Smart Modeling offers several options to speed up modeling.
You can enable or disable Smart Modeling that provides automatic modeling features, such as creating a space for new objects, placing objects, and reconnecting connections.
Procedure
Activate the Model tab bar.
Click Modeling area >
Smart Modeling. The check box is enabled (
) and the Smart Modeling can be used. Keep the setting if you want to leave Smart Modeling enabled.
To disable Smart Modeling, click Modeling area >
Smart Modeling. The
check box is disabled.
You have enabled or disabled Smart Modeling.
Smart Modeling offers full support for the following EPC and BPMN model types.
EPC
EPC (material flow)
EPC (column display)
EPC (row display)
BPMN allocation diagram (BPMN 2.0)
BPMN collaboration diagram (BPMN 2.0)
BPMN conversation diagram (BPMN 2.0)
BPMN process diagram (BPMN 2.0)
Enterprise BPMN collaboration diagram
Enterprise BPMN process diagram
Many model types have no layout rules and the user is free to decide what the underlying model should look like. Smart Modeling is also available for these model types, but with limited support. Limited support can mean:
Objects are created overlapping if you insert more than one object with the same Insert icon of an object. Therefore, you must arrange them manually. This applies, for example, to models of
the Organizational chart type.
You can select objects from the Smart Modeling toolbar, but they are not placed. You must click at the relevant position to place them. This applies to all lane models, such as EPC (table display) and E-Business scenario diagram.
Smart Modeling is also available for lane models. If you select an object in a lane model, insert icons are displayed for the object. Click an insert icon, select the object you want to connect with the current object, and drag it to the position where you want to drop it.
For lane models of type EPC (material flow) and EPC (column display), Smart modeling is fully supported.
If an object is allowed in the current lane, clicking an insert icon places the object in the corresponding direction and adjusts the layout. If space is not enough to place the new object to the right or bottom of a lane, the lane is expanded. If space is not enough to place the new object to the left or top of a lane, the lane is expanded, the object is inserted, and the existing objects are moved.
You can set the default distance for objects that are placed when modeling with Smart Modeling.
Please note that this procedure will layout the current model, but you can easily undo the layout as described below. Keep in mind that the change of the default distance affects future layouts operations.
Procedure
Activate the Model tab bar.
Click Layout. The layout options are provided.
Enter values for Horizontal item spacing and Vertical item spacing.
Keep the Use as default check box enabled.
Click OK. The changed layout is applied to objects that have already been placed.
If the new layout does not meet your requirements, click Undo. The layout operation is undone and the model looks as before.
The item spacing you entered is set as the default distance for objects you place using Smart Modeling.
With Smart Modeling, you can easily place new and existing objects.
Procedure (quick video)
Select the object you want to connect with a new object. The Insert icons .
If you have enabled Smart Modeling, the insert icons are displayed under the following conditions.
Enough space
There must be enough space to arrange Insert icons around an object symbol. Therefore, the model display must be large enough to display
Insert icons in the model in addition to the objects.
Thus, Insert icons are displayed when Smart Modeling is enabled and the model display is equal
or greater than 30 %.
Permission to use a connection
The user must have the privilege to use the outgoing connection of the selected object.
If a user does not have the privilege because the used filter does not allow the connection,
the Insert icon for the corresponding direction is not displayed.
Click the Insert icon of the direction in which you want to place the object. The opens.
The Smart Modeling toolbar provides functionality for the simple and very fast placement of objects. It provides objects that are directly accessible and a search field for finding and placing object symbols that are not listed in the toolbar. Also, you can use the smart object toolbar to create connections to existing objects.
When you place an object using the search field, the symbol of the placed object is added to the list of directly accessible objects for the selected object type.
You can configure the toolbar for each object type so that you always have access to the objects you want to connect.
Click an object shown on the Smart Modeling toolbar you want to place. The object is inserted in the direction you selected the Insert icon and a connection is created to the previously selected object. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter a name. If you enter an existing name, existing objects are offered for selection. You can create a new object, select an existing one, or
.You can create a new object with the same name as an existing object.
Procedure
Place an object in the modeling area. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter the name of an existing object.
Click in the modeling area or press Enter. You are informed that the entered name is already used.
In the Create a new object with this name area, click the name you entered.
