| # Business Process Diagram A Business Process Diagram is the lowest level of representation of the business operations. It represents the flow of activities (manual or application) users have to run from start to finish. Control Activities are used to represent the choices users have to make in that process. Sub Business Processes are used to bring sufficient detail but still keep the structure understandable. Linking Roles to Business Processes or to business process activities authorizes employees linked to those roles to run the activities. Business Processes are created and maintained in the repository and serve as a basis on which to create a business model (s). Changes you make in the repository reflect in the Business Models. In a Business Model you can modify the authorization that is setup in the Repository, thus creating enterprise unit specific authorization setup. The Business Process Diagram is based on the Petri nets modeling conventions. Business Process Diagram graphical objects
Menu option | Description
Insert -> Activity | To insert an Activity that represents work to do in the form of: Manual activity; a not (in LN) automated task Business process; links a sub-process Application; starts an application of the selected component
Insert -> State | To insert a State that defines a particular point in time: Begin; always the start of a business process End; always the end of a business process Normal; all other states in the business process
Insert -> Control Activity | To insert a Control Activity that represents a decision moment and can be: XOR; only one of the paths must be executed OR; one or more of the paths can be executed AND; all paths must be executed JOIN; to join the paths split by XOR, OR or AND
Insert -> Relationship | To insert a Relationship. Valid relations: Between State and Activity Between State and Control Activity
Business Process Diagram Action dropdown menu
Menu option | Description
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Action -> Renumber External Codes | Renumbers the external codes used in the diagram.
Action -> Syntax Check | Checks the syntax/validity of the business process; see Business Process Syntax Checks for more information.
Action -> Roles | Links Roles to the business process.
Operations used in Business Process Diagram
Operation | Description
Modify the State Type | Right-click the State, point to Type and select one of these options: Begin; always the start of a business process End; always the end of a business process Normal; all other states in the business process
Link a Support Application to an Activity | Right-click the Activity, select Properties. In the properties setup a Support Application. A Support Applications icon is linked to the Activity. Double-clicking this icon shows a list with Support Applications from which you can start the application.
Link an AO Document to an Activity | Right-click the Activity, select Properties. In the properties setup an AO Document. An AO Document icon is linked to the Activity. Double-clicking this icon opens the AO Document.
Link a URL to an Activity/Control Activity | Right-click the Activity/Control Activity, select Properties. In the properties setup an URL. A Linked URL icon is linked to the Activity/Control Activity. Double-clicking this icon opens the URL.
Link a Role to an Activity/Control Activity | Right-click the Activity/Control Activity, select Roles by Activity. Add or delete Roles, or click "Go to Details" in front of the Role to modify the authorization level to: No authorization Display authorization Display/Print authorization Modify/Display/Print authorization Insert/Modify/Display/Print authorization Full authorization A Linked Roles on Activity Level icon is linked to the Activity/Control Activity. Double-clicking this icon opens the session to modify the Roles by Activity.
Activate Sub Application Authorization | Right-click the Activity, select Sub Applications. Double-click ‘All possible subapplications for …’, a list unfolds. Highlight a Sub Application and from the appropriate menu select Add subapplications as modeled Subapplication. The Sub Applications icon is linked to the Activity.
Modify Sub Application Authorization | Double-click the Sub Applications icon linked to the Activity. Highlight the Sub Application and from the Change authorization menu select one of these options: No authorization Display authorization Display/Print authorization Modify/Display/Print authorization Insert/Modify/Display/Print authorization Full authorization Or use one of the appropriate buttons.
Link Specific Role Authorization to a Sub Application | Double-click the Sub Applications icon linked to the activity. To change the authorization level for a Role that is already linked to the Activity, highlight the Role, holding the Ctrl-key, also highlight the Sub Application and from the Specific menu select Link Roles to modeled Subapplications. The Role appears underneath the Sub Application. To change the authorization level for a Role that is not yet linked to the Activity, highlight a sub application and from the Specific menu select Link unmodeled Roles to modeled Subapplications. The Role appears underneath the Sub Application. For both 1 and 2, highlight the new line and from the Change authorization menu select one these options: No authorization Display authorization Display/Print authorization Modify/Display/Print authorization Insert/Modify/Display/Print authorization Full authorization Or use one of the appropriate buttons.
