Understanding Adeptia Process Applet
- Gunjan Tulwani (Unlicensed)
The Adeptia Modeler canvas area comprises of a Pool, which is further divided into Swim Lanes. Business Process activities (steps) are dragged into these swim lanes to create a process model flowchart. The workflow standard is used to graphically depict these business processes. Below the canvas area is the area for documenting the process and activity properties.
The Process Modeler application is displayed in .
Figure 2: Process Modeler
The Adeptia Modeler window is divided into eight sections:
Description
Menu Bar
Options of the Menu Bar are listed in the Table 1.
Table 1: Menu Bar Options
Convention | Sub-Option | Description |
File
| New | Open new Graph Canvas to create a new process model. |
Open locally saved Process Model | Open a process model saved to a local machine. | |
Save Process Model to Server | Save process model to the Adeptia Suite. | |
Save Process Model locally | Save process model to a local machine. | |
Export Process Model | Enables to export process model to PDF, XML, Image, and Word. | |
Import Process Model | Enables to import a visio file. | |
Exit | Close the Process Modeler applet. | |
Edit
| Undo | Undo the previous action. |
Redo | If you later decide you didn't want to undo an action, click the Redo button. | |
Zoom In | Zoom and magnify the current selection. | |
Zoom Out | Zoom and minimize the current selection. | |
Actions
| Synchronize with Server | Synchronize the Process Modeler with a list of already created process models as activities. |
Enter Login Information | Enter login information for accessing process modeler. | |
Maximize Graph Canvas | Maximize the Graph Canvas workspace. | |
Process Model Attributes | Allow you to enter the properties of the process model. | |
Modes | Online/Offline | Toggle between online and offline mode. |
View
| Show Flow Object Labels | Display labels of process model objects. |
Show Connectivity Object Labels | Display labels while connecting objects. | |
Show Artifacts and Associations | Display artifacts and associations. | |
Show Control Flows | Display control flows. | |
Help | Help | Displays help for the Process Modeler applet. |
The sub-options of the File, Edit, View and Help menus can also be accessed by their keyboard shortcuts. To view a list of the defined shortcuts, refer to the Keyboard Shortcuts section.
Tool Bar
Options of the Tool bar are explained in the Table 2.
Table 2: Tool Bar Options
Button | Name | Function |
|---|---|---|
 | New Process Model | Open new graph canvas to create a process model |
 | Open Locally Saved Process Model | Open process model file saved on local hard disk. |
 | Save Process Model to Adeptia Server | Save Process model to the Adeptia Server. |
 | Save process Model Locally | Save process model on local hard disk. |
 | Generate PDF | Generate PDF file of the process model diagram. |
 | Synchronize with Adeptia Server | Synchronize a list of process models in Adeptia Server. |
 | Maximize/Restore Flow Canvas | Maximize and restore graph canvas. |
 | Undo | Undo the last action. |
 | Redo | If you later decide you didn't want to undo an action, click the Redo button. |
 | Zoom In | Zoom In the Graph Canvas area. |
 | Zoom Out | Zoom Out the Graph Canvas area. |
Palette
The Palette contains a list of graphical workflow elements. Graphical workflow elements are used to define the model of business processes. These graphical workflow elements are listed in the table below.
Table 3: Graphical Workflow Elements
Element | Description | Notation |
|---|---|---|
Events | An event is something that "happens" during the course of a business process. Events influence the flow of the process and usually have a cause (trigger) or an impact (result). | |
Activities | An activity is 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 Model. | |
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. | |
Flows | A flow (control flow) is used to show the order that activities are performed in a business process. There are four types of flows:
|  |
Artifacts | Artifacts do not have any direct effect on the Sequence flow or message flow of the process. They are used to provide additional information for the reader of the Process Model diagram. You can add any amount of information in this element. However, you cannot add any color to the text. To view the information, you can resize the frame in all directions. | |
Lane | A lane is used to add another division in the Pool. It is used to organize and categorize activities. |  |
All the Graphical Workflow Elements can be resized.
Existing Process Models Panel
This panel lists the existing process models that have been created for the Adeptia Suite.
Graph Canvas
The Graph Canvas is the area where a process model is drawn. It comprises of a Pool that have multiple swim lanes. Workflow elements are dragged onto these lanes in the Graph Canvas and arranged in a sequence in order to create a process model. These lanes can be resized if an element is dragged beyond the default size, in turn resizing the Graph Canvas.
Bottom Pane
The Bottom Pane is used to view properties of the process model as a whole, and for specific activities added in it.
Process Properties
The properties of the process model are listed in the table below.
Process Properties
The properties of the process model are listed in the Table 4.
Table 4: Process Properties
Menu Option | Sub-Option | Function |
|---|---|---|
General
| Name | Displays the name of the process model. This is automatically loaded as entered in the Create Process Model screen. It cannot be edited. |
Description | Displays the description of the process model. This is automatically loaded as entered in the Create Process Model screen. It can be edited. | |
Details
| Process Triggers | Enter the name of triggers used in the Process Model. |
Frequency and Interval of Triggers | Enter the number of runs of triggers per day/week and the interval between these runs | |
Process Variables | Enter the variables created for the process model | |
Comments | Comments | Enter comments for the process model |
Activity Properties
The properties of an activity used in the process model are listed in the Table 5.
Table 5: Activity Properties
Menu Option | Sub-Option | Function | |
|---|---|---|---|
General
| Label | Enter the name for the activity. This is displayed in the activity in the Graph Canvas.
| |
Description | Enter description for the activity
| ||
Process Participant | Enter users or roles regarding who will be working on this activity
| ||
Input/Output
| Define Parameters | Input | Enter the type of input parameter required for the activity. For example, in a claim insurance activity, Claim Id could be an input parameter. |
| Output | Enter the type of output parameter required for the activity. For example, in a claim insurance activity, Insurance Amount could be an output parameter. | |
Define Documents | Input | Enter the name of documents that can be attached and used as inputs for the activity. For example, in a claim insurance activity, a photocopy of the Claim Policy form could be attached as an input parameter. | |
| Output | Enter the name of documents that is to be uploaded by user and can be used as outputs for the activity. For example, in a claim insurance activity, a photocopy of the receipt could be an output parameter. | |
Define Application Data | Information about what data and related fields are affected in other applications and systems. If information needs to be accessed from or written to another application, how is that information to be accessed, what are the login credentials and so on.
| ||
Details
| Priority | Select priority of the activity in the process model
| |
Number of user resources | Select number of user resources used for the activity
| ||
Expected Time Duration | Select the number of days, hours or minutes used to execute the work in activity
| ||
Due in | Select the time duration in which the activity is due.
| ||
Task Expires in | Select the time duration in which the task will expire
| ||
Name of Sub Process/Service | Enter the name of the sub-process or service associated with the activity
| ||
Print Sequence | Order in which this particular activity will be displayed in the generated PDF.
| ||
Rules | Enter business rules that are defined for the activity. For example, in a claim insurance activity, a rule could be defined as if claim value > 50,000 then issue is escalated to Manager.
| ||
Problems | Problems | Enter possible problems that may be associated with the activity. For example, in a claim insurance activity, if an incorrect Claim Id is entered, then define the steps to handle this problem in the Handling field.
| |
Comments | Comments | Enter comments associated with the activity.
| |
The Activity Properties tab is hidden by default. When you double-click an activity, then this tab is displayed.
Simulator
The Simulator window displays the Adeptia Simulation tool that allows you to simulate a process model using different resources and scenarios, before actually implementing the process model. To view the Adeptia Simulation tool click the Simulator tab (see Figure 3).
Figure 3: Adeptia Simulation Tool
For details on the Adeptia Simulator tool, refer to the Simulation section.
Preferences
The Preferences window allows you to select the background color of graph canvas and labels etc. You can also change the colors of the elements of the Palette. To view the Preferences window, click Preferences tab (see Figure 4).
Figure 4: Preferences
You can modify various preferences. These are listed in the table below.
Table 6: Edit Preferences
Preferences | Description |
|---|---|
Background Colors | Change the background color of the Graph Canvas |
Label Colors | Change the colors of labels of activities displayed in the Graph Canvas. |
Undo Redo | Set the number of actions that you can undo. |
Workflow Colors Palette | Change colors of Events, Activities, Gateway and Artifacts. |
Keyboard Shortcuts
Table 7: Keyboard Shortcuts
Menu Option | Sub-Option | Keyboard Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
File
| New | <Ctrl> + <N> |
Open locally saved Process Flow | <Ctrl> + <O> | |
Save to Server | <Ctrl> + <S> | |
Save Process Flow locally | <Ctrl> + <B> | |
Edit
| Undo | <Ctrl> + <Z> |
Redo | <Ctrl> + <Y> | |
Zoom In | <Ctrl> + <NumPad +> | |
Zoom Out | <Ctrl> + <NumPad -> | |
Actions
| Synchronize with Server | <F5> |
Enter Login Information | <Ctrl> + <L> | |
Maximize Graph Canvas | <Ctrl> + <M> | |
Help | Help | <F1> |
Adeptia also supports text CUT, COPY and PASTE feature in the Properties Panel. This helps users easily copy text from other documents and paste it in the Properties Panel of the Adeptia Modeler.
CUT: <CTRL> + <X>
COPY: <Ctrl> + <C>
PASTE: <Ctrl> + <V>
Right-click in the Properties panel to use these options.
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