Configure BPMN Notation and Attributes

BPMN 2.0 is a comprehensive process modeling notation with more than 150 shapes and connectors. Most companies never use all of them, so it's helpful to create a subset of the most frequently used process elements for easy access.

Focusing on the frequently used elements helps users avoid unnecessary complexity and focus on the best-suited notations for their processes. For example, if you're creating an end-to-end process, you can show your modelers only the elements that pertain to those types of processes. 

Note

Watch the video below to see how to add a BPMN subset.

You can change the default appearance of the notation elements, such as font type or color for tasks. These format attributes are defined for all notation subsets. For example, if you change the background color of the task element, the system changes all BPMN subsets accordingly. 

Recommendation: Use light colors, so it does not affect readability. The image on the right shows how the bottom green and pink tasks are hard to read, while the grey and yellow are easier on the eyes. 

Note

Watch the video below to see how to define default colors and font formats for element types on a task.

You can further customize your notations and attributes through custom attributes. Custom attributes allow you to add additional information that's specific to your process, based on company requirements.  For example, you might want to add an attribute that shows a description of a specific role that's responsible for a process task.

Note

Watch the video below on how to create custom attributes. Please note, this video contains audio.

For each diagram element and dictionary category, you can define custom attributes that allow you to add additional information. 

Custom attributes work in the same way as standard attributes in a modeling notation and can also be displayed in the Collaboration Hub. Let's take a look at some commonly used attributes for processes.

Commonly used process attributes:

• Process Owner
  • Type: Text (free text)
  • Type: Dictionary link (when assigning responsibilities from the dictionary)
• Review Date
  • Type: Date - Allows to set a fixed date for a new review of the process. You can use the search function of the work area to search for specific periods of time.
• Process status
  • Type: Drop-down box - Allows the storage and filtering of process models according to a specific processing status or maturity level. Typical states are: Approved/In-coordination.
• Customer contact? or ISO9000 certification?
  • Type: Boolean - Enables later filtering of all processes in which customer interaction takes place or ISO9000 is to be applied. 

Note

In the following video we'll show how to filter by process attributes. In this example, we want to filter by process owner and ISO9000 certification. Two different ways to filter and search will be shown.

Commonly used task attributes: 

• Applicable Documents or Templates
  • Link your documents to your dictionary
  • Refer to an external storage (e.G. Sharepoint) with attribute type "Document/URL"
• 4 attributes for Responsibility Assignment according to RACI
  • RACI: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed
  • Dictionary link - assign existing items and roles
• Risks and Controls
  • Link your risks and controls to your dictionary 
• IT System
  • Link your IT system to your dictionary

Users with Enterprise or Enterprise Plus licenses can upload custom graphics for use in Customer journey maps, Value chains, and BPMN 2.0 diagrams. 

For example, you may want to visualize an IT system with its company logo (see the image below). This is possible after you upload the custom graphic to your workspace on the respective element.

Note

Uploaded files must be in SVG format and individually no larger than 20 KB. In order to upload a custom SVG, your file must meet the following requirements: 

• Maximum file size of 20 kilobytes
• Maximum of 2000 anchor points
• Valid SVG file structure 
• No custom XML, Javascript, or embedded images in a SVG 

The following elements can be customized: 

• BPMN 2.0 diagrams
• IT System
• Additional Participant
• Value chains
• Process
• Collapsed process
• Customer journey maps
• Persona
• Touchpoint
• Moment of truth
• Customer
• Decoration

Custom graphics are tied to the workspace in which they are uploaded - if you have multiple workspaces and want to use custom graphics in each, you must upload them separately to each workspace.

If you would like more information on custom graphics please visit our user guide. 

Note

Continue to watch the video below on how to set up custom graphics.

Select the numbers, starting with number 1, to review the Key Takeaways from this lesson.