Process Model Object

This page explains what a process model is, when to use one, and how to create, configure, secure, and maintain it.

What is a process model?

A process model is the Appian design object that defines how a process runs in Appian. A process model represents the process as a diagram of connected smart services and nodes, including activities, events, and gateways. It captures the flow of work, the data that passes between steps through process variables, and the users or groups responsible for each task. You build, configure, and publish a process model in the Process Modeler.

A published process model can be started or referenced from many places in Appian. For example, a record action or a site page can start a process, and another process model can call it as a subprocess. You can also start a process model with the Start Process smart service, and reference process models in Process HQ reports.

When to use a process model

Use a process model when you need to:

• Automate a multi-step business process: Define a sequence of activities, events, and gateways that Appian runs from start to finish.
• Coordinate tasks across users and groups: Assign tasks to the right people and route work based on your business rules.
• Move data between steps: Use process variables to pass data from one node to the next and into your data sources.
• Integrate with external systems: Call integrations, run scripts, and connect to other systems as part of the workflow.
• Respond to events: Start a process from a record action, a start form, an email, or a message from another process.

Elements of a process model

A process model is built and edited in the Process Modeler. The Process Modeler contains the following elements:

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#	Element	Available actions
1	Menu bar	Use the File, Edit, View, Tools, and Lanes menus to perform actions like save, publish, print, and secure the process model.
2	Process model status tab	Check the name and version of the process model open on the canvas. An asterisk (*) before the name indicates unsaved changes, and the icon indicates that autoscale is enabled for the process.
3	Smart service search bar	Search for any smart service without browsing the palette, then drag it onto the canvas.
4	Suggested smart service palette	Add an AI-suggested smart service or node as the next step on the canvas.
5	Workflow and Automation smart service palette	Browse and drag all nodes and smart services onto the canvas, grouped into the Workflow and Automation categories. A custom plug-in displays the icon next to its listing.
6	Process model toolbar	Access frequently used functions to create and manage your process on the canvas.
7	Process model role view	Switch between the process Analyst View and the Designer View.
8	Process model canvas	Drag nodes onto the canvas and connect them to build your process.
9	Suggested smart service popup	Right-click a connector between two nodes to search smart services and nodes, and see AI-based suggestions.
10	Process model design guidance	Review the list of suggestions, warnings, and errors to build your process model using Appian's best practices.

Menu bar options

The Process Modeler menu bar provides options for working with a process model, grouped into the File, Edit, View, Tools, and Lanes menus.

File menu

The File menu provides options for opening, saving, publishing, and closing process models:

Option	Description
New Process Model	Opens a new process model in a separate tab in the Process Modeler. New process models created in the Process Modeler are not automatically added to an application.
Open…	You can open other process models from other folders in the Open dialog.
Close	Closes the process model you are viewing.
Close All	Closes all process models open in the Process Modeler.
Save	Saves all changes to the process model, but does not publish it as a new version. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+S (or Command+S on Mac).
Save As…	Saves the process model as a new file. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+Shift+S (or Command+Shift+S on Mac).
Save & Publish	Saves all changes to the process model and publishes it as a new version. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+Alt+S (or Command+Option+S on Mac).
Versions…	Opens a dialog with a list of all versions of the process model.
Security	Opens a dialog that allows you to manage process model security by groups.
Start Process for Debugging	Runs an instance of your process model. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+D (or Command+D on Mac).
Print Preview	Provides a preview of the process model. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+P (or Command+P on Mac).
Print	Prints the process model diagram.
Properties	Opens a dialog that provides all options for process model properties.
Exit	Closes the Process Modeler.

Edit menu

The Edit menu provides options for modifying the canvas:

Option	Description
Undo	Reverts the most recent change. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+Z (or Command+Z on Mac).
Redo	Reapplies the last change you undid. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z (or Command+Y or Command+Shift+Z on Mac).
Cut	Cuts the selected node on the canvas. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+X (or Command+X on Mac).
Copy	Copies the selected node to your clipboard. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+C (or Command+C on Mac).
Paste	Pastes the copied node to the canvas. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+V (or Command+V on Mac).
Select All	Selects all nodes on the canvas. To access this option, you can also press Ctrl+A (or Command+A on Mac).
Delete	Deletes selected node.