The new object is created. The existing object and the new object are independent of each other. They have different GUIDs and can have completely different attributes except for the name.
If selectable connections are displayed, click another connection or click in the modeling area to obtain the current connection.
With Smart Modeling, you have placed an object at the specified distance.
With Smart Modeling, you can easily place new and existing objects.
Select the object you want to connect with a new object. The Insert icons .
If you have enabled Smart Modeling, the insert icons are displayed under the following conditions.
Enough space
There must be enough space to arrange Insert icons around an object symbol. Therefore, the model display must be large enough to display
Insert icons in the model in addition to the objects.
Thus, Insert icons are displayed when Smart Modeling is enabled and the model display is equal
or greater than 30 %.
Permission to use a connection
The user must have the privilege to use the outgoing connection of the selected object.
If a user does not have the privilege because the used filter does not allow the connection,
the Insert icon for the corresponding direction is not displayed.
Click the Insert icon of the direction in which you want to place the object. The opens.
The Smart Modeling toolbar provides functionality for the simple and very fast placement of objects. It provides objects that are directly accessible and a search field for finding and placing object symbols that are not listed in the toolbar. Also, you can use the smart object toolbar to create connections to existing objects.
When you place an object using the search field, the symbol of the placed object is added to the list of directly accessible objects for the selected object type.
You can configure the toolbar for each object type so that you always have access to the objects you want to connect.
Click the Find symbols box and enter the name of the object symbol you want to place.
Enter a term that is contained in the name of the object symbol you want to place. All object symbols containing the term are listed.
Click the object you want to place. The object is inserted in the direction you selected the Insert icon and a connection is created to the previously selected object. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter a name. If you enter an existing name, existing objects are offered for selection. You can create a new object, select an existing one, or
.You can create a new object with the same name as an existing object.
Procedure
Place an object in the modeling area. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter the name of an existing object.
Click in the modeling area or press Enter. You are informed that the entered name is already used.
In the Create a new object with this name area, click the name you entered.
The new object is created. The existing object and the new object are independent of each other. They have different GUIDs and can have completely different attributes except for the name.
If selectable connections are displayed, click another connection or click in the modeling area to obtain the current connection.
With Smart Modeling, you have placed an object at the specified distance. The object symbol of the placed object is added to the Smart Modeling toolbar for later use.
The Smart Modeling toolbar provides functionality for the simple and very fast placement of objects. It provides objects that are directly accessible and a search field for finding and placing object symbols that are not listed in the toolbar. Also, you can use the smart object toolbar to create connections to existing objects.
When you place an object using the search field, the symbol of the placed object is added to the list of directly accessible objects for the selected object type.
You can configure the toolbar for each object type so that you always have access to the objects you want to connect.
You can configure which symbol type to use per model type in the Smart Modeling toolbar to provide direct access to the objects you want to connect with that object type.
The object symbols you place using the search field are automatically added to the Smart Modeling toolbar of the corresponding object symbol for later use.
Procedure
Select an object symbol of an object of the type you want to configure. The Insert icons are displayed.
Click one of the Insert icons. The opens.
The Smart Modeling toolbar provides functionality for the simple and very fast placement of objects. It provides objects that are directly accessible and a search field for finding and placing object symbols that are not listed in the toolbar. Also, you can use the smart object toolbar to create connections to existing objects.
When you place an object using the search field, the symbol of the placed object is added to the list of directly accessible objects for the selected object type.
You can configure the toolbar for each object type so that you always have access to the objects you want to connect.
In the Smart Modeling toolbar, click Configure.
To remove individual object symbols, click Remove symbols from toolbar.
Click the object symbols you want to remove. They are grayed and their remove icons are highlighted.
If you want to exclude an already selected object symbol from the removal list, click it again.
To complete the removal, click Done. The selected objects symbols are removed.
To reset direct access to object symbols of the bar to the default setting, click Configure and Restore ARIS defaults. The Smart Modeling toolbar provides the object symbols for direct access that are default set by ARIS.
You have configured the Smart Modeling toolbar.
If you have enabled Smart Modeling, the insert icons are displayed under the following conditions.
Enough space
There must be enough space to arrange Insert icons around an object symbol. Therefore, the model display must be large enough to display
Insert icons in the model in addition to the objects.
