Developing BPM projects describes the procedure of using appropriate wizards to create the project files for Business Processes and Web applications. This section describes how to design a process template for either projects and the differences between them.
When you complete the New BPM Project (Creating a BPM project) or the New Web application (Creating a Web application) wizard, the OpenEdge BPM Designer perspective is launched, with the new process template displayed in the Content pane. It is displayed as a project folder in the Project Explorer and Outline views (these two views are automatically displayed when you use the OpenEdge BPM Designer perspective).
If you do not use the Template section in the wizards, the project opens to a blank process template (SPT or SWT) file in the Content pane. If you use the Template section, the process you select as a template appears in the Content pane.
The BPM Designer interface contains the Project Explorer and Outline views on the left side, the Content pane in the middle, and the Tasks pane on the right side. The Project Explorer and Outline views list the files and structural elements in the process template. The Tasks pane provides Shapes, Performers, and other elements available for the selected process. The name of the current process template is displayed above the Content pane. The Content pane tabs at the bottom enable you to view the template diagram, dataslots, and performers for the process.
A process template typically consists of a single Start workstep, one or more Activity worksteps, and at least one End workstep. The following procedure describes how to create a process template by adding shapes, connectors, and other component templates to the Content pane.
To save the process template’s file and export it in a supported format:
1. From the Tasks pane, click the Draw Shapes link and then drag any of the shapes available, into the blank Content pane,beginning with the Start shape ().
a. Select an Activity shape () to represent worksteps performed by a human user (applicable only for Business Processes), an adapter or a subprocess and drag them into the Content pane. Add more Activity Shapes as required.
b. Add an End workstep (). The process template must include at least one End workstep.
You can add the rest of the Shapes depending on your process template requirements.
2. From the Tasks pane, use the Connect Shapes link to connect the worksteps. For more information on connecting worksteps, see Connecting worksteps.
You can now perform the following operations to complete the process flow diagram:
3. From the palette, click the Check Diagram () icon to determine the validity of the process.
If the new process template is not valid, invalid items are listed in the Problems pane; and a pop-up message is displayed indicating the items that are not valid. If you correctly defined the process template, “The diagram is complete” message appears. Click OK.
4. To save changes to all open projects and files, from the File menu, click Save All.
The major differences between editing functions for a Business Process and a Web application are listed below:
There are fewer options in the Tasks pane. Unlike in a Business Process, creating phases and swim Lanes are not supported in Web applications.
There are fewer Shapes available for a Web application. The AND Gateway and Exclusive Or-Join shapes are not supported.
The Rules feature is disabled as rules are not generated in Web applications.
The Alerts tab is not present as this feature is not supported in Web applications.
You can create a process template for a Web application, similar to how you do for a BPM process.
).
) to represent worksteps performed by a human user (applicable only for Business Processes), an adapter or a subprocess and drag them into the Content pane. Add more Activity Shapes as required.
). The process template must include at least one End workstep.
) icon to determine the validity of the process.
There are fewer options in the Tasks pane. Unlike in a Business Process, creating phases and swim Lanes are not supported in Web applications.