Change Control Activity Type | Right-click the Control Activity and point to Type, select one of these options: XOR; only one of the paths must be executed OR; one or more of the paths can be executed AND; all paths must be executed JOIN; to join the paths split by XOR, OR or AND
Modify the Type of the Relationship | Right-click the Relationship, point to Type. Select one of these options: Free (midpoints can be added) Direct Z-style Horizontal-Vertical Vertical-Horizontal
Modify the direction of the Relationship | Right-click the Relationship and select Reverse direction.
Add a Midpoint to a Relationship | Right-click the Relationship and select Add Midpoint to change the route of the Relationship. This is only possible if the Type of the Relationship is Free. You can add as many midpoints as required.
Business Process Syntax Checks
Syntax Error | Check
Error: [object type] [external code] [description]: Static condition not allowed on outgoing arrow | Static conditions are only allowed on relationships that flow from an OR, XOR, AND Control Activity to an Activity or a JOIN Control Activity. Solution: Remove the static conditions from the properties of the relationship concerned.
Error: state [external code] [description]: Missing incoming arrow | Except for the Begin State each other State must at least have one incoming arrow. Solution: Add a Relationship between an Activity or a Control Activity that is missing an outgoing arrow.
Error: state [External code] [description]: Missing outgoing arrow | Except for the End State each other State must have one outgoing arrow. Solution: Add a Relationship between an Activity or Control Activity that is missing an incoming arrow.
Error: [object type] [external code] [description]: Missing outgoing arrow | All Activities and JOIN type Control Activities must have one outgoing arrow. Solution: Add a Relationship between the Activity or the JOIN Control Activity and a state that is missing an incoming arrow.
Error: state [external code] [description]: Too many outgoing arrows" | A State can only have one outgoing arrow. Solution: Remove all but one of the outgoing Relationships that are linked to the mentioned State. Consider using a Control Activity to split the business process in multiple paths.
Error: state [external code] [description]: Duplicate incoming arrow | Only one arrow can exist between the same State and Activity (or Control Activity). Solution: Remove the duplicate arrow(s) between the listed State and (Control) Activity.
Error: activity [external code] [description]: Too many outgoing arrows | An Activity can only have one outgoing arrow. Solution: Remove all but one of the outgoing Relationships that are linked to the mentioned Activity.
Error: control [external code] [description]: Too few outgoing arrows | All Control Activities with type OR, XOR, AND must at least have two outgoing arrows. Solution: Add an outgoing Relationship from the Control Activity to a state that is missing an incoming.
Error: control [external code] [description]: Too few incoming arrows | A JOIN Control Activities must at least have two incoming arrows. Solution: Add an incoming Relationship from the JOIN Control Activity to a state that is missing an outgoing arrow.
Error: Missing begin state | Each business process must start with only one Begin State. Solution: Ensure the business process starts with a state and change the State type to ‘Begin’.
Error: [object type] [external code] [description]: Not reachable from begin state | Each Activity and Control Activity should be reachable from the Begin State. Solution: Ensure all paths in the business process starts from a Begin State and all necessary relationships are drawn.
Error: Too many begin states | Each business process must start with only one Begin State. Solution: Ensure the business process starts with only one state of the type ‘Begin’.
Error: state [external code] [description]: Incoming arrow not allowed | Each business process must start with only one Begin State. This means that there can be no incoming arrow for a begin state. In case of a loop an arrow return to the begin state. Solution: Ensure the business process starts with a begin state and remove any other begin states.
Error: Missing end state | Each business process must end with one state and this must be of the ‘End’ type. Solution: Ensure the business process ends with one state and change the State type to ‘End’.
Error: [object type] [external code] [description]: Cannot reach end state | Each business process path should end in an End State. Solution: Ensure all paths in the business process end in an End State and all necessary relationships are drawn.
Error: state [external code] [description]: Outgoing arrow not allowed | Each business process path should end in an End State. Solution: Ensure all paths in the business process end in an End State and remove any arrow that flows out of the end state.
Warning: Too many end states | Each business process path should end in an End State. A business process can have more than one end state, but this is not common. Thus a warning is displayed. Solution: Ensure all paths in the business process end in the correct End State.
Related topics Graphical objects used in all diagram types Graphical objects used in the Business Process Model Business Process Diagram objects toolbar |