Process Flow
- Akash Kumar Jaiswal (Unlicensed)
A process flow is a set of activities arranged in a sequence to perform a specific task. Combining various activities, that is, Source, Target, Schema, Mapping, or Transformer creates a process flow. A Process Engine controls the execution of a process by starting the execution of process flow instances and all the activities present in a process flow. When the process flow is executed, data from the source is converted to the intermediate form and dispatched to the target.
Understanding Web Process Designer
Web Process Designer allows you to design business processes and business rules. The Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) standard is used to graphically depict business processes. The Process Designer is easy to use and enables both technical and non-technical users to design processes.
The Web Process Designer screen is divided into following sections:
Tool Bar
Options of the Tool bar are explained in the table below.
Button | Name | Function |
|---|---|---|
 | Repository View | Opens a tab for Repository View. |
 | New Process Flow | Opens a new graph canvas to create a process flow. |
 | Open Locally Saved Process Flow | Opens a process flow file saved on local hard disk. |
 | Save Process Flow to Server | Save the Process Flow to Server. |
 | Auto Save | Auto save a process flow. |
 | Refresh | To refresh the process flow. |
 | Undo | Reverses the previously performed action. |
 | Redo | Restores the previously undone action. |
 | Save Process Flow Locally | Saves a process flow on local hard disk in .xml format. |
 | Download SVG | To download the image of process flow in .svg format. |
 | Generate PDF | To generate the PDF of Process Flow. |
 | Search | To search the Process Flow activities of Canvas area. |
 | View Process Flow Properties | Shows the New Process Properties panel in the Canvas Area. |
 | Alerts | Shows the Error and Warning of the Process Flow in Alert panel. |
 | XML View | To view the XML of the process flow. |
 | Toggle Theme | To change the background color of Canvas Area. |
 | Toggle Grid View | For grid view of Canvas Area. |
 | Help | To check the document for working with process flow. |
Palette
The Palette contains a list of BPMN graphical elements that are used to define the flow of business processes.
Element | Description | Notation |
|---|---|---|
Activity | An activity is a work that is performed within a business process. The rectangle image displayed in the next column is used to depict an activity in a process flow. | |
Gateways | A Gateway is used to control the divergence and convergence of a sequence flow. Thus, it determines branching, forking, merging, and joining of paths. | |
Start Event | A start event starts the execution of a process. |  |
Error Intermediate Event | Error Intermediate Event is used to redirect Process Flow execution to an alternate path in case of failure of any activity during process flow execution. |  |
End Event | An end event, ends the flow of a process flow. |  |
Data Object | Data Objects do not have any direct effect on the sequence flow of the process. They are used to provide additional information for the reader of the process flow diagram. You can add any amount of information in this element. | |
Hand Tool | A Hand tool is used to move all the activities in the Canvas area. |  |
Lasso Tool | Lasso tool helps to select multiple BPMN elements from the Canvas Area and move them to another location. |  |
Create/Remove Space Tool | Space tool is used to increase the space between the two BPMN elements. |  |
Global Connect Tool | Global Connect Tool used to connect the BPMN elements in Canvas area and it shows the order that activities are performed in a business process. |  |
The Repository View lists the Connect Server objects, such as Activities, Actions, and Process Flows.
Activities: All the activities that can be used to create a process flow are listed in the Activities tab. You can expand the service to select the activity and drag it to canvas area to create a Process Flow.
Actions: Actions enable necessary control over a process flow. You can select the Action and drag it to Canvas area.
Process Flows: It displays the existing Process flow. Double-click the process flow to open in on Canvas area.
You can search the Activity and Process Flow with the help of search box, click here to get more details.
The Canvas is the area where a process flow is drawn. BPMN specification and Connect Server activities are dragged onto the Canvas and arranged in a sequence in order to create a process flow. The Canvas can also be resized if an activity is dragged beyond the default size.
You can also perform these activities in the Canvas area:
Click
icon to view canvas area in full screen.
Click
icon to view Mini Map of the process flow.
Click
icon to zoom In.
Click
icon to zoom out.
Click
icon to reset zoom.
