Visio import example - BPMN diagram with sub-process
For this example, we will use the shapes on the BPMN stencil to create the Visio diagram. These shapes are mapped to Process Designer objects.

The following are among the most frequently used:
- Task maps to a Process Designer General step.
- Sequence flow maps to a Route.
- Collapsed sub-process maps to a Submap step and creates an empty submap.
- Expanded sub-process maps to a Submap step and submap.
- Data-based exclusive (XOR), Event-based exclusive (XOR), Inclusive (OR), and Parallel (AND) map to a General step.
- Data object maps to a data field.
- Start event and other Start shapes map to the Start step.
- End event maps to the TerminateBranch System step.
In addition to the shapes on the BPMN stencil, you can also use shapes on other Visio stencils to create process diagrams to import into Process Designer. Many of these standard Visio shapes are also mapped to Process Designer objects. You can override the mapping to Process Designer objects to accommodate your diagrams, and you can create custom shapes and map them to Process Designer objects as you see fit.
BPMN example
This example shows a simple product support process that includes two options: (1) get assistance with a problem, or (2) order a part, which has a sub-process to check stock, check price, ship, and so on.

- Start (Start event shape) is the start of the process. Other start shapes can also be used to indicate the start of the process. If there is no Start shape on the diagram, there will be no route from the Process Designer Start step—you will need to add the route in Process Designer.
- Evaluate and InStock (Event-based exclusive (XOR) shape) represent splits.
- Assistance (Task) as a single task.
- Parts (Expanded sub-process shape) represents both a submap step and the submap. The name Parts will name both the submap step and the submap in the Process Designer workflow definition.
- Inside the Parts shape, Task shapes show the steps in the sub-process. Note that the shapes must be inside the Parts box to be included in the sub-process.
- Routes (Sequence flow shape) must be snapped to the connection points on the shapes, and the arrow must go in the appropriate direction.
To make this process more substantial, we add data, CustName, PartNum, and Cost (Data shape), associated with the appropriate tasks using Association shapes. Each Data object will convert to a string data field in Process Designer, so it helps to use concise names, and to be consistent in the spelling.

Save the diagram in Visio XML format (.vdx) for import into Process Designer.
In Process Designer, use Visio Import (File menu) to import the process as a workflow definition. Since all of the shapes used in this diagram are already mapped to Process Designer objects, the import should be relatively smooth, but if errors are detected during the procedure, you should correct them in the Visio diagram and then try again.
The imported process appears as follows in Process Designer.

The following tasks remain to make the imported process into a valid workflow definition:
- In Process Designer Workflow Properties, specify the data type for any data field that is not a string. In our example, the Cost field might be an Integer or Float.
- Assign a participant or queue for each step.
- For each split (at Evaluate and InStock), specify the routing condition—a user choice or some data field value.
- Since we did not add a Start step in the sub-process, add a route from the StartStep in the Parts submap to the InStock step.