The Explorer (Diagram Repository)

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to navigate the Explorer to structure and manage processes

The Explorer (Diagram Repository)

A place for everything and everything in its place.

Using the Explorer

The Explorer acts as a diagram repository of an SAP Signavio Workspace. You can also access features for process analysis here. See below an overview of the modules integrated with SAP Signavio Process Manager's Explore feature.

Modules integrated with the Explorer include the Dictionary, version control, simulation, reporting, handbook creation, and import & export.

The Editor and the Explorer are two separate parts of the SAP Signavio Process Manager. The Editor focuses on the creation of diagrams and the Explorer allows management in a folder structure.

Explorer: a Central Component to Organize Content

Basically, the Explorer serves two different purposes:

  1. Managing content (folders and diagrams):
    • Create and manage your folder structure (including the access rights management for individual folders).
    • Save, copy, delete, and move diagrams (all types of diagrams).
    • Share and publish diagrams to the Collaboration Hub.
    • Manage and restore revisions of diagrams.
    • Import and export diagrams.
  2. Using the following Process Analysis features:
    • Dictionary (central business object repository).
    • Reporting (create standard reports on processes).
    • Simulation (simulate different instances of a process).
    • Diagram comparison(compare different versions or different diagrams).

Note

The features Dictionary, Reporting, and Simulation are covered in dedicated lessons in this course.

Working with the Explorer

How to Use the Explorer

The following video gives you a detailed insight into the Explorer, and explains: 

  • The structure of the Explorer.
  • The integrated search.
  • The menu bar and functionalities.
  • The Help section.

Product Documentation: What Is the Explorer?

For further details check out the product documentation: Explorer overview | SAP Help Portal

It contains additional information and explains every feature of the menu bar.

Three Questions from Practice

Common questions from customers are: "What is the 'correct' folder structure to organize process models, or how to treat sensitive processes?" Here, we share some best practices with you. User access rights are granted at the folder level (but they can also be diagram-specific), so it's important to have a suitable structure from the beginning.

Which Folder Structure Organizes Processes in My Company?

The answer depends on the structure of your company. Departmental processes can be organized in department-specific folders, such as HR or manufacturing, with extra subfolders for further classifications.

In the following example, all company-related processes are stored in department folders, which are subordinate to the "ACME AG" parent folder. This way, it's easier to grant reading rights to processes for the parent folder, instead of granting access rights for each subfolder.

Example: Management parent folder, containing HR, Development, and Procurement department folders. Reading rights for All modelers.

How to Manage Sensitive Processes

You must manage sensitive processes separately, if you must exclude them from the regular user access. The following example shows one possibility of such a structure.

Example: First, department modelers with a Department processes parent folder, containing HR, Development, and Procurement department folders. Second, a dedicated group with Sensitive processes parent folder, containing Budgeting and Strategic planning.

How to Find Published or Unpublished Processes

Just imagine there are 13 different variants of our process. Find the relevant process by using the advanced search to filter the publishing state.

Find the search function and its features in the Explorer on the right side of the search bar.

Key Takeaways

1 - Create a folder structure for processes: better overview and management of process models and user access. 2 - Use the search function: faster finding of relevant processes which fulfill certain criteria. 3 - Use the feed bar: getting a quicker preview on the process or checking the history.

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