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:
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Context toolbar (1)
Template constructor area (2)
Action bar (3)
Common buttons (4)
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.
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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: