Model new variable (data flow)

Variables are task-independent data placeholders. A function or an event can store a value in a variable, and another function or event can extract and use this value in a later process step.

Variables should be used in governance workflows only if required. For the standard data flow between the various activities, the activities themselves should be used as input. The data should not be unnecessarily stored intermediately in variables as this may have a massive impact on the entire performance of the governance workflow.

Prerequisite

At least one variable catalog exists as a model of the IE Data model type in your database.

Procedure

  1. Open the relevant model.

    You can open models in different ways.

    Prerequisite

    • You have the ARIS Connect Designer license privilege.

    • The model type is allowed by the method filter in use.

    Procedure

    1. If you are authorized to use multiple databases, select the database containing the contents you want to access.

    2. Click Application launcher Application launcher > Published content Published content.

    3. Click Groups in the Classic or Processes in the Default configuration set.

    4. Select the group or process area containing the required model. The content of the selected group or process area is listed.

    5. Click the name of the relevant model.

    6. Click Diagram if you want to display the model graphically.

    7. Click Edit Edit > Edit model Edit model.

    1. Click Application launcher Application launcher > Models and objects Models and objects. The Models and objects view in the repository is opened.

    2. In the database, select the group containing the relevant model. The content of the selected group is listed.

    3. Click the name of the model you want to open.

    1. If you are authorized to use multiple databases, select the database containing the contents you want to access.

    2. Click Application launcher Application launcher > Models and objects Models and objects. The Models and objects view in the repository is opened.

    3. Click Recent changes Recently used. All models are listed that have recently been changed or created.

    4. Click the tile of the model you want to open.

    You can select models in the Published content Published content view and open them for editing in a separate tab.

    Prerequisite

    You have the ARIS Connect Designer license privilege.

    Procedure

    1. Click Application launcher Application launcher > Published content Published content.

    2. Click Groups in the Classic or Processes in the Default configuration set.

    3. Navigate to the relevant model.

    4. Click the name of the model you want to edit.

    5. Click Edit Edit > Edit model Edit model. The model opens on an individual tab.

    6. Make the required changes.

    7. Click Save Save.

    Your changes are saved in the model.

    1. If you are authorized to use multiple databases, select the database containing the contents you want to access.

    2. Click the Find Search field and enter a term that is included in the model name. The search results list all models that have the term in their name.

    3. In the Models category, click the name of the model you want to open.

    The model opens on a separate tab.

  2. Create or open a data flow.

  3. Activate the Variables and constants Variables and constants bar.

  4. Activate the Variables tab.

  5. Select a variable catalog.

  6. If you need a new variable, click New. The Create variable dialog opens. Specify name, type, scope, and the initial value (not for the Collection type). You can specify that variables of String, Boolean, or Decimal type with the scope System or Process are externalized. That means, the value can be changed manually in Process administration during the process execution.

    The variable is created. Specify the Variable context attribute of the Process automation attribute type group. If you do not specify this attribute Process instance is used automatically as the default value.

  7. Click the variable and hold down the mouse button. Drag the variable to the modeling area of the data flow and release the mouse button.

    You have placed the variable. The externalization is indicated in the placed variable by an icon: Externalized.

  8. Now model the connections and enter the initial value for the variable, if required.

You have modeled a variable. You can use it in the data flows of all objects.

You can use multiple variables in a data flow diagram for a function and connect them with fields of the function. You can also use multiple variables in a data flow diagram for a function with the Function symbol. You can use a variable in a data flow multiple times. Since a data flow is modeled graphically, you cannot influence a specific value of a variable.