View menu

The View menu provides options for adjusting the display of the Process Modeler:

Option	Description
Zoom In	Increase the magnification of the current view. The available increased magnification settings are between 50% and 200%, with 25% increments.
Zoom Out	Decrease the magnification of the current view. The available decreased magnification settings are between 175% and 25%.
BPMN View	Display flow objects according to the BPMN specifications for process models and primitives.
Enhanced View	Display flow objects with markers on activity boundaries that indicate assignment. Individual user assignments display the user's profile photo, when available.
Hide/Show Grid	Display or remove grid lines from the Process Modeler Canvas background.
Turn Snap On/Off	The snap feature adjusts the position of your flow objects so that an incoming flow connector follows the nearest horizontal guide. Select the Turn Snap Off option to position flow objects with greater precision.
Hide/Show Messages	The messages pane displays validation warnings and errors when you click the Validate button, when saving a process model, or when saving and publishing a process model. Click an error message to display the Properties dialog of the flow object where the error is found. This pane is shown by default in the Process Designer view, and hidden by default in the Process Analyst, Edit Process, and Monitor Process views.
Show/Hide Node Metrics	This option overlays task completion metrics for assigned tasks in the process, or for all processes started from the process model. The Process Optimization Metrics and Process Model Optimization Metrics reports are used to generate this data. If you modify these reports, 20 columns of data are the maximum that can be configured to display.

Tools menu

The Tools menu provides options for validating and documenting the process model:

Option	Description
Validate	Validates all nodes in your process.
Generate Documentation	Generates a summary of the process model with information about the properties, diagram, content, and nodes. See Generate Process Model Documentation.

Lanes menu

The Lanes menu provides options for adding and managing swimlanes on the canvas:

Option	Description
Add Horizontal Lane	Add a horizontal swimlane to the canvas.
Add Vertical Lane	Add a vertical swimlane to the canvas.
Remove Lane	Remove the selected swimlane from the canvas. Nodes in the swimlane are not deleted.
Remove All Lanes	Remove all swimlanes on the canvas.
Lane Properties	Displays the lane properties.

Search for nodes and design objects

The Search bar lets you find a node or smart service without needing to browse from the categories in the palette. Additionally, you can search for certain design objects and add them directly to your process model.

When you search for and drag in a design object, Appian preconfigures the related smart service for you so it references the object you want to use. You can search for process model, integration (excluding RPA), and interface design objects.

To add a design object using the search bar:

1. Enter the name of the design object you want to use. The object must be within the same application as the process model you're editing.

2. Click and drag the object from the search results to the canvas. Appian preconfigures the corresponding smart service to reference that object.

   

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3. Open the process node's properties to further configure its behavior.

When you add a design object to the Process Modeler, Appian creates and preconfigures the appropriate nodes, as described in the following table:

Design object	Node	Configurations
Integration	Call Integration	Setup tab: References the integration object. Data tab: References data inputs and outputs.
Interface	User Input Task	Forms tab: References the interface object. Data tab: References data inputs and outputs.
Process Model	Subprocess	Setup tab: References the process model object. Data tab: References data inputs and outputs.

Toolbar options

The Process Modeler toolbar provides quick access to the following functions for creating and managing your process model on the canvas:

Action	Icon	Description
Create a new process model		If you have a process model that is already open, the new process model opens in a new tab.
Undo an action		Undo the most recent action.
Redo an action		Redo the most recent action.
Open a process model		Select a process model to open. Multiple process models appear on additional tabs.
Save a process model		In the Process Designer view, the Save button creates an updated draft of the process model, but does not publish the new version. You must click Save and Publish to ensure your new process model launches when a new process is started. To save the process model without compromising the current process model, click File > Save New Version.
Print a process or process model		The Print dialog appears, which allows you to configure your print settings. You must enable the printing of background images in your browser to show gridlines on your printed output.
Reload the process		(Monitor Process view only) Allows you to reload the process data displayed. All process activities and flows are updated with the most recent activity.
Cut a process node		Select a process node in the canvas. Click the Cut button. The process node and its configuration are copied to the clipboard, including process variable mappings, and the process node and its connectors are removed from the canvas.
Copy a process node		Select a process node in the canvas. Click the Copy button. The process node and its configuration are copied to the clipboard, including process variable mappings.
Paste a process node		Add a process node to a process model or a process from the clipboard. You can paste a node onto the same process model, or onto a different process model that is open in another tab of the Process Modeler. Configuration settings are copied as well, including process variable mappings. Process variables are not copied across process models. You must reconfigure process variable mappings for the copied process node if a process variable does not exist in the destination process model.
Delete a process node		Select a process node in the canvas, then click the Delete icon. The node and connectors associated with the node are deleted.
Position flow objects on the designer canvas		Click this button to switch the canvas to selection mode, then select a process flow object in the canvas and drag it to the desired location. Once placed, you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to adjust the placement. Click View > Turn Snap Off to enable smaller adjustments in positioning. With snap off, hold the Ctrl key when pressing an arrow key to make very small adjustments.
Connect process flow objects with an angled connector		Click the arrow next to the button, then select this icon to switch the canvas to connection mode. In this mode, possible points of connection display on the edges of each node. Click a possible connection point, then drag the angled connector line to a connection point on another node.
Connect process flow objects with a straight connector		Click the arrow next to the button, then click this icon to switch to connection mode. In this mode, you can click the edge of a node, then drag the straight connector line to a connection point on another node.
Add a note to a process or process model		Select the Text Tool from the toolbar, click on the canvas, and drag to set the initial size of the text area.
Add a vertical or horizontal lane to the process model		To add a vertical or horizontal lane to a process model, click the arrow to the right of the button. Select a vertical or a horizontal lane. Click this toolbar button to add a lane to the canvas.
View process model properties		Click this button to display the Process Model Properties dialog or to display the process properties dialog depending on the mode you are using.
Zoom in/out of the canvas		Click the appropriate icon to expand or restrict your view of the canvas, or use the percentage dropdown list to select the magnitude of the zoom. Available zoom options include 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 125%, 150%, 200%, and Fit to Screen.
Validate your process model		When you click this button, Appian validates your process model. Any errors are displayed on the message pane in the Process Modeler interface. Click an error message to view the properties of the process node that triggered the validation error.
Remove/restore the message pane from the Process Modeler interface		Click this icon to remove or restore the message pane from the canvas. The message pane is used to show all validation errors that are thrown during process validation.
Remove/restore background gridlines		Click this button to remove or restore the background gridlines on the canvas.
Remove/restore node statistics		Click this button to view process metrics.
View activity exceptions		Click this button to open the Activity Exceptions dialog. This dialog lists all activities in active processes spawned from the current process model that have been canceled by exception.
View process instances		Click this button to open the Process Activity tab (standard processes) or Autoscaled Process Activity (autoscaled processes) in the monitor view. The grid on this tab shows all process instances for the open model. Clicking a process from this list opens it in a new tab in the Process Modeler.
View process details		(Monitor Process view only) Click this button to open the Process Details dialog. This dialog shows a report of details for the process, with an entry for each activity that took place.

Process model views

A process model provides the following role views for building your process:

• Analyst View: Use to draft high-level diagrams. Provides flowchart tools with standard activities, events, and gateways—as well as the set of Appian smart services. Each of these process nodes has limited configuration options, allowing an analyst to describe the overall process without configuring data, users, and other node properties such as a task form.
• Designer View: Use to configure advanced options and publish the process model. Allows you to perform all of the modeling and documentation activities of the Analyst View, plus you can double-click each activity, gateway, or event and incorporate your business rules, variables, and forms.

Select a view using the process model role view at the top of the Process Modeler.

Design guidance

Appian design guidance reinforces best practice design patterns to implement in your objects. Process model guidance appears alongside validations in the modeler's validation pane (1). During development, always address warnings, and address or dismiss recommendations depending on your use case (2).

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Appian calculates process model guidance when you Save a draft, Save As a new process model, Save & Publish, or Validate the process model.

Process model guidance also appears on the Health Dashboard, but only for published process models.

Process model recommendation dismissal

To dismiss a recommendation that does not apply to your use case, click Dismiss at the end of the recommendation. For details, see recommendation dismissal.

In the Process Modeler, note the following about dismissals:

• Appian saves dismissals only on a published process model. Recommendations dismissed on a draft reappear the next time you open the process model.
• You can dismiss recommendations only in the Process Designer View, not in the Edit Mode of an active process.

Canvas annotations

The annotate tool allows you to add text descriptions to your process models.

To add an annotation to the process model, complete the following:

1. In the Process Modeler, click the Annotate button on the toolbar.
2. When the pointer becomes a plus symbol +, click the Process Modeler canvas and drag the pointer to expand the text field.
3. Click inside the field you created.
4. Enter the text of your note. If you enter more text than can be displayed in the window, scroll bars appear on the annotation. You can remove the scroll bars by resizing the text window.

Process model security

Process model security is configured through a security role map that controls which users can see or modify a process model and its properties.

Assign process model security

When you create a process model, Appian sets its initial security based on your application configuration:

• With default security groups: If default security groups are configured for your application, they pre-populate the role map.
• Without default security groups: If default security groups are not configured for your application, you are automatically assigned Administrator permissions for any process model you create.
• Process model designer: The last user who saved or published the process model is always the designer of the process model.

You can view and edit a process model's security in the following ways:

• When creating the process model object.
• From the Build view in your application.
• In the Process Modeler, click File > Security.
• If the process model is started by a record action, you can edit its security in the record type.

Process model permission levels

The following table outlines the actions that can be completed for each permission level in a process model's security role map:

Actions	Administrator	Editor	Manager	Viewer	Initiator
Start the process model*	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
View the process model	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
View process model reports	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Override task assignment (whether or not reassignment is allowed)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Update the process model	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Save the process model	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
View the process model documentation	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
View the security	Yes	No	No	No	No
Update the security	Yes	No	No	No	No
Delete the process model	Yes	No	No	No	No
Override another user editing the process model	Yes	No	No	No	No
Publish the process model	Yes	No	No	No	No

*Users must have at least Initiator permissions to the process model in order to execute the Start Process smart service successfully.

Process instance security

In addition to configuring the security settings associated with a process model, Appian allows users with Administrator permissions to configure the security associated with a process instance. By default, all process instances inherit security from their process models.

To override the inherited security, you can:

• Use the Modify Process Security Smart Service.
• Open the Monitor view and go to the Process Activity tab. Select a process instance and click SECURITY.

The different roles that can be assigned to actors in a process are described in the following tables. Only users with Administrator permissions for a process model and system administrators have the necessary security permissions to provide other users and groups access to a running process.

Task permissions

The following table shows which task actions each role can perform in a running process instance:

Actions	Administrator	Editor	Manager	Viewer	Initiator	Deny
Reassign tasks assigned to me, when reassignment is enabled	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
View tasks assigned to other users	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Reassign tasks assigned to other users, regardless of whether reassignment is enabled	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
View and complete tasks assigned to other users	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No

Process editing permissions

The following table shows which process editing actions each role can perform in a running process instance:

Actions	Administrator	Editor	Manager	Viewer	Initiator	Deny
Update process variables	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Change process security roles for other users and groups	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Perform in-flight modifications to the process	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Stop or pause a process	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Delete a process	Yes	No	No	No	No	No

Process data permissions

The following table shows which reporting and data actions each role can view in a running process instance:

Actions	Administrator	Editor	Manager	Viewer	Initiator	Deny
View a process report and process variable values	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
View a task report containing tasks from this process	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
View a node report	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Create a process model

A process model is created in the Build view. Basic users must be a member of the Process Model Creators group in order to create new process models.

To create a process model:

1. In the Build view, click NEW > Process Model.
2. Keep Create from scratch selected.

3. Configure the following properties:

   Property	Action
   Name	Enter a name that follows the recommended naming standard.
   Description	(Optional) Enter a brief description of the process model.
   Save In	Select the process model folder to store the process model.
   Tags	(Optional) Search for and select tags to apply to the object. If the tag you need doesn't exist yet, click Create New Tag to create a new tag without leaving the dialog.

4. Click CREATE.
5. Configure security for the process model.
6. Click SAVE. Appian creates and publishes the process model, then opens it in the Process Modeler. Learn how to start designing your process in the Process Modeler.

Duplicate a process model

A process model can be duplicated to create a new process model that starts as a copy of an existing one. Duplicating is useful when you want to reuse an existing process design as a starting point.

You must have at least Viewer permissions to the process model you want to duplicate.

To duplicate an existing process model:

1. In the Build view, click NEW > Process Model.
2. Select Duplicate existing process model.
3. For Process Model to Duplicate, search for and select the process model to copy.

4. Configure the following properties:

   Property	Action
   Name	Enter a name that follows the recommended naming standard. By default, the name is Copy of <EXISTING_PROCESS_MODEL_NAME>.
   Description	(Optional) Enter a brief description of the process model.
   Save In	Select the process model folder to store the process model.
   Tags	(Optional) Search for and select tags to apply to the object. If the tag you need doesn't exist yet, click Create New Tag to create a new tag without leaving the dialog.

5. Click CREATE.
6. Configure security for the process model.
7. Click SAVE. Appian creates and publishes the process model, then opens it in the Process Modeler. Learn how to start designing your process in the Process Modeler.

Edit process model properties

You can view and edit process model properties by selecting File > Properties in the Process Modeler, or by clicking the Properties button in the Process Modeler toolbar. The Process Model Properties dialog organizes settings into tabs for general settings, variables, the start form, deadlines, alerts, and data management.

For a full description of each tab and its settings, see Process Model Properties.

Delete a process model

You can delete a process model from the Build view if you have Administrator permissions to the object.

To delete a process model:

1. In the Build view, select the process model.
2. Click DELETE.
3. In the confirmation dialog, click DELETE.

Print the process model

You can print the process model diagram to share it with others.

To ensure the entire process model diagram prints, use the Landscape page setting for printing.

Based on your web browser, configure the printing option below to ensure the process model diagram prints with the grid background. If you do not want to see grid lines, ignore the browser step that sets background graphics.

Print from Chrome and Microsoft Edge

1. From the Process Modeler menu, click File > Print.
2. Click More settings.
3. In Options, select Background graphics.
4. Click Print.

Print from Firefox

1. From the toolbar, click File > Print.
2. Click More Settings.
3. Select Print Backgrounds.
4. Click Print.

The browser may not render the process model JavaScript in the same manner when printing the diagram as opposed to viewing the diagram. The Take a Screenshot option in the address bar's three dot menu may be useful in achieving the desired results.

Print from Safari

1. From the toolbar, click File > Print.
2. Select Background graphics.
3. Select Print Backgrounds.
4. Click Print.

Process model versions

Appian tracks changes to process models through major and minor versions.

Major versions

Each time you publish a process model, a new major version is created. All versions of a process model, regardless of their status, are available for viewing and editing (depending on your security settings). All new processes start from the latest major process model version.

Keep the following in mind when importing process models as part of your applications:

• Importing an application package (successfully).
  • Any process models it contains are published immediately with a higher major version number.
• Importing process models (for the first time) that are linked recursively using a Subprocess flow activity.
  • The process models are published twice, resulting in two new versions.
  • Subsequent imports to update the model publish the recursively linked process models one time per import, creating a new version each time.

To view changes between the latest published version and any previous published version of your process model, go to File > Versions. Click Compare With Latest.

To manage process model versions, see Managing Object Versions.

Minor versions

There are specific actions that create only a new minor version (for example, 3.0 creates 3.1). Minor versions (regardless of the major version number associated with it) act as a test process model when a process runs on it. Saving a process model as a new minor version allows you make changes to the main process model without affecting the new processes that will still start from the model.

The following actions create a new minor process model version:

• Modifying a published process model, and saving the changes.
  • File > Save.
  • File > Versions > Save New.
    • This option also allows you to list a comment. Any comments that you add overwrite the Description listed in the process model's properties.
  • Save Process (Toolbar icon)
• Modifying the model of a specific process and saving the changes as a new version.
  • File > Save New Version.

Process model validation

Process model validation is an essential part of creating and modifying your process models. It can help prevent issues from occurring during run-time and confirm the model satisfies all the functional requirements set by the software and the user.

If a process model does not pass validation, you can save it, but you can not publish it. The validation runs automatically when you save your process model. Process models need to pass validation and be published before users can execute them in an application. This does not, however, prohibit process model designers from running a process for testing purposes, which can be done in debug mode any time you save it.

During validation, if the process model produces an error, it displays in a list at the bottom of the Process Modeler. Click the error message to display the dialog detailing where the configuration issue occurred.

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Types of validation

The Process Modeler validates input at all technological levels: User Interface, Middle-Tier, and Back-End. