The Visual Modeler is a tool that is included in the Business Process Designer. It allows you to create and edit templates for business processes.

Starting Visual Modeler

To start Visual Modeler, use a button or a link titled Business processes in the context of a document for which you want to use a business process.

For example, use the following button with Common Lists:

The Visual Modeler Layout

The visual modeler has the following functional areas:

The Context Toolbar

The toolbar contains the template control commands:

• Template Parameters: opens the business process settings form to set the business process properties and run parameters;
• Templates: opens a list of all available business process templates;
• Create Template: opens a popup menu in which you can select the type of a new business process:
• State-Driven Business Process: creates a continuous business process whose flow depends on the completion status of each child processes;
• Sequential Business Process: creates a simple business process to set a document on a processing route.
• Export: saves the current business process template to a .bpt file;
• Import: loads a business process template from a .bpt file. The imported template replaces the current one.

The Template Constructor Area

The template constructor area is different for sequential and status-driven business process templates.

• The following layout is used with status-driven templates:
  

  Because a status-driven scheme is constituted by multiple sequential processes, an individual editor is used to modify each of the subprocesses of a status-driven template.

• For a sequential business process, the editor includes a selection of the business process activities:

  

  To add a required activity to the business process, simply drag it from the list to where you want to insert the new item:

  

  Alternatively, you can click the arrow to open a menu with the selection of activities. Once you have selected an activity from the menu, it will be inserted where you clicked:

  

  Click  to delete an activity. Click  to edit the activity parameters.

  If your template uses a lot of activities, use the collapse button to save space:

  

The Action Bar

The visual modeler action bar contains shortcuts to business process elements. You can drag’n’drop them to your business process template.

Document Processing Approve Document Submits the document, on which a given business process is running, for approval. Create New Document Creates a new document or other element in the context of a given business process. Delete Document Deletes a document on which a given business process is running. Lock Document Makes the business process’s document inaccessible by other processes.  Note: the lock is for processes, not users. Any user with sufficient permission can edit the locked document (element). Publish Document This action publishes the business process’s document so it becomes visible to the site users. Additional information Shows a form allowing a user to provide information required by the business process. Read the Document Issues a task to the users specified in the action properties to read the business process’s document. Tracks statistics on the share of those who actually read the document. Save history Creates a copy of the business process’s document in the state the latter is at the time of action execution. The copy name can be assigned automatically using the specified naming settings. Modify Document This action can be used to edit any parameter or contents of the document in unattended mode. Unlock Document Removes the exclusive access mark from the document. Revoke Document Removes the document from the site so it is no longer visible to the site users. Create new contact Adds a new CRM contact. Create new company Creates a new CRM company. Create new lead Creates a new CRM lead. Add CRM event Creates a new event in the CRM. Create new deal Creates a new deal in the CRM. Constructions Set State This action allows the status of a Business Process to be changes. Note that this is a valid action ONLY in state-driven Business Processes. Wait for event This action suspends the business process until an action occurs on the side of the selected user or system. Condition Changes the direction of the business process flow depending on the specified condition. Listening for parallel event Waits for one of the specified events to occur and then changes the direction of the business process flow depending on which event is fired. Parallel Execution Runs multiple variants of the business process flow simultaneously. While loop Makes the actions inside the loop to repeat until the loop condition changes. Interactive settings User notification Sends a notification to a user via the internal messenger. If the user is offline, the message will be sent by email. E-mail Message Sends the event notification to the e-mail address specified in the action parameter. Social Network Message Sends a notification to the specified social network user. Task Creates a new task. Calendar Places an event in a specified user’s personal calendar. Set State name This action lets you change the status of a document. Document statuses are visible in the general document list (library), so this function allows a convenient view of the document’s progress while the Business Process is running. Absence Chart Places an event in the Absence Chart. Other PHP Code Executes the specified PHP instructions. Log entry This action adds an entry in the log of a given record.  The log record is convenient to use, for example, when trouble-shooting a business process, since you can save data at any given step. Action block An action block is used to group actions into a single block, which can then be minimized visually to make the workspace more comfortable. Pause execution Suspends the business process for the specified amount of time. Set Permissions Assigns the access permissions to the document. Set Variables Sets the values of the business process template variables. Select Employee This process allows automated selection of an employee so that that employee can be inserted in further steps of the process. Terminate business process This action ends the Business Process.

The Common Buttons

For a sequential business process, the meaning of the buttons is quite straightforward: you can Save the template going back to the templates list; Apply the changes made while staying in the visual modeler or Cancel the changes and revert to the templates list.

However, in case of a status driven business process, only the Back To States button is available which, when clicked, opens the template scheme where you can save your changes: