Configure process instances

The process instantiation, that is, patterns of times and quantities used for generating process instances, can be configured using process instantiation plans or object attributes. If both options are used, the process instances created with process instantiation plans have priority.

General

You can configure the process instantiation using process instantiation plans by assigning the Schedule model to start objects. Start objects are events, and are also functions or rules in BPMN diagrams.

Prerequisite

You have already created a Schedule model having at least one Calendar event object and defined the calendar event as a process instantiation object.

Procedure

  1. Open the model to which you want to assign the shift calendar.
  2. Right-click the start event to which you want to assign the process instantiation plan.
  3. Select Assignments.
  4. Click New.
  5. Enable the Existing model option.
  6. Click Schedule.
  7. Click Next.
  8. Select the group in which the model is located.
  9. Click the name of the model.
  10. Click Finish.

The process instantiation plan is assigned to the start event and will be used to create process instances during the simulation.

ARIS models

You can use object attributes to generate processes at equal intervals, for example, over a period of 24 hours. By default, one process instance per day is set. If 0 is entered as a value, no process instance is generated.

Procedure

  1. Right-click the start event and click Attributes.
  2. Click the Frequency attribute type group.
  3. In line with the example, enter the value 24 for the Frequency, daily attribute.
  4. Click Close.
  5. In the Save object dialog, click Yes.

This entry will cause a process instance to be created every hour.

BPMN diagrams

For BPMN diagrams, you can define a period after which processes are to be created. If the Time cycle attribute has been specified, it has priority over the Frequency attribute. In order for the attribute to be interpretable during the simulation, a time span must be specified in P[n]Y[n]M[n]DT[n]H[n]M[n]S format, conforming to ISO 8601. In this context, the following applies: P = indication that a period follows; Y = years; M = months; D = days; T = separator between date/time; H = hours; M = minutes, and S =seconds. [n] indicates the numerical value in each case. Example: P6DT5H corresponds to 6 days and 5 hours.

Prerequisite

The process model has a Timer type start event.

Procedure

  1. Right-click the start event and click Attributes.
  2. Click the BPMN > Timer attribute type group.
  3. For the Time cycle attribute, enter the period after which the event is to be created regularly.
  4. Click Close.
  5. In the Save object dialog, click Yes.

The process instances are created in line with the predefined cycle.