Thus, Insert icons are displayed when Smart Modeling is enabled and the model display is equal
or greater than 30 %.
Permission to use a connection
The user must have the privilege to use the outgoing connection of the selected object.
If a user does not have the privilege because the used filter does not allow the connection,
the Insert icon for the corresponding direction is not displayed. In the following graphically displayed example, the user does not have the privilege
to create an outgoing connection from the function Accept order to the event Order accepted.
With Smart Modeling, you can quickly place objects between existing objects.
Procedure (
)
Select the object that is connected to another object. The Insert icons .
If you have enabled Smart Modeling, the insert icons are displayed under the following conditions.
Enough space
There must be enough space to arrange Insert icons around an object symbol. Therefore, the model display must be large enough to display
Insert icons in the model in addition to the objects.
Thus, Insert icons are displayed when Smart Modeling is enabled and the model display is equal
or greater than 30 %.
Permission to use a connection
The user must have the privilege to use the outgoing connection of the selected object.
If a user does not have the privilege because the used filter does not allow the connection,
the Insert icon for the corresponding direction is not displayed.
Click the Insert icon of the direction in which the selected object is connected to the other object.
The Smart Modeling toolbar opens.
Click the object you want to place between the existing objects. The object is placed between the existing object and new connections are created between the three objects.
Enter a name. If you enter an existing name, existing objects are offered for selection. You can create a new object, select an existing one, or
.You can create a new object with the same name as an existing object.
Procedure
Place an object in the modeling area. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter the name of an existing object.
Click in the modeling area or press Enter. You are informed that the entered name is already used.
In the Create a new object with this name area, click the name you entered.
The new object is created. The existing object and the new object are independent of each other. They have different GUIDs and can have completely different attributes except for the name.
With Smart Modeling, you have quickly placed an object between existing objects.
With Smart Modeling, you can easily place multiple Function.
. The following example shows how to place multiple satellite objects for an object of typeA satellite is an object that can be inserted in a model or diagram but is not structurally relevant in the model or diagram.
For example, an object of the Organizational unit type is a satellite in an event-driven process chain (EPC). In a model of the Organizational chart type, on the other hand, an object of the Organizational unit type is a structurally relevant object.
Procedure (
)
Select the object you want to connect with multiple satellite objects. The Insert icons .
If you have enabled Smart Modeling, the insert icons are displayed under the following conditions.
Enough space
There must be enough space to arrange Insert icons around an object symbol. Therefore, the model display must be large enough to display
Insert icons in the model in addition to the objects.
Thus, Insert icons are displayed when Smart Modeling is enabled and the model display is equal
or greater than 30 %.
Permission to use a connection
The user must have the privilege to use the outgoing connection of the selected object.
If a user does not have the privilege because the used filter does not allow the connection,
the Insert icon for the corresponding direction is not displayed.
Click the Insert icon of the direction in which you want to place the object. The opens.
The Smart Modeling toolbar provides functionality for the simple and very fast placement of objects. It provides objects that are directly accessible and a search field for finding and placing object symbols that are not listed in the toolbar. Also, you can use the smart object toolbar to create connections to existing objects.
When you place an object using the search field, the symbol of the placed object is added to the list of directly accessible objects for the selected object type.
You can configure the toolbar for each object type so that you always have access to the objects you want to connect.
Click the object symbol shown on the Smart Modeling toolbar you want to place, for example, Role. The object is inserted in the direction you selected the Insert icon and a connection is created to the previously selected object. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter a name. If you enter an existing name, existing objects are offered for selection. You can create a new object, select an existing one, or
.You can create a new object with the same name as an existing object.
Procedure
Place an object in the modeling area. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter the name of an existing object.
Click in the modeling area or press Enter. You are informed that the entered name is already used.
In the Create a new object with this name area, click the name you entered.
The new object is created. The existing object and the new object are independent of each other. They have different GUIDs and can have completely different attributes except for the name.
Select a connection, for example, has consulting role in.
The satellite object is inserted.
Reselect the object you want to connect with multiple satellite objects.
Click the Insert icon in the same direction in which you placed the previous object and click the Application system type object symbol. The object is placed below the satellite that was placed first.
Enter a name. If you enter an existing name, existing objects are offered for selection. You can create a new object, select an existing one, or
.You can create a new object with the same name as an existing object.
Procedure
Place an object in the modeling area. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter the name of an existing object.
Click in the modeling area or press Enter. You are informed that the entered name is already used.
In the Create a new object with this name area, click the name you entered.
The new object is created. The existing object and the new object are independent of each other. They have different GUIDs and can have completely different attributes except for the name.
Select a connection, for example, supports.
Reselect the object you want to connect with multiple satellite objects.
Click the Insert icon in the same direction in which you placed the previous object and click the Position object symbol. The object is placed above the other satellites.
Select a connection, for example, carries out. The satellite object is inserted.
With Smart Modeling, you have placed multiple satellites.
Objects placed with Smart Modeling are placed according to the set default distance. If you want to place a smart object in a specific position, you can place it via drag and drop in the modeling area.
Procedure
Select the object that you want to connect to a new object. The Insert icons .
If you have enabled Smart Modeling, the insert icons are displayed under the following conditions.
Enough space
There must be enough space to arrange Insert icons around an object symbol. Therefore, the model display must be large enough to display
Insert icons in the model in addition to the objects.
Thus, Insert icons are displayed when Smart Modeling is enabled and the model display is equal
or greater than 30 %.
Permission to use a connection
The user must have the privilege to use the outgoing connection of the selected object.
If a user does not have the privilege because the used filter does not allow the connection,
the Insert icon for the corresponding direction is not displayed.
Click the Insert icon on the side of the selected object to which you want to attach the connection.
The opens.
The Smart Modeling toolbar provides functionality for the simple and very fast placement of objects. It provides objects that are directly accessible and a search field for finding and placing object symbols that are not listed in the toolbar. Also, you can use the smart object toolbar to create connections to existing objects.
When you place an object using the search field, the symbol of the placed object is added to the list of directly accessible objects for the selected object type.
You can configure the toolbar for each object type so that you always have access to the objects you want to connect.
Click the object symbol you want to place and hold down the mouse button.
Drag the mouse pointer to the position you want to place the object in the modeling area. If you have
, lines and arrows inform you of the orientation and distance of the dragged object from adjacent items.You can enable or disable Guided Modeling, which uses lines and arrows to help you place objects or connections at the selected distance in the modeling area.
Open the model.
Activate the Model tab bar.
Click Modeling area >
Show guides. The check box is enabled (
), and the guides for placing items are shown in the modeling area.
To disable the guides, click Modeling area >
Show guides. The
check box is disabled.
You have enabled or disabled the guides for Guided Modeling.
Release the mouse button. The object is placed, and its name is selected for overwriting.
Enter a name. If you enter an existing name, existing objects are offered for selection. You can create a new object, select an existing one, or
.You can create a new object with the same name as an existing object.
Procedure
Place an object in the modeling area. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter the name of an existing object.
Click in the modeling area or press Enter. You are informed that the entered name is already used.
In the Create a new object with this name area, click the name you entered.
The new object is created. The existing object and the new object are independent of each other. They have different GUIDs and can have completely different attributes except for the name.
If selectable connections are displayed, click another connection or click in the modeling area to obtain the current connection.
With Smart Modeling, you have placed an object with drag and drop.
With Smart Modeling, you can easily place existing objects.
Procedure
. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
With Smart Modeling, you can easily place new and existing objects.
Procedure (quick video)
Select the object you want to connect with a new object. The Insert icons .
If you have enabled Smart Modeling, the insert icons are displayed under the following conditions.
Enough space
There must be enough space to arrange Insert icons around an object symbol. Therefore, the model display must be large enough to display
Insert icons in the model in addition to the objects.
Thus, Insert icons are displayed when Smart Modeling is enabled and the model display is equal
or greater than 30 %.
Permission to use a connection
The user must have the privilege to use the outgoing connection of the selected object.
If a user does not have the privilege because the used filter does not allow the connection,
the Insert icon for the corresponding direction is not displayed.
Click the Insert icon of the direction in which you want to place the object. The opens.
The Smart Modeling toolbar provides functionality for the simple and very fast placement of objects. It provides objects that are directly accessible and a search field for finding and placing object symbols that are not listed in the toolbar. Also, you can use the smart object toolbar to create connections to existing objects.
When you place an object using the search field, the symbol of the placed object is added to the list of directly accessible objects for the selected object type.
You can configure the toolbar for each object type so that you always have access to the objects you want to connect.
Click an object shown on the Smart Modeling toolbar you want to place. The object is inserted in the direction you selected the Insert icon and a connection is created to the previously selected object. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter a name. If you enter an existing name, existing objects are offered for selection. You can create a new object, select an existing one, or
.You can create a new object with the same name as an existing object.
Procedure
Place an object in the modeling area. The name of the new object is selected for renaming.
Enter the name of an existing object.
Click in the modeling area or press Enter. You are informed that the entered name is already used.
In the Create a new object with this name area, click the name you entered.
The new object is created. The existing object and the new object are independent of each other. They have different GUIDs and can have completely different attributes except for the name.
If selectable connections are displayed, click another connection or click in the modeling area to obtain the current connection.
With Smart Modeling, you have placed an object at the specified distance.
Enter a term. As soon as you have entered two or more letters, all objects in the database that are of the same type as the selected object and whose names contain the entered term are listed.
Click the name of the object you want to place.
With Smart Modeling, you have placed the symbol of an existing object in the modeling area.
When you use Smart Modeling, some connections are automatically created between the selected and the newly created objects. Objects are also reconnected when you place new objects between existing objects. You can also connect unconnected objects with the Insert icons and the Smart Modeling toolbar.
Procedure (
)
Select the object you want to connect with an object that has already been placed.
The Insert icons are displayed.
Click the Insert icon on the side of the selected object to which you want to attach the connection
and hold down the mouse button.
Move the mouse pointer to the border of the target object.
Release the mouse button at the connection anchor point where you want to connect the target object. If you can create more than one connection between the objects, the selectable connections are displayed and the currently used connection is highlighted in bold.
If you want to use another connection, click the corresponding name, otherwise click on the modeling area. The connection selection is closed.
You have created a connection using the Insert icon of Smart Modeling.
If you place
, the connection is chosen automatically. If you place , the connections that you can select are displayed. The currently used connection is highlighted in bold.Basic model objects.
These are objects that indicate the distinctive feature of a model. For a model of the Organizational chart type, the objects Organizational unit, Role, and Person are structurally relevant objects, for example. Using these items, you can build the typical hierarchy of an organizational chart.
The Event and Function objects are typical for the EPC model type and are thus structurally relevant to a business process. You can use these to establish a typical control flow. The Organizational unit, Role, and Person objects can also be inserted into an EPC. However, these objects do not constitute the distinctive feature of a business process. As structurally irrelevant objects, they act as satellites and add more detailed information to the process model. For example, you can insert organizational units and link them to functions to illustrate who carries out those functions.
An object that can be inserted in a model or diagram but is not a structurally relevant object is known as a satellite.
A satellite is an object that can be inserted in a model or diagram but is not structurally relevant in the model or diagram.
For example, an object of the Organizational unit type is a satellite in an event-driven process chain (EPC). In a model of the Organizational chart type, on the other hand, an object of the Organizational unit type is a structurally relevant object.
If you use Del to delete a that is connected to two structurally relevant objects, Smart Modeling automatically creates a connection between the remaining objects. If you use Shift + Del, Smart Modeling does not create a connection between the remaining objects.
Basic model objects.
These are objects that indicate the distinctive feature of a model. For a model of the Organizational chart type, the objects Organizational unit, Role, and Person are structurally relevant objects, for example. Using these items, you can build the typical hierarchy of an organizational chart.
The Event and Function objects are typical for the EPC model type and are thus structurally relevant to a business process. You can use these to establish a typical control flow. The Organizational unit, Role, and Person objects can also be inserted into an EPC. However, these objects do not constitute the distinctive feature of a business process. As structurally irrelevant objects, they act as satellites and add more detailed information to the process model. For example, you can insert organizational units and link them to functions to illustrate who carries out those functions.
An object that can be inserted in a model or diagram but is not a structurally relevant object is known as a satellite.
Procedure
Select the object you want to delete.
If you want the connection between the remaining objects to be created automatically, press Del.
The connection is created.
If you do not want the remaining objects to be connected, press Shift + Del.
No connection is created.
You have deleted a structurally relevant object so that a connection is automatically created between the remaining objects or no connection is created.