Processes are the collection of components that are used to build and represent business processes using BPMN 2.0 specification.

There are three concepts associated with modeling processes to understand and differentiate between:

• Diagrams are the container that process definitions are modeled in. A process diagram can contain multiple process definitions when pools are used to separate them. Process diagrams are color coded with the following definitions:

  • Blue indicates completed nodes
  • Green indicates current active nodes
  • Red indicates failed nodes

• Process definitions are the templates that a process follows, made up of BPMN elements and sequence flows. A process definition describes the business logic that will be followed repeatedly at runtime.

• Process instances are specific running instances of a process definition. Each process instance will have a unique process instance ID but they can share the same process definition ID indicating which process definition was used to start the process instance. There can be any number of process instances running using the same process definition in an N:1 relationship.

Create a process

To create a process:

1. Sign into the Modeling Application and open a project.

2. Click the NEW dropdown.

3. Select how to create the process:

   • Create > Process creates a new, empty diagram and process definition.

   • Upload > Process allows for uploading an existing diagram .bpmn20.xml file into the Modeling Application.

   Alternatively use the + or Upload buttons next to Processes in the left-hand menu.

4. Enter a name, optional description, and optional process category.

   By default the name will be shared between the diagram and process definition and the description will apply to the process definition. If you enter a process category the process will be added under the process category heading in the left pane, and if the process category does not already exist it will be created. If you do not enter a process category name it will appear under the uncategorized heading.

Import a process from Process Services

Process diagrams exported from Alfresco Process Services can be imported into the Modeling Application by selecting the APS Process option when choosing to create a new process by importing an existing model.

The Process Service element types that are supported for import are:

Diagrams

Diagrams hold one or more process definitions. If multiple process definitions are modeled within a diagram it is important to remember that the scope of each is restricted and the only way to communicate between them is via message or error events.

Diagram properties

The properties for a diagram are:

Diagram XML

The ID and name of a diagram are set as XML attributes of the definitions element, for example:

<bpmn2:definitions id="model-1bf32338-2bc2-4af2-9496-e9a031e22142" name="requests-and-orders">

Process definitions

Process definitions are designed using BPMN elements which in turn can reference other modeled components within a project such as forms, connectors and decision tables.

A process definition is created when a diagram is created and it will share the same name as the diagram. Use the BPMN element pools to create separate process definitions within a diagram.

Process definition properties

The properties for a process definition are:

Process definition XML

The ID, name and executable status of a process definition are set as XML attributes of the process element. Documentation is a sub-element of process, for example:

<bpmn2:process id="Process_1w18m9x" name="request-process" isExecutable="false">
        <bpmn2:documentation>A process to request stock orders</bpmn2:documentation>

Process modeling

The Modeling Application contains three tabs for creating and editing processes.

Diagram Editor

The Diagram Editor is the GUI for modeling processes by dragging and dropping items from the palette. The palette contains the BPMN elements that can be used to model a process and import other models created in the Modeling Application into a process. The palette also contains four tools for editing items on the canvas:

XML Editor

The XML Editor contains the XML for the process diagram. Changes made in the Diagram Editor or in the XML Editor are reflected in the other. When importing or downloading a process the .bpmn20.xml file will reflect what is in the XML Editor.

XML excerpts are provided as examples with each BPMN element.

Extensions Editor

The Extensions Editor is a JSON editor that stores any extensions made for process definitions. When a diagram contains more than one process definition, there will be an entry for each in the Extensions Editor. Extensions are broken down into four areas:

Process variables

Process variables are used to store values and pass them between BPMN elements throughout a process instance. For example, values entered into a form as part of a user task can be sent to process variables in the process, which in turn can send those values to a decision table to evaluate and choose the direction the process should take.

The scope of process variables is restricted to a process definition and not to the diagram it is created in, which is important to consider when using multiple pools.

Process variable properties

The properties for a process variable are:

Note: There are four process variable names that are created automatically and should not be used as custom process variable names. nrOfInstances, nrOfActiveInstances, nrOfCompletedInstances and loopCounter are used by multi-instance elements.

The data types that a process variable can be set as are:

Create a process variable

To create a process variable:

1. Select the project and process to create a process variable for in the Modeling Application.

2. Select Edit Process Variables against the correct process definition:

   • If the diagram contains only one process definition, make sure no BPMN element is selected by clicking on a blank section of the canvas and the Edit Process Variables button will be visible in the right-hand properties panel.
   • If the diagram contains more than one process definition then click on the individual pools to view the Edit Process Variables button for each definition.

3. Use the + symbol to add new variables and enter a name, type, optional value, and select whether it is required or not.

   If you want the variable to be available in the Processes, and Tasks lists of the Digital Workspace click Yes below Available in the web application, and enter a display name. Once added to the Digital workspace you can select the new column by accessing the three dots on the top right.

   

Note: The details of any process variables can be viewed in the properties section of the extensions editor, for example:

{
    "properties": {
        "17aa41f7-9a0c-49c0-805b-045243f8a7e5": {
            "id": "17aa41f7-9a0c-49c0-805b-045243f8a7e5",
            "name": "firstName",
            "type": "string",
            "required": false,
        },

Process variable mapping

Mapping is a property of BPMN elements such as user tasks, service tasks and script tasks. It describes how data should be passed between a process and models such as forms, connectors, and scripts in a process. The data can be passed to variables within those models, such as form variables and script variables or other values in the model such as form fields, connector inputs and outputs and decision table inputs and outputs. Mapping this data is split between input mappings and output mappings:

• Input mapping sets how and which data is sent from process variables to another model within the process.

• Output mapping sets how and which data is sent from models within the process back to process variables.

There are five options for setting the Mapping behavior:

Any mapping configured in a process is stored in the Extensions Editor using the ID of the BPMN element. If not sending any variables then the ID of the element will not appear in the mappings section. The following is an example of explicitly mapping variables:

"mappings": {
    "Task_1f1wpht": {
    	"inputs": {
    		"flavor": {
    			"type": "variable",
    			"value": "choice"
    			},
    		"price": {
    			"type": "value",
    			"value": "${lookUp.price}"
    			},
    		"Limit": {
    			"type": "value",
    			"value": 200
    			}
    		}
    	}
    },
}

Capture assignee of completed task

You can use output mapping and the sys_task_assignee pre-defined variable to capture the assignee of a completed task. This is helpful because you could use the assignee information in another process. For example, you could use this in a support context where whoever the assignee of a completed task is could be the contact person for the account for which the task was carried out.

Note: The sys_task_assignee variable is a system variable and cannot be edited.

To create a process that captures the assignee of a completed task:

1. Create a form.

2. Create a process that includes a User task.

3. From the Properties pane select the form you created from the Form name dropdown list.

4. From the Mapping type dropdown list select Map variables.

5. Deselect the User task by clicking anywhere in the white space and then click Edit Process Variables from the right pane.

6. Click the + icon and enter a name for the process variable in the Name field.

7. From the Type dropdown list select Primitives then select string and then click Update.

8. Select your User task again and from the sys_task_assignee dropdown menu under Output mapping select the process variable you have just created.

You now have a process that captures the assigned user of a completed task.

Errors

Errors are used by error catching events and error throwing events to model business exceptions using BPMN elements. They can be created and managed at the individual error event level, or at a diagram level. Unlike process variables, errors can be shared between process definitions in the same diagram.

To manage all errors in a diagram:

• Make sure no BPMN element is selected by clicking on a blank section of the canvas and the Edit Errors button will be visible in the right-hand properties panel.

• If the diagram contains more than one process definition then clicking on the individual pools will also show the Edit Errors button.

Messages

Messages are used by message catching events and message throwing events to send a message and optional payload between BPMN elements. They can be created and managed at the individual message event level, or at a diagram level. Unlike process variables, messages can be shared between process definitions in the same diagram.

To manage all messages in a diagram:

• Make sure no BPMN element is selected by clicking on a blank section of the canvas and the Edit Messages button will be visible in the right-hand properties panel.

• If the diagram contains more than one process definition then clicking on the individual pools will also show the Edit Messages button.

Actions

The actions that can be run against a process are:

Edit User Task Notifications

Use the Edit User Task Notification window to edit the default email templates used for processes. You can configure the From and Subject fields for the selected user task so that at runtime they will send task email notifications that are not the default, to the assignee or candidate.

The fields on the Assignee tab and Candidate tabs are:

Edit Process Permissions

Use the Edit Process Permissions window to configure who can start a new process. The permission levels available are: Everyone can start it, Nobody can start it, or Specific users/groups can start it.