Modelers have the option to upload their own files (up to max. 64 MB) and link them to an object in a diagram. The file can optionally depend on the users’ language settings.

Navigate to the attributes of the object to which you want to attach a file. In the Attachment (URL) attribute, you can select a file from your folders by clicking on Upload file. BIC Process Design supports the following file formats:

• .ods, .xls, .xlsb, .xlsx, .xltm

• .pdf

• .potm, .potx, .pps, .ppsm, .ppsx, .ppt, .pptx

• .doc, .docm, .docx, .dot, .potm, .dotx, .odt

After you selected, a dialog window opens where you can rename your file. Via the checkbox Upload for all languages you have to decide if the attachment is intended for all languages (select checkbox) or only for your current content language (unselect checkbox).

Click on Upload file to confirm your input and to attach the file to the object as a chip with the name of your input.

In case you uploaded an attachment only for your current language, you can change your content language and add an attachment for other languages as explained before. A clear administration of language dependent attachments is also recommended in translation mode.

The uploaded file can be downloaded by other users by clicking on the attribute entry whereas the linked file is depending on the users’ content language. Another option for downloading these files is by providing a link for other users. Further options for downloading these files are also provided in the Profile and in the Matrix view, for example for inputs and outputs. Note that documents are stamped in the process of publication.

Optionally you can also insert your file into the attribute field Attachment (URL) of an object by using the drag & drop function and name it.

If you want to remove the attachment, click in the input field of the attribute, use the arrow keys to navigate to the chip (until it is highlighted) and press the backspace key on your keyboard to delete it.

Tip

URLs like links to documents on network drives can also be added as attachments.

Note

“/” characters cannot be included in the file name and are automatically removed when uploading. Moreover, the same URL cannot be added twice.

How can I maintain language dependent attachments?

If you upload a file, you have the choice to link this file for your current content language or for all content languages which are selected in the administration. The translation mode offers a clear overview of the attribute Attachment compared in all content languages.

You can enter the translation mode by clicking the option Diagram translation in the menu bar.

By a click on Upload file in the column of an arbitrary language, you can select and open a file as usual.

Via the checkbox Upload for all languages you can decide whether you want to link the file for all or only the selected language.

The function Edit enables you to change or rename the attachment also in translation mode.

Note

If you import a diagram containing an attachment that is not linked to languages, the attachment is maintained in every content language. Therefore no data will be lost. In case you would like to link the attachment to only one content language, you can adapt this attribute afterwards, for example using the translation mode.

How can I rename attachments (URLs)?

If the attribute “Attachment (URL)” is maintained, you can rename the corresponding attached file or URL language-independently. Navigate to the attachment, represented by a chip, in the attributes of the desired object. At the right edge of the chip you can select the option Edit, represented by a pen symbol.

This will open the dialog Edit title. In the field Attachment (URL) the URL, or the BIC Process Design-internal file path, is displayed but cannot be edited. In the Title input field, you can rename the attachment. Click on Save to take over the new title and display it in the chip.

If you do not want to save your changes, click Cancel.

Which functions are available for the attribute description?

Each symbol and diagram has a description attribute. When you edit the description attribute for an object, some object types show a description icon by default.

Click on the description attribute of a symbol (e.g. an activity). Various formatting options are available for the description attribute. These are:

• Bold

• Italic

• Underline

• Strikethrough

• Table

• Numbered list

• Bulleted list

• Add links

• Remove format

Set the formatting according to your requirements and finish the editing by clicking in the diagram.

Add a link:

You have the possibility to link documents or URLs within the description field. To create a link, click on the link symbol.

A dialog opens where you can enter the link and optionally a title, i.e. a text which is displayed.

You can also mark a piece of text in the description field and click on the link symbol to fill the title automatically and attach the link to the existing text. In the dialog, you have two further options. First, you can choose whether the link is opened in a new tab (activate checkbox) or in the current tab when it is selected. If you select the second option, the default protocol http:// is used for your URL. Deselect the checkbox in case you use another protocol, like mailto://. Both options are initially activated. When the configuration is implemented according to your wishes, select the button Insert Link. Your configuration will be saved and the dialog closes. To discard the data instead, close the dialog via the cross button in the upper right corner.

The title of the link is displayed in blue color afterwards. If you select it once, a pop-up will show the link and two buttons. Selecting the right one removes the link (the displayed text remains). The left button can be used to re-open the configuration dialog for further editing.

Table:

In order to insert a table, click the table icon to open a selection field. You can define the size of the table by hovering over the grid and confirming the desired columns x rows numbers by a click. The table is pasted into the description field. If you mark the table, you can move it to a desired place using drag & drop. To adapt the formatting of text inside the table, simply use the functions mentioned above. If you place the cursor in a cell, further functions are displayed to insert new rows and columns. You can also delete the current row/column. The bin icon enables you to remove the whole table. The table is removed instantly after selecting this function and there is no further confirmation necessary. Therefore, be sure about the deletion before selecting the function!

Note

Please note that if you use a description attribute that contains an HTML table and place it on the modeling canvas, the table borders will not be visible. In addition, when copying a table from PowerPoint, it may appear twice, once without formatting and once with formatting.

The maintained description attribute is indicated by an i under the symbol. Descriptions of your process steps and other symbols are displayed in a tooltip as soon as you move your mouse over the highlighted information icon of the object.

If you view descriptions of checked-in diagrams that contain more than 3 lines, they are displayed collapsed by default. You can see the entire description by clicking on Show more and minimize it by choosing Show less.

Note

For some object types the icon for maintained description attributes is not visible by default. It is possible to change this in the formatting options for a selected symbol.

Hint

The table formatting is not fully supported in exports. If you use a table in a description attribute, the content is still copied to the document as a table and appears in the defined formatting. But the table is displayed without a frame and border lines of the rows and columns.

How can I generate a description from AI?

Starting from version 7.13, the feature to generate an AI-generated description is available. For this, you need to be in the local workspace and check out the respective diagram.

To use this feature, the diagram or entity in question must have a name and not contain a description. Subsequently, the button for generating an AI-generated description will be activated.

After clicking the button, you will receive a complete description of the diagram or entity within seconds, which you can adjust as needed at any time. Afterwards, the button deactivates and can be used again in case of an empty description.

What is a mandatory attribute and how can I detect it?

In the attribute tab, an asterisk marks a mandatory attribute. This applies both to the attribute tab in the diagram view and to the object details in the catalog. Entering such an attribute is mandatory to publish the diagram resp. catalog object. If these are not maintained, you will get a corresponding message in the application when initiating the release workflow. If you create or edit an entity, you do not have to maintain the mandatory attributes yet. Attributes can be defined as mandatory in the method.

For example, the attribute “Responsible” always is a mandatory attribute.

Note

The following exceptions will be applied to mandatory attributes that are multi-valued or language localized when the release workflow is initiated. The workflow engine checks if at least one value has been maintained for all mandatory multi-value attributes. There is no further check about the amount of values. The check for language localized attributes is successful if a value has been maintained for at least the default language of the tenant. If this attribute value has not been set, the initiator of the release workflow receives a notification about the missing translation in the diagram resp. catalog object.

What are occurrence attributes?

If you have multiple copies of an object, typically, the value of an attribute (for example, the name of the object) is the same for each of these copies. In contrast, the values of occurrence attributes can be set independently for each copy. If an object is copied, initially each attribute value is identical to the original value. These can, however, be subsequently modified without the other copies / the original being altered.

BIC Process Design uses a small symbol to indicate whether it is an occurrence attribute (see figure below).

• Occurrence attributes are defined in the method and cannot be defined in the application itself.

• If the occurrence attribute has to be of identical type in all variants of the object, then it must be maintained individually for each object.

• The contents and the identifiers of the occurrence attributes are not included in the catalog.

How can I set the access restriction for objects?

You can use the Restricted access attribute to limit an object for specific users. To do this, you must edit the attributes of the object in the diagram or in the catalog. This has an effect if the object exists in the catalog. Only members of the selected user group, registered users and governance participants can see the object in the catalog or reuse it via the suggestion list. The restrictions apply regardless of the user role, so administrators can also be excluded. If the object attribute Restricted access is empty, there is no access restriction.

Warning

Reuses of the catalog items with access restriction are still visible in diagrams. This applies to the entire entry with all attributes, like attachments. Moreover, this data is for example also part of a diagram version in the archive.

What are system attributes?

System attributes give the user information about the creator, the person who last edited the diagram and the associated timestamps of the diagram. These attributes are generated by the system and users can only read them.

You can view the systems attributes while modeling a diagram as follows. Open the Details by clicking on the button in the menu bar. If you scroll down the tab, you can see the associated information by clicking on the heading System attributes.

Here you can find help to view the system attributes outside the edit mode.

Note

As a user with at least Reviewer rights, you will find the number of diagram visits in the system attributes when viewing the diagram in publication.

Note

When the diagram is published by the workflow engine, the system attribute “Last Modified By” of the diagram is set to “Workflow” in all stages.

BPMN Collaboration

This chapter explains the modeling of a BPMN collaboration diagram.

How do I work with pools and lanes?

In contrast to other objects, lanes are not dragged from the symbol palette into the editor, but can be generated via a pool. This prevents lanes from being loosely modeled (i.e., outside of pools), which is not allowed according to the BPMN standard of OMG.

Create a pool:

Open your BPMN diagram and check it out. Afterwards, use drag & drop or stamp mode to model a pool from the symbol palette.

A selection menu for the pool opens. In this case, you may decide whether the pool will represent a Role or an Application. Please note that this decision cannot be changed afterwards.

Create a lane:

Select the pool located in the editor (a further subdivision of lanes can be made accordingly). There are some icons at the top right-hand side of the object.

If you click on the two horizontal strokes, two lanes are generated in the object.

Select a lane with a left-click. If you click on the arrow pointing upwards or downwards on a horizontal line, you can insert additional lanes above or below.

To change the position of the selected lane, click on the up or down arrow. The lane is moved up or down.

Note

A pool which is containing lanes can be selected by clicking on the blue header.

How do I change watermarks of pools and lanes?

Watermarks are visible by default in the background of pools and lanes. These watermarks are repeatedly shown from a certain width of the symbol and automatically display the name of the pool or lane in the selected content language. You can adjust the watermark yourself as follows.

Navigate to the format settings via the symbol palette by selecting the third entry in the symbols menu.

Select the pool or lane including the watermark you want to edit. Click the menu button Form and open the entry Watermark. There you can remove the watermark by deselecting the checkbox Visible or you can rename the watermark and adjust it to your needs. Customization options include font size and color, as well as the location of the watermark within the pool or lane.

Note

If you rename the watermark itself in the symbol palette in the Text field, it will no longer initially display the name of the object. To have the name of the object automatically adopted again, you only have to remove your input in the symbol palette under Text or leave the input field empty.

How can I model inside and between pools?

As soon as you want to connect two pools, the connection type Message Flow is selected automatically. This applies also for connections between activities and connections between activities and events, which lie in different pools.

If those objects are connected within a pool the connection type Sequence is automatically selected.

In addition, connections can be modeled using the mini symbol palette. When creating a new object from the mini symbol palette of an existing object that is in the pool, the following is considered: If the new object is placed outside the pool and not in another pool, the pool is automatically enlarged. Thus, the pool contains the new object, which is connected to the other object via the type Sequence. If the new object is stored within another pool, no connection is initially created. This can subsequently be modeled again as a Message Flow via the connection symbol.

Please note that the connection type does not change by moving an object from another pool into the pool of the connected entity. This may cause validation errors.

What kind of task types exist in a BPMN diagram?

You have the possibility to change the activity type of an activity in your BPMN diagram. This provides two advantages. Firstly, the selected activity type will be displayed with an icon, which makes your diagram more readable. Secondly, BIC Process Execution allows you to provide templates for the specific types that can reduce the workload of your users.

If you want to change the task type of an activity you need to select the corresponding activity first. After that go to its attributes.

In the group Typing you can change the attribute Task type. To do that change the type as desired using a selection menu. It opens by a click on the marked arrow. The changes are also noticeable at the object itself through different icons that show up.

You can choose from the following options. But be aware that some template editors only work in combination with BIC Process Execution. Therefore your process must be marked as executable as well.

• None: This is the default type for an activity. It does not allow the creation of any additional templates.

• Send: This task type defines that an user has to send a message. BIC Process Execution allows the creation of an e-mail template and the automatic sending of emails. It is symbolized by a filled envelope.

• Receive: This task type expects that your user will receive a message. It is symbolized by an envelope.

• User: A user task is a task which will be executed by one of your users (if necessary with software support). BIC Process Execution allows the possibility to define own user forms, where a user can input or calculate values and get output values.

• Manual: The task type manual is characterized by the fact that it must be performed manually by a user. Therefore, it has no form of integration with BIC Process Execution. It is symbolized by a hand.

• Business Rule: A business rule allows you to define certain rules and conditions to calculate an output value or to set a variable to a certain value. This chapter gives you more details about how to use the DMN editor. This type is symbolized by a table.

• Service: You can use a service task to use REST Calls in your process. This means you can integrate other software components or web services with BIC Process Execution. The symbol of this type is a gear.

• Script: With the help of a script task you can include your own scripts so this process step can run automatically. It is symbolized by a computer chip.

Tip

Further information about the usage of the different task types can be found in the user documentation of BIC Process Execution.

Note

In addition to the Task type, you also have the option of further typing your activities using the attribute selection fields Process type and Multiple Instance Type. With the Process type for example you can define a call activity.

How can I model a dynamic due date for my activities?

You can model your activities with a dynamic due date. This attribute defines when the corresponding task should be completed (with respect to the case start).

To do that, go into the details of the activity and there go into the attribute group automation. Here you can find the attribute Process time in days. You can use the due date in BIC Process Execution.

Here you can enter how many days after the start of the task, it is due. BIC Process Execution calculates the correct due date automatically.

Note

You can only input full days. If you do not give any input in the field, the activity will have no due date.

How do I change the event type in a BPMN diagram?

Select the event whose event type you want to change by a right click. Display the attributes.

In the Event type attribute field, you can change the type as desired using a selection menu. To do this, click on the marked arrow. The changes are also noticeable at the object itself through different icons that show up. There are different event types available for the start, intermediate and end event, according to the OMG standard.

How do I attach an Intermediate Event to an Activity?

In BPMN diagrams you have the possibility to attach an intermediate event to an activity:

First, you need an activity. Then, drag & drop the intermediate event that you want to attach over the edge of the activity. The appearing orange edge means that you can attach the event to the activity. One half of the intermediate event is always placed inside the activity.

If you want to remove the intermediate event from the activity, simply drag & drop it back into the editor.

Note

When you move or change the size of the activity, the intermediate events remains attached to it.

DMN Editor

The DMN Editor gives you the option to add business rules to your diagram. Based on these rules, business processes can determine what action should be taken in different decision making situations.

Note

Decision tables can be created for objects of the type decision or for activities.

Where do I find the DMN Editor?

In the relevant diagram, navigate to the decision or activity for which you want to set rules. The object must have the task type Business Rule. You can find the Task type in the attribute group Typing within the attributes of the corresponding object.

To run the DMN editor open the context menu of the corresponding object with a right click on its symbol. Select the entry “Open DMN editor”.

Alternatively, you can open the editor by selecting the activity and choosing Editor in the Details menu. There you will find the button Open Editor. Select it and the DMN editor will be opened.

The DMN editor opens in the form of a table. Here you can set and edit rules, input and output values. Alternatively, you can import whole decision tables. To get back to your diagram choose the option Save in the top right corner if you want to save your changes. If you do not want to save your changes select Cancel.

How is the DMN editor structured?

The available functions of the DMN editor are arranged within a table. The table can be divided into the following sections:

1. Hit Policy: Here you can see the selected hit policy.

2. Input/Output: The column Input includes all possible input values, which should be considered by the user. Analogously, the Output column returns the respective output values of the defined rules.

3. Rules: In this section you will find all decision rules based on which the respective decisions are later evaluated.

Figure: The DMN editor can be divided in the sections hit policy (1), input/output (2) and rules (3).

How can I change the selected hit policy?

With the help of the hit policy you can determine how your decision rules will be executed. You can change the policy with the following steps:

Navigate to the respecting business rule and open the DMN editor. Then, click on the field which displays the actual hit policy.

A list opens, that contains all available policies. Here you can select the desired hit policy.

Which hit policies exist and how can I use them?

With the DMN-Editor you can create rules that may overlap. Below you can see an example of that. Hit policies are used to determine which output shall be returned.

A distinction is made between hit policies that return only one value and those who can return multiple values.

If you want only one output out of your decision table, you can use the following hit policies.

• UNIQUE: The rules are not allowed to overlap. Only a single rule can be matched and return its output.

• ANY: Rules may overlap, but if they do they have the same output. Any match can be returned. If the outputs are not the same there will be an error while using the decision table.

• PRIORITY: This hit policy is currently not supported.

• FIRST: Rules may overlap. If they do, the first rule who matches returns its output. That means that the order of the rules in the DMN-Editor is important.

If you want to get more than one output, you can use the following hit policies.

• OUTPUT ORDER: This hit policy is currently not supported.

• RULE ORDER: All outputs of matched rules will be returned, in order of the rules in the DMN-Editor. That means that the order in the DMN-Editor is important.

• COLLECT: All outputs of matched rules will be returned in an arbitrary order. Optionally, you can add an operator to manipulate your result:

• no aggregation: All values will be returned.

• sum: The sum of all numeric outputs will be returned.

• min: The smallest value of all numeric outputs will be returned.

• max: The biggest value of all numeric outputs will be returned.

• count: The number of rules matched will be returned.

How do I add input and output values to my decision table?

If you want to use additional input or output values for your decision rules you can add them to your decision table by executing the following steps:

Open the DMN editor of the respecting activity.

Click on the plus button next to Input or Output, within the section “Input/Output” to add a new input or output value to your table. The new input/output value then appears in the corresponding column.

How can I edit the input values?

Within the decision table, the properties of your input values can be edited comprehensively for all decision rules. To change these properties open the DMN editor of the desired object and then click on the input value in the “Input/Output” section. A dialog box opens in which you can adjust the selected input value.

You can edit the following properties:

• Label: Here you can specify the name under which the respective input value is displayed in the attributes of the object. If you do not specify a label, it gets automatically generated (e.g. Input1).

• Input variable: As soon as you evaluate input values they are stored in variables. These should have a unique identification for further processing by the DMN engine. The identification is defined within the property Input variable. Be aware that for the value of the Input variable only a combination of the following characters is allowed: lower- and uppercase letters, underscores and numbers. Numbers are only allowed as subsequent characters. If no value has been set it is automatically generated by the DMN editor. This generated value is based on the given value set in the property Input label. You also can use pre defined process variables here.

• Expression: This property allows you to define expressions for each input value. As a result, the input values of the decision rules can be additionally specified and changed.

• Data type: With the drop-down menu you can specify the data type for the respective input value. You can choose from the following data types: string, boolean, integer, long, double and date.

• Predefined values: You have the following options for input values of type String: Enter strings in the Define new value field and add them to the list of predefined values using the plus icon. Existing list entries can be deleted via the corresponding trashcan icon. Finally, this list serves as a suggestion list for possible input values for the evaluation of the decision. The predefined values can therefore reflect the cells entered in the section “Rules” for the respective input. Be aware that this list is only a suggestion list. Users can still enter different input.

After you have completed your changes, you can save them by clicking the CLOSE button.

Note

You can use the variables defined here in other activities, e.g. as a process variables in BIC Process Execution.

How can I edit the output values?

Within the decision table, the properties of your output values can be edited comprehensively for all decision rules. To change these properties open the DMN editor of the desired object and then click on the output value in the “Input/Output” section. A dialog box opens in which you can adjust the selected output value.

You can edit the following properties:

• Label: Here you can specify the name under which the respective output value is displayed in the attributes of the object after the evaluation of the input values.

• Output variable: As soon as you evaluate the decision rules, the output values are stored in variables. These should have a unique identification for further processing by the DMN engine.

• Data type: With the drop-down menu you can specify the data type for the respective output value. You have the option to choose between the following data types: String, Boolean, Integer, Long, Double und Date.

After you have completed your changes, you can save them by clicking on the SAVE button. Click on the button CANCEL to discard your changes.

Note

Possible functions of the property Output Values are currently not supported.

How do I delete input and output values from my decision table?

To remove an input or output value, execute the following steps:

Open the DMN editor of the respective activity. Choose the Option Delete column in the column you want to delete. This option is displayed with a trashcan-icon.

Note

Note that there must always be at least one input or output value for each decision table. If, for example, there is only one input value, it cannot be removed from the table.

How do I administrate my decision rules?

Within the section “Rules” of the DMN editor you will find all decision rules for this decision. Every row represents a rule. It is defined by the specified input and output values. You can change these values with a click on the cell, that contains the value you want to change.

You can use the following functions to administrate the the decision rules:

Add row

Through a click on the plus symbol under the last row you can add a new rule to your table.

Duplicate row

For easier handling, you can also duplicate entire rows. To do so, click on the number of the rule you want to duplicate, then select the option Duplicate from the context menu.

After that, a new rule will be created under the selected row. The new rule has the same values as the selected one.

Delete row

To delete a rule, click on the number of the respecting row and select the option Delete in the context menu. The line then disappears from the table.

Note

The semantics of the defined values are based on the DMN standard FEEL (“Friendly Enough Expression Language”).

Where can I use the decision tables?

To use a decision table, navigate to the details of the respecting object and click on the Decision button.

Here you can specify the specific input values. If predefined values have been maintained previously, a suggestion list appears when clicking on the respective input field. Click on Evaluate to start the evaluation. The results will be displayed below the input values.

Note

When entering the values within a text field, pay attention to the capitalization!

How can I import/export decision tables?

Using the DMN editor, you can import existing DMN tables or export DMN tables from BIC Process Design. Both options are explained below. Open the DMN editor of the activity

Choose the option Import or Export.

Import

If you select the Import option, a dialog box opens in which you can select the desired file. By clicking on Open the file will be imported afterwards.

Note

Note that the file, which should be imported, must be a .dmn file.

Export

Select the option Export. Your table will be exported as a .dmn file ans automatically downloaded.

Validation

How can I validate my modeling?

You can determine whether your modeling is valid for the settings selected by the administrator. To do this, open the Validation tab from the menu bar.

You can see a list of unapproved or not published catalog items regarding this diagram or entities for which check-in is prohibited in the right sidebar. If OCL rule violations or invalid sequence flows are existing in the diagram, the corresponding list is displayed here, too. In addition, catalog items will be displayed if their Valid to date is reached. In the diagram, when clicking on a list entry, the associated symbols are highlighted in color. Furthermore, you can collapse the lists by clicking on the list header, which also shows the number of entries. At the top right you can Close the validation bar.

How do I handle not allowed catalog suggestions?

As long as some inadmissibility is displayed in the validation list Not allowed catalog suggestions, you will be not able to check in the diagram. The affected symbols that are additionally marked red in the validation should therefore be linked to an existing catalog items via the suggestion list. If no suitable catalog item exists, you can remove the symbol from the diagram. On the other hand, users can create a suitable new catalog item with the rights of an editor. As soon as no more inadmissibility exists after saving, check-in is possible.

Note

Users who have the appropriate permissions can still create objects in the catalog for reuse in diagrams.

How do I deal with unapproved catalog suggestions?

In the validation you can see the list Used catalog suggestions. Entities in the opened diagram are listed here if they are not yet accepted in the catalog. This applies to newly created, existing symbols or symbols that are linked to catalog items via attributes. When the validation bar is open, modeled entities are listed in yellow and marked in the editor by clicking on the entry. Entities, that are accepted in the catalog but are linked to unaccepted entities in the attributes, are also marked. It is indicated by the addition Object attribute in the list entry. If this behavior also occurs in the diagram attributes, the listed entity is labeled with Diagram attribute.

Check-in is not restricted by this feature. However, before publishing the diagram, the catalog suggestions listed here should be approved in the catalog.

How do I deal with unpublished catalog suggestions?

In the validation, you can see the list of Not published catalog items. Entities of the selected diagram are listed here if they have their own responsible person (lifecycle) but have not been published yet.

This applies to newly created, existing symbols or symbols that are linked to catalog items via attributes. When the validation bar is open, modeled entities are listed in yellow.

The diagram can only be published in BIC Process Design once all contained catalog items with their own life cycle have already been published or their publication has been initiated. Users with author rights can publish the catalog items in the catalog. If the catalog items are in the preview stage but not confirmed by the person responsible, the diagram will be published containing a draft version of that catalog item. After confirmation the draft version is automatically replaced by the final version.

How are OCL rule violations displayed?

The OCL (Object Constraint Language) is supported on the method side and is also used for validating the model. This allows you to set various modeling restrictions that help users to design valid diagrams. Rules defined with OCL for modeling are checked during modeling and/ or afterwards (during check-in). Rule violations are displayed in the validation mode and can be defined in the method with appropriate notes for the modeler. Both connected and unconnected modeling objects can be validated. By clicking on the list entry in the validation, the corresponding object is marked in the diagram.

This is for example used in BPMN Collaboration diagrams to prevent invalid message flows. In this case, a message flow was modeled between two objects that are placed in the same pool. This is not permitted here by the method and is displayed as follows in the validation.

Moreover, OCL rules concerning diagram attributes, so called semantic checks, can be defined in the method. Depending on the setting, the check is done when the diagram is modeled or when it is checked-in. For example, semantic checks can be useful to ensure that modellers always maintain a specific diagram attribute or set a meaningful validity period. If you model a diagram and a semantic check fails for a diagram attribute, you will be informed about it in the validation hub. The hint is - depending on the concerning method setting - either a warning (yellow), an error (red) or a blocker. If a modeled diagram violates a blocker, the check-in is not possible. You need to correct the modeling to be able to transfer the diagram from your local storage to the public workspace via the check-in.

Hint

Please be aware that users who utilize customized OCL rules do not receive the diagram attribute checks automatically. They need to integrate these manually into their customized method.

In the method of the following example, a rule has been defined which states that the attribute scope (AT_SCOPE) of a BPMN diagram has to be maintained. In case of a violation, a customized message will be shown. A violation of this rule is estimated as an error. Thus, the following error hint is displayed to the modeller of the diagram “Onboarding” because the scope attribute is empty.

OCL rules can be adjusted in customizing.

How is an invalid sequence flow displayed?

In the validation of BPMN diagrams, objects with invalid sequence flows are listed under the heading Sequence flow, if these exist in your modeling. In the following cases you will receive a corresponding note in the validation bar:

• Intermediate events have no incoming and/or outgoing sequence flow

• Activities have no incoming and/or outgoing sequence flow

• Start events have no or more outgoing sequences

• End events have no or several incoming sequences

• Gateways have several incoming and outgoing sequence flows simultaneously

• Gateways have exactly one incoming and one outgoing sequence flow

As an example, the message for an end event without an incoming sequence is displayed here.

Allocation diagrams

Allocation diagrams allow you to add subgraphs to the main graph of your diagram. By using these allocation diagrams you can model subdiagrams in a manner, so that your main diagram is not overloaded with details.

Note

Allocation diagrams can only be created for activities because the resources used in this activity are represented in this diagram type. A diagram can contain multiple allocation diagrams, depending on the number of existing activities.

How can I create a new allocation diagram?

Open the context menu of the corresponding activity by right-clicking on the symbol. Select the option Create allocation diagram.

You will get to the editor of the allocation diagram where you will find the symbol of the respecting activity. Within this editor you can now model as usual.

If you want to return to your main diagram click on the Close button on the upper right corner of your editor. When changes have been made you must save first before you can use the Close function. You will then see the main diagram at the same position with the same zoom settings as before and the corresponding activity is selected.

Note

Only one allocation diagram can be created per activity, as this ensures a clear assignment.

How can I edit an allocation diagram?

To open an allocation diagram for editing you have two possibilities:

1. Check-out the diagram in which the associated allocation diagram is located. Open the context menu of the corresponding activity by right-clicking on the symbol. Select the option Open allocation diagram.

2. If the diagram in which the associated allocation diagram is located is checked-out, the explorer shows all associated allocation diagrams subordinated to the respecting diagram.

To apply the changes, click on the Save button on the upper right corner of your editor after editing your allocation diagram.

Note

Symbols created in the allocation diagram are only displayed there. Changes you make to the activity for which the allocation diagram was created are visible in the main graph and also in the corresponding allocation diagram. It does not matter if the changes have been made in the main diagram or the allocation diagram itself, or if there is a catalog item for this activity. Note that it is not possible to edit an activity with an allocation diagram using the suggestion list.

How can an allocation diagram be deleted?

To delete an allocation diagram execute the following steps:

Navigate to the diagram in which the the associated allocation diagram is located. Then, open the context menu of the corresponding activity by right-clicking on the symbol. Select the option Delete allocation diagram.

The allocation diagram has been removed and is no longer displayed in the explorer under the corresponding diagram.

What are external function allocation diagrams (FAD) and how can I use them?

External function allocation diagrams are analogous to allocation diagrams diagrams, which you can allocate to activities in order to describe a subordinated part of your diagram more precisely. Unlike the allocation diagrams, external FADs are not created via the context menu of an activity. An external FAD is an already existing diagram which is assigned to an activity in another diagram using the Allocation model attribute.

Analogous to the subprocess, simply link a diagram to an activity within its attribute Allocation model in order to assign the diagram to the activity as an external FAD.

The external FAD continues to exist as an independent diagram, which can also be seen from the arrangement in the repository.

However, analogous to the allocation diagram, all relevant objects of the external FAD are also listed in the reports of the diagram that contains the relevant activity with the assigned FAD. In addition, by simply clicking on the external FAD in the activity’s attributes, you are automatically directed to the relevant diagram.

Note

Only one FAD can be created per activity, as this ensures a clear assignment.

Multilingualism

How can I model multilingually?

You can model diagrams in BIC Process Design in several content languages being supported by the alternative language. Translations of the content can be maintained within the diagram view or the diagram translation mode. In general, translations of existing objects that have already been accepted in the catalog should not be edited in the diagram view. If you maintain those changes directly in the diagram, new catalog items are created. The alternative way is to use the Diagram translation mode. Alternatively, you can use the Catalog translation mode of the old user interface.

Tip

For a clear view, which gives you a conclusion about which values have been maintained for which language, use the concerning translation mode. The chapters explaining these tools are linked above.

For direct changes within the diagram view select the content language you want to maintain the translation for. As alternative language, set the one for which the attributes have already been maintained.

Open your diagram in the designer. Now you can edit the corresponding attributes.

While editing, you can only see values of attributes that have been maintained for the selected content language. Therefore you can directly see if an attribute has not been translated yet.

If you set a value for a language and the viewer sets this language as his alternative language, he will see this value in case the concerning attribute has not been maintained in his content language. This is marked by the abbreviation of the alternative language in brackets after the value.

Note

If you change an attribute which has only been maintained in the alternative language, this change only applies to the content language. If you only use one language, the content language equals the alternative language. Note, that some attributes are independent of the content and alternative language such as the e-mail address.

How do I translate a diagram?

When modeling diagrams, modelers can directly maintain the corresponding translation for the content languages selected in the administration. The navigation to the catalog is not necessary.

Check out the diagram, save it if necessary and click on Diagram translation in the menu bar. All elements of the diagram that have at least one maintained text attribute are listed here. In addition to the diagram itself, all modeled symbols can therefore be included. Several versions of the same catalog item are therefore listed several times. The diagram is always the first list entry. Below, the objects are grouped alphabetically according to their object types. The objects of each group are also sorted in alphabetical order depending on their object names in the current content language. If the name attribute is not maintained, you see the object type instead.

Click on a list entry to expand it and see all text attributes of this entry in the available content languages. The attribute type names are displayed in the UI language. You can now maintain your translations in the text fields.

Click on Save and leave to save your changes and return to the diagram view. Note the warning message on top of the list. As administrator and editor, your changes will be saved for all catalog items without creating new items, even if they are already accepted in the catalog. If you are an Author, your list will be filtered, so that the accepted catalog data used in the diagram is not listed and cannot be changed here.

If you do want to take over your changes, click on Diagram translation or go Back to process view and select Discard changes in the dialog.

Note

While translating a diagram, accessing the modeling options or opening the sidebar via the menu bar is not possible.

Navigation

How do I hide the sidebar in the designer?

In the menu bar, click the Hide sidebar button, to hide the sidebar on the left side of the designer.

To show the sidebar, click the same button again. It is now called Show sidebar.

How can I zoom in the designer?

You can apply the zoom to the for modeling opened diagram or to the entire website. This depends on where you place your mouse while zooming. The selection can be made by placing the mouse outside (area 1) or inside (area 2) the editor.

Now hold down the Ctrl key and scroll with the mouse wheel. Optionally, you can zoom the whole website by holding down the Ctrl key and pressing + to zoom in or - to zoom out.

How can I navigate the diagram while modeling?

