Design mode menus

Your IBM FileNet license agreement determines the level of functionality that you see in Process Designer. As a consequence, some of the options described here might not be available for your system. See your system administrator for more information.

In addition, you must be a member of the appropriate access roles and user groups to have access to all the functionality in Process Designer, such as Configuration, Administration, and Simulation options. See Access roles for additional information.

Scenarios options refer to the Process Simulator package, which is an expansion product. You can run a simulation and access the documentation for Simulation Designer and Simulation Console only if Process Simulator is installed.

File menu

New

Create a new workflow collection that contains a new, empty workflow definition.

Open

Open a workflow collection saved in the local file system. The file can be in one of the following formats:

  • PEP format - the native IBM FileNet Process format
  • XPDL 2.0 format - the standard format for Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN)
Close

Close the workflow collection. If there are unsaved changes, you have an opportunity to save the changes or discard them.

Save

Save the open workflow collection in your local file system in the appropriate format—PEP or XPDL 2.0.

Save As

Save the workflow collection to a new name, or location in your local file system. If the workflow collection contains more than one workflow process or scenario, the resulting file type will be XPDL 2.0. If the collection contains only one workflow definition, the default file type will be PEP, unless the original document was an XPDL 2.0 file.

FileNet

  FileNet Open/Checkout

Open a copy or check out a saved workflow collection document—PEP or XPDL 2.0—from an object store.

  FileNet Add New

Add a workflow collection document—PEP or XPDL 2.0—to an object store for the first time. The workflow collection document is checked out immediately after the document is added so you can continue to work on it.

  FileNet Checkin

Create a new version of a checked out workflow collection document, saving any changes. When the checkin is complete, a copy of the workflow collection document remains open.

  FileNet Cancel Checkout

Cancel checkout of the current workflow collection, discarding any changes.

For Workplace or Workplace XT, this discards all changes back to the last checkin, including work saved using FileNet Save.

  FileNet Save

Save any changes made in a checked out workflow collection document.

For Workplace or Workplace XT, this option saves to a temporary work area and does not create a new version of the workflow definition in the object store.

Insert
  New Workflow Create a new workflow definition in the current workflow collection.
  Local Workflow Open a workflow (PEP file) saved in the local file system into the current workflow collection.
  Workflow from Repository Open a workflow from an object store or library into the current workflow collection.
  Imported Visio File Import a Microsoft Visio diagram. Format must be .vdx. Note that this functionality is available only with the IBM FileNet Connector for Microsoft Visio package.
  New Scenario

Create a new scenario to be used in a simulation. If Process Simulator is installed, see Getting started with Simulation Designer for information about creating scenarios and simulations.

When you save the workflow collection, the scenario will be included in the file.

  Local Scenario Open an existing scenario from the local file system and insert it into the workflow collection.
  Scenario from Repository Open an existing scenario from an an object store and insert it into the workflow collecton.
Export to Self-Contained XPDL Export the workflow collection to an XPDL file that can be opened in applications that support BPMN.

Validate Workflow Collection

Validate workflow definitions in the workflow collection, Only workflow definitions specified to be validated in Workflow Properties > Advanced are included.

Transfer Workflow Collection

Transfer workflow definitions in the workflow collection to the Process database. Only workflow definitions specified to be transferred in Workflow Properties > Advanced are included.

If Validate before Transfer/Launch is specifed in Setting > Preferences, all workflow definitions in the collection are validated in Process Designer before they are transferred.

If Add/Check in Before Transfer/Launch is specified in Preferences-Workflow, you are prompted to add or check in the workflow collection.

Launch Main Workflow

Start the process specified in the main workflow definition.

If the workflow collection contains multiple workflow definitions, you can specify which is the main workflow by selecting Action > Set Main Workflow.

Workflow Collection Properties

Specify the name of the Workflow Collection.

If you will create applications using IBM ECM Widgets, select a previously-defined application space. You define the application space in the Configuration tab. (Optional)

Exit

Close Process Designer. If the tabs do not close or the X does not appear, right-click on the tab and click Close.

Edit menu

  Cut/Copy/Paste

You can Cut/Copy/Paste map items (steps, routes, text annotations, and associations) in the workflow map. Cut/Copy/Paste is not supported in the Properties pane.

  Delete

Delete the selected map items.

  Change Step Type

Change the selected step to a different type: an activity step, a submap step, a system step, or a component step.

  Create Map

Create a new workflow map (submap).

  Delete Current Map

Delete the currently active workflow map.

  Add to My Palette

Add the selected step to My Palette.

  Replace in My Palette

Copy the selected step to My Palette, replacing a step of the same name.

View menu
Workflows Display a list of the workflow definitions in this workflow collection. You can select the one you want to display in the work area.
Scenarios Display a list of scenarios in the Workflow Collection.

See Getting started with Simulation Designer for information about creating scenarios and simulations.

Configuration

Open the Configuration tab to modify the workflow configuration settings including adding and configuring queues, specifying exposed data fields, and other configuration tasks for the current isolated region.

NOTE  If you change the configuration, be sure to commit (save) the changes to make them available in Process Designer.

Roles Open the Roles tab to create and manage roles and in-baskets. You define roles and in-baskets if you will create an IBM ECM Widgets application or other custom applications. (This is a configuration option.)
In-baskets Open the in-baskets tab to create in-baskets for use in IBM ECM Widgets applications or other custom applications. (This is a configuration option.)
Action menu for Workflow Definition

Workflow Properties

Open the Workflow Properties dialog box to specify the workflow name, deadlines, data fields, attachments, workflow groups, milestones, web services, and other items for the current workflow.

Go to Map

Display the list of workflow maps. Choose the one to display.

Validate Workflow

Check the current workflow definition for map errors and syntax problems in field value and routing expressions.

Transfer Workflow

Create a runtime version of the current workflow definition in the workflow database.

Launch Workflow

Transfer the current workflow definition to the workflow database (if specified in Preferences - Workflow), and start the process specified in the current workflow definition.

Set as Main Workflow

Use this option to specify the current workflow definition as the main workflow. If the workflow collection contains multiple workflow definitions, the main workflow will start if you launch the main workflow definition. (Note that this option is not available if the current workflow definition is the main workflow.)

Save Workflow to Local

Save the current workflow definition to the local file system.

Save Workflow to Repository

Save the current workflow definition to an object store or library.

Print Setup

Specify which items in the current workflow definition will be printed.

Print Workflow

Print the specified items.

Remove Workflow

Delete the current workflow definition from the workflow collection. (Note that this option is not available if the current workflow definition is the main workflow because you cannot remove the main workflow. To specify a different workflow as the main workflow, open that workflow definition and select Set as Main Workflow.)

  Examine References
   (Available only in FileNet P8)

Check the current workflow definition for references to attachments in IS or CS libraries that are not accessible in the current FileNet P8 system, and for Web Workflow or Open Client step processors that are referenced from a P8 workflow.

Action menu for Scenarios

Validate Scenario

Check one or more scenarios for map errors and syntax problems in field value and routing expressions.

Launch Scenario

Create a simulation as defined in the scenario.

Copy Scenario Make a copy of the open scenario.

Remove Scenario

Remove the specified scenario.

Save Scenario to Local File

Save a scenario to the local file system.

Save Scenario to Repository

Save a scenario to an object store or library.

Tools menu

  Personal Work Manager

Open Personal Work Manager to access your tasks in active workflows.

  Process Administrator Open Process Administrator to view the status of active workflows, edit workflow data and properties, and manage workflows.
Simulation Console Open the Process Simulation Console to run simulations.

Settings menu

Look and Feel

Choose how to display the Process Designer screen from the following options:

  • Metal.
  • Windows Classic. This option uses your Microsoft Windows settings, such as font size and window colors.
Mode

Choose the Process Designer mode to use.

  • Diagram mode: a simplified interface for creating basic diagrams of a process.
  • Design mode: the full interface for creating operational workflows.
Preferences

On the Display options tab, show or hide map items, such as step names and milestone icons.

On the Workflow tab, enable or disable workflow validation before transfer or launch, check in to object store or library before transfer or launch, and inheritance features.

Help menu

Contents and Index

Open the online help for Process Designer.

Tutorials Open a list of tutorials with step-by-step instructions for using Process Designer.
About Open an information page with the version of Process Designer.