BPMN modelling with ARIS

While most BPMN elements are present, apart from exceptions and messages attached to Functions,sub-processes are not represented particularly well.

It is useful to be able to expand / collapse sub-processes depending on the audience; of course this doesn’t really fit the ARIS way, the function should instead be assigned to another model. This works but you then cannot see the context of the ‘parent’ process.

Regards Colin

Hi Colin,

actually that is not true. You can have sub-processes as specified in the BPMN standard. If you have a collapsed sub-process and click on expand (the “+” sign on the activity), ARIS will replace the content of the sub-process directly in the process. If not enough space is left, ARIS will resize the lane/pool and layout the diagram accordingly.

But I think you raised a good point and I will provide a screenshot to illustrate that in my next post next week.

In ARIS I’ve created a Business Process Diagram (BPMN) but now I have only 6 symbols to choose from (without work flows, message flows,…)… F12 also doesn’t work (Add symbols)! What can I do? Please help, thanks!

Hi John,

which version are you using? If F12 doesn’t work, can you at least click on the button above the icon palette to add more symbols?

Version 7.1 and button above also doesn’t work, it’s not even bold (B) so I can’t click on it!

Hi John,

in that case I suggest that you contact our support, because there are several possible reasons for that problem.

I found one article with this content in it:

‘A process/subprocess is normally assigned a detailed process. Unlike in BPMN, ARIS does not show an assigned activity with a plus sign but with the assignment icon. Besides identifying an assigned function, BPMN also provides the ability to show the detailed process at the next higher process level. This is done by clicking on the

plus sign. This functionality is not supported by ARIS at the moment.’

What now, is this functionality supported by ARIS or not? I think it is… And we also have + sign, don’t we?

John, as I said before, it is supported. The article you found seems to be outdated. It is also not an official IDS Scheer publication. The homepage where the paper is hosted looks very outdated, no updates done since 2006. We now have 2009!

I would like to know how can we create loop and ad-hoc processes? With attributes - I didn’t manage to do that?! Thanks…

What about new event in BPMN -> Signal event, this isn’t yet supported by ARIS, is it?

In ARIS we have support for text annotations (what is it?)? What are TWO types that BPMN supports?

Does ARIS have a Conditional and Default flows and what about Event-based Exclusive Gateways?

What about attaching a data object… Does ARIS supports Undirected, Bidirected and Directed association?

Why can’t I connect Data object with Message intermediate event (why is there only Connection symbol - why aren’t all types of connections shown)?

Thank you for taking your time!!

Hi John,

ok, first an answer to your question about loops and ad-hoc processes.

1. Create a BPMN diagram

2. If not already done, use the BPMN template for the diagram.

3. Add a BPMN function

4. Open the attributes dialog and set in the BPMN subgroup for example “loop” to “multiple instances”. Save and close the dialog.

You will now see the “multi instance” icon on the activity. If that doesn’t work, there might be 2 things going wrong:

1. We are not talking about the same version of ARIS. I’m referring to ARIS 7.1

2. Open the properties (attribute placement) of the BPMN activity. Is the box “As Icon” of the “ad hoc” attribute checked?

Ok John, now the remaining questions.

About BPMN signal event: Those events were introduced with BPMN 1.1, but we currently support BPMN 1.0 with ARIS. We already support some of the additions of BPMN 1.1, but we have not yet released a version with official BPMN 1.1 support.

About text annotations: Sorry, I mixed that up with data objects. You can add a text annotation to your diagram and connect it to an object.

About conditional/default flows: That is supported, just create a connection between a gateway and an object and open the attribute dialog of the “connection”. There, you can e.g. set this connection as “default”. The belonging icon on the connection will be shown.

About data objects: I’m not sure, but I believe that bi-directed associations were introduced in BPMN 1.1. Anyway, all message associations are per default directed. You can change the connection to undirected or bidirected in the property dialog of the connection.

About message flows connected to intermediate msg events: If I am not mistaken, that is not allowed in BPMN 1.0, but I will check that internally so that we can file a bug report if necessary.

About why aren’t all types of connections shown: That is a feature! The user just says to create a connection and ARIS selects the correct connection type depending on the objects, which must be connected. That simplifies the user interface heavily, because instead of showing many connections, the tool selects the correct connection type automatically.

I have ARIS version 7.1 but I can’t find ‘BPMN subgroup’… Where is that? What do you mean with ‘attributes dialog’? Do I need to setup something in Filter?

I only have option ‘More attributes’ and there I can go to BPMN but there are only Instantiate and in ‘Task type’ again Instantiate and Task type…

John, you are almost there :-) If you click on “more attributes”, you already navigated to the correct place: BPMN -> Loop Type. Select it and press ok. This attribute is now available in your attribute list. Now select “multi instance”, apply the changes and close the dialog. Now the icon should be shown.

If you find this “More attributes” dialog too confusing, select the object and press “F8″. You will now get to the attributes dialog I was referring to in my previous description. In this dialog, you can directly define the values of the different attributes.

I ONLY HAVE Task Type TO CHOOSE FROM! There is no LOOP TYPE :(

In that case try to login with “Entire Method” filter. If that works, the attributes are missing in your filter. If that doesn’t work, please contact our support so that they can find out what is wrong with your installation.

It’s working now! I loged in with ‘Entire Method’ filter and now I have ‘ad-hoc’,… Thanks!

I would like to know if FAD can only be assigned to EPC? Can I assigned it to BPMN diagram?

Yes, you can assign function allocation diagrams to BPMN activities. Please also see the ARIS Expert Paper linked in the article above.

Hi Sebastian, I´m following your article to start modeling in BPMN, just modeled with vac, epc and fad before.

So my questions are: 1) How can I put the names of the pools and lanes to the left, but still inside the objects, just like you did in this article? I´m using ARIS 7.02 and there´s no option for that in the “Attribute placement” window in Object properties. Is it only possible in ARIS 7.1? and my other question is: Is There an “Add-hoc Subprocess” symbol in ARIS 7.02?

Hi Fernando,

the easiest solution for placing the attributes where you want is just draging them there. Click on the attribute in the diagram and drag it where you want it to be.

ARIS 7.02 also supports Ad-hoc subprocesses, but some more manual work is needed.

1. Create a new subprocess

2. Go to the BPMN attributes of this subprocess

3. Set the attribute Sub-Process -> Ad-hoc to true (checked)

4. Go to the properties of the subprocess (attribute placement)

5. Select the “Ad hoc” attribute.

6. Make sure that the checkbox “as symbol” is checked for the ad-hoc attribute.

Now, the ad-hoc icon is shown on the sub-process object.

Hi there,

I am a consultant that has just used ARIS to create 120 BPMN maps for a client. The client has decided that they don’t want to use ARIS.

Can I export these models into another program that is more common, such as Visio without losing the formatting?

Hi Melissa,

we are sorry to hear that your customer is not satisfied with our products. We doubt that it will be convenient to handle and keep consistent 120 BPMN models with Visio.

Anyway, BPMN 1 doesn’t define an exchange format. Therefore, there is no standard solution for that. Please contact our local representatives about finding a possible solution. ARIS provides many export mechanisms, which you can adapt for your customer’s specific scenario.

Hi there,

I have Aris toolset 7.01. Is possible to model in BPMN and how?

Thanka!

@Jake: Yes, BPMN is already possible with that early version. You should be able to create a new diagram of the type “Business Process Diagram (BPMN). If you can’t find this diagram, check your method filter and set it to “Entire Method”.

Hi Sebastian,

I’m looking for a way to import models created in Visio into ARIS. Is there a way to do this kind of import?

Hi Fernando,

yes, we have done such imports in various customer projects. Please contact your local IDS Scheer representative for further information.

Hi Sebastian

For a Human task, I have a case where the task can be done by 2 seperate assignees.

Say 'Clerk' and 'Writer'.



However, when I enter the infomation in the Assignee wizard as

Workflow pattern name : 'Single Approve'

Workflow pattern : 'Single approver'

Assignee : 'Clerk'

                   'Writer'

     

The system gives me an error 'The selected workflow pattern may gave only one asignee.'

my question.

1. I am using the right workflow pattern?

2a. if yes, what am I missisng?

2b. if no, how do you suggest I do it?

regards

Sanjiv

Hi Sanjiv,

are you using Oracle BPA Suite? Or which assignee wizard are you using?

Sebastian

Hi Sebastian,

Yes, I am using Oracle BPA suite.

--Sanjiv

Hi Sanjiv,

in that case it will be a little bit hard for us to answer the question, because it is an Oracle product. Especially those extensions like the assignee wizard are BPA Suite specific. However, I will try to forward this discussion here to an Oracle representative. We will see if they find the time to answer your question here.

Sebastian

Hi Sanjiv,

looks like the "sequential list workflow pattern" is the right choice here and not the "Single Approver" workflow pattern.

 Hi Sebastian!

Nice to be with Aris.

I'm fresh with Aris. So I have 1 ton of question, but I'll not gonna bother you. Don't worry.Can I have a intermediate event (timer or message) attached to an activity boundary?

Can I transform a BPMN diagram into a BPEL with Aris?

Thank's in forward! 

Fuzer

Hi Augusto,

you can attach an intermediate timer or message event to an activity boundary. We have customers using a BPMN to BPEL transformation within ARIS, but this is not an out-of-the-box feature, but instead a custom development for those customers.

Regards,

Sebastian

 Hi Sebastian,

Thanks for your answer. 

Can you tell me how attach an intermediate event to an activity boundary? I can't do it somehow... : (

Nice week,

Augusto

Hi Augusto,

this is very easy, select the event, move over the activity and press again. Make sure you have a recent version of ARIS 7.1.

Regards,

Sebastian

 Perfect Sebastian, alles geklappt!

Thanks for now,

Augusto

Hi Sebantia,

I was trying to do some tests with the intermediate message event. Unfortunately it was not successful.

After some problems with the BPMN semantic check I could validate the diagram. The same luck I didn't have with the simulation mode, which displayed the follow error...

The follow diagram correspond to the error message. "M_volta" correspond to the second intermediate message event.

I made a similar diagram, but if you see the end events you will realize the token are not there for all ends.

Do you have an Idea what could be wrong?

Regards,

Augusto

The simulation follows the BPMN 1.0 spec. With respect to message intermediate events the spec was inconsistent:

* p. 45: "In Normal Flow, Message Intermediate Events can be used for sending messages to a participant"

* p. 48: "An Intermediate Event MUST NOT be a source for Message Flow; it can have no outgoing Message Flow."

We decided to follow the statement on page 48 which, as it turned out, was not such a good idea because the inconsistency was resolved towards the other option in the following specs. So this restriction will be lifted once the simulation supports BPMN 1.1 or 1.2 respectively.

Regarding the second diagram: You first have to trigger the lower process with a message from the upper one before you can send a message from the lower to the upper pool and expect it to be recognized as belonging to the same process instance.

 Mr. Ralf,

Thank you for your help.

Hi Sebastian,

I was trying to use the rule event. But...you know.

I read also the paper BPMN 1.2 page 273 and page 277. In Aris I have to maintain the attributes "rule name" and "rule expression", is it right? But what should I do if I want that the rule trigger the upper process flow when the other two are fished? Should I write a language name in "rule name" and an expression that I what in "rule expression"? Doesn't exist an example of it?

Thanks in forward,

Augusto

Hi Augusto,

are you expecting that this triggering of the upper process works in a simulation or do you just need it for documentation. In the first case, I doubt that it will work. In the second case I suggest that you use the different attributes as their are most convenient for you.

Regards,

Sebastian

 Hi Sebastian,

exactly, I would like to use it in a simulation. Do you think that it is not possible? What do you suggest?

Regards,

Augusto

Hi Augusto,

if I understand your model correctly, you could end your processes with a message event, which is connected to the message start of the upper process.

Regards,

Sebastian

I thought the same, but the problem is that it is in the same pool.

I have to think other way.

Regards,

Augusto

 Hi Sebastian,

Is it possible with Aris to simulate the follow process?

The complex gateway must chose the function 5 if the function 2 was chosen (for the same token, I mean the last one) and the function 6 if function 3 was chosen (same token condition).

I think I will have to program some lines, but I don't know where and I don't know in which language.

Regards,

Augusto

Hi Sebastian,

Do you know if is possible import a BPEL process into ARIS? I want import a process exported from SAP XI.

Tks in advanced

Tiago

Hi Tiago,

no, I think this is not possible.

Regards,

Sebastian

Complex gateways currently work like OR gateways because expressions are not yet supported. See the ARIS help topics page "Optimize and control processes --> Simulate processes --> Valuable information --> Modeling --> How do process folders pass through a simulated process in BPMN diagrams? --> How does a complex decision in the process pass work in BPMN diagrams?".

Question with regards to collapsing/expanding sub-processes.

I've found that if you use an collapsed process, add context to it (and then use the + to expand and close it works fine.....

BUT - if you now also try to assign an FAD to the sub-process the expansion will no longer work,  you get an error message,  Even if you delete the FAD again you are no longer able to use the collapse/expand feature

Is this a bug ?

For this reason Ive opted to instead use assignements to detail supprocesses

Hi Tom,

seems you found a problem here. I have forwarded your description to the development teams.

Regards,

Sebastian

Hello together,

I`ve been reading through some interesting topics about BPMN.

Since I have a similar problem about the missing Symbols in the ARIS Business Architecture 7.1... I just want to know how can I add them? I also can`t use F12 to add or any right button click.

I hope for some advices since I`m just started to learn the method.

Regards,

Phong Dao

I am trying to find some BPMN2.0 symbols such as Signal Top Level, Catching, Throwing, etc but I can't find this layer of 'events' symbols even if I use the Entire Method. Other examples of Events include: Conditional, Error Start Event.

Thank you

Hi Dan,

I'm not sure whether you are using ARIS Express or ARIS Platform. In case of ARIS Platform, just right-click on the event and select BPMN from the context menu. There, you can change the event type and also specify if it is a catching or throwing event. Here a screenshot:

ARIS Express doesn't support the notion of catching/throwing events. ARIS Express is meant for entry users and catching/throwing events are an advanced concept of BPMN, which will just confuse users. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the distinction either. The difference between the icons is so minimal that most users will not even notice it.

I am using ARIS Business Architect for SAP 7.1 and I don't see the BPMN when I right click. How can I view it?

BPMN 2 support was made available with the last service release of ARIS Platform products. This service release is called 2010_05. You are probably running an older version, which doesn't have BPMN 2 support yet. You might check with your ARIS admin to upgrade your installation.

Hello together,

i want to use in BPMN 2.0 Diagrams (ARIS Express 2.0) Subprocesses with Error Events to comunicate with the Parent Process. (see in  BPMN v2.0 Beta 1, page 255)

But the Tool don't accept the Mapping from the Events to a Action in the Parent Process.

 How can I these BPMN feature in ARIS Exporess?

The example given in the BPMN 2.0 spec (page 255) can be modeled with ARIS Express and ARIS Business Designer/Architect.

But: In the model above there seems to be a pool or a lane (see the 2 horizontal black lines). If the activity  "Bearbeitung 2nd level" is a subprocess of the (parent) process contained in the pool, it must be displayed within the pool´s boundaries, too. 

Thus, the example given above dffers from the example shown on page 255 in the spec.

Regards,

Jutta

Using BPMN is it possible to connect a lane or a pool to an organizational unit or person?

Thanks

Hi Anatole,

you can map a pool to an organisational unit or a role in a BPMN 2 allocation diagram. Mapping of lanes is not supported, because according to the BPMN spec they don't carry any semantics beside their names.

Hello everyone,

We are analyzing the filter BPMN 2.0 ARIS 7.1 and have some doubts and we would appreciate if you could help us.

1. What is the correct way to use the symbols of typo Lane in the type model BPMN process diagram (2.0 beta)? My question is due to ARIS 7.1 doesn't allow the symbol Pool in this type of model.

2. Do you have any advice for the best use of the type model BPMN conversation diagram (2.0 beta)? ¿What is the difference between symbols Communication and Sub-Conversation?

Finally, congratulations for the new features of ARIS, they are great,

Thank you very much,

Raquel

Hi Raquel,

regarding the first question: in process diagrams, pools are not allowed. But this is correct. If you want to consider the interaction of organizations in your BPMN process, you just needed to use the BPMN collaboration diagram, which allows pools also.

Bye,

Frank

Hi Raquel,

I try to answer your questions.

ad 1) Lanes in the BPMN process diagram:

According to the BPMN spec (see chapter 10.7; p. 283) lanes represent sub-partitions within a process (sometimes within a pool). They are used to organize and categorize activities. Unfortunately, the meaning of the lanes is up to the modeler, BPMN does not specify the usage of lanes. Lanes are often used for such things as internal roles or internal departments or systems.

As you know, the modeling of organizational structures, system architectures, data structures etc. is out of the BPMN scope (see chapter 7.1, p. 14). Consequently, a link between a lane and objects representing organizational elements, system components, ...  is not provided.

In my opinion, the problem is that you want to combine two different metamodels: the ARIS method (which is rich in semantics) with BPMN (which is semantically poor).

Pools are only allowed where interactions between participants are modeled: in collaborations (and conversations).

ad 2) BPMN conversation diagram:

BPMN conversation diagrams are used to represent interactions between participants on a high(er) level  of abstrction (bird´s eye view). They provide an overview of interactions.

Communications can be compared to tasks, sub-conversations can be compared to sub-processes. I admit: the terms are very confusing. But OMG discusses about renamings.

Details can be found in chapter 11 in the BPMN the spec (pp. 293)

Regards,

Jutta

We now close comments for this thread as it is not very intuitive to keep track of them. If you have questions about using BPMN in ARIS, please post to our BPMN Community group. Your question will be more visible there and probably receive more answers.