In a checked-out diagram in edit mode, you can navigate by holding down the right mouse button or by scrolling and using the scrollbar.

Furthermore, there is a navigation bar at the right bottom of the editor, which offers the following possibilities:

Full screen: If you click the first button Enter fullscreen, both the application and the browser switch to full screen mode. The application hides the first menu bar. With a further click on the button you can exit fullscreen mode for the application and the browser and return to the original view. Note that the ESC key only exits the browser’s full screen mode. This overlays the ESC effect for other functions of the application, such as deactivating stamp mode. In addition, the application itself remains in full screen mode, if you exit full screen mode with ESC. That means the first menu bar remains hidden. It is therefore recommended to use the buttons provided for deselecting full screen mode and other functions.

Navigator: Click on the second entry to Show navigator. It gives you an overview of the diagram and thus allows you to navigate easily by moving the transparent rectangle with the mouse. The size of the rectangle can be changed by dragging and dropping the edges, which corresponds to zooming in the diagram. Click again on the button to hide the navigator.

Adjust content to window size: By clicking on the third button, the diagram will be zoomed and scrolled, so that you can see the whole diagram in the editor.

Scroll selection into view: A click on the fourth button scrolls the diagram to 0/0 position.

Zoom level: The fifth function allows you to set different zoom levels in percent. Preset levels appear when you click on the arrow. You can then select one of the zoom levels from the list. Furthermore, it is possible to set your own zoom level between 10% and 800%. To do this, click on the displayed number, enter a new percentage and confirm with the Enter key or click on the diagram.

How do I open a subprocess?

While modeling, you can jump directly from a diagram into a refined diagram which is maintained in the subprocess attribute.

If you have opened a diagram containing an activity with a subprocess diagram in the designer, you can click the highlighted diagram icon below the object. Alternatively, navigate to the attributes of the object and click on the diagram in Subprocess.

If you have also checked out the subprocess diagram, this diagram will be displayed in the designer. In case you have not checked out the diagram, the click opens the diagram in the public workspace of BIC Process Design. This happens in a new browser tab or if the application is running in another tab, you will be navigated to the diagram there.

In case there is more than one subprocess diagram available (i.e. one or more diagrams are maintained in the Variants attribute), an alphabetically sorted list of all subprocess diagrams is shown after selecting the diagram symbol. You can choose the diagram which you like to view.

Note

Subprocesses also display diagrams to which you have no access. If you navigate into these diagrams, you will get a corresponding message and can not see the content of the diagram.

How do I open a subprocess when multiple ones are maintained?

BIC Process Design offers the possibility to maintain multiple variants within the attributes. You can open them in the same way as you can open one subprocess. However, a simple click on the diagram icon under the object will give you an alphabetically sorted list of all the subprocesses. This gives you the opportunity to see at a glance which navigation options are available to you. The top entry reflects the subprocess field, followed by the variants. Select the required subprocess to follow the link as described above.

Note

If you have no access to a subprocess, the corresponding list entry is greyed out and you will not be able to select it.

Useful hints

In this section, you find some concluding tips that facilitate the modeling in BIC Process Design.

Which is the best position for the diagram?

Align your diagrams at the 0/0 position to ensure that they will be displayed optimally after checking-in.

How can I navigate the diagram more easily?

In addition to horizontal and vertical scrolling, you can move the diagram in the editor while pressing the right mouse button. In addition, the navigator in the editor is available.

How can I make a multi selection?

Select several elements at the same time, either by dragging with pressed mouse key over the area in which these elements are located or by holding the CTRL key and clicking on the corresponding symbols. Also note the possible shortcuts.

How can I deselect objects in a diagram?

If you have selected too many elements at the same time, you can remove individual objects from the selection by deselecting them. To do this, hold down the Shift key and click on the wrongly selected object.

How can I see the description of an object?

If you have maintained a description of an object, the corresponding attribute symbol “i” is highlighted on the object. Hold the mouse over this symbol. A tooltip with the description appears as a preview. Alternatively, you can also see the description of the object by clicking on the attribute symbol or by opening the attributes tab.

How can I deposit websites in the attachments?

In the attribute-tab, you can deposit websites in the attachments by typing in the URL and confirming with the “Return”-key.

How can I see the description of an object?

If you have maintained a description of an object, the corresponding attribute symbol “i” is highlighted on the object. Hold the mouse over this symbol. A tooltip with the description appears as a preview. Alternatively, you can also see the description of the object by clicking on the attribute symbol or by opening the attributes tab.

Should I always use the same browser for modeling?

After checking-out, your diagrams will be saved locally in the local storage of your browser. Therefore, you should always use the same browser.

What should I look for after modeling?

Please, save your diagrams regularly and check them in, to avoid data loss and to make them available for other users. A diagram is locked for other users, if you do not check it in. Note the information at the beginning of this chapter.