This example uses shapes from the Basic Flowchart stencil to create the Visio diagram. Most of these shapes are mapped to Process Designer objects.
The Visio diagram below shows a very simplified hiring process starting with SubmitApplication.
- SubmitApplication (Process shape) is the start of the process.
- InfoComplete?, Qualified?, and Continue? (Decision shapes) are decision steps in the process.
- Hire (Process shape) is the last step in this process unless decisions route the flow to Reject (Terminator shape) which ends the process.
- The routes between the steps (Dynamic connector shapes) are labelled Yes or No as appropriate.
- App (Document shape) indicates an attachment (the application document) at specific steps. Use Line-curve connector shape to associate the document with each step.
- JobDescr (Data shape) indicates data describing the job description at the Qualified? step. Use Line-curve connector shape to associate the data with the step.
- Compare with other applicants (Annotation shape) is a note added to the Interview step.
- Reject (Terminator shape) indicates a termination of the hiring process.
Save the diagram in Visio XML format (.vdx) for import into Process Designer.
In Process Designer, use Visio Import (File menu) to import the diagram.
- Line-curve connector - map to Association
- Process / Interview and Hire - map to General step.
- Process / SubmitApplication - map to Start
If errors are detected during the procedure, return to the Mapping Specification page and check the mapping. For other errors, check the Visio diagram. The most usual problem is connectors that are not snapped to the connection points on the shapes.
The imported process appears as follows in Process Designer, and at this point, you can successfully Validate the workflow.
In addition to the steps on the workflow map, the data field (JobDescr) and attachment (App) were created and are selected parameters for the appropriate steps:
- On the Workflow Properties Data tab, note the JobDescr string data field. This field is used in the Qualified? step.
- On the Attachment tab, note the App attachment. In this example, a job applicant would attach his or her job application at the launch step. The App attachment is used at the SubmitApplication, InfoComplete?, and Qualified? steps.
The following items remain to complete the workflow definition:
- Assign a participant or queue for each step.
- For each decision (InfoComplete?, Qualified?, and Continue?), specify a routing condition, such as a user choice.
- In Process Designer Workflow Properties, optionally specify a more descriptive name for the workflow definition. (The workflow collection assumes the name of the imported Visio file. The individual process assumes the name of the page in the Visio diagram.)
- Note that the text annotation is not associated with any step. Add an association object to associate the text annotation with the Interview step. You could optionally type the text into the instructions for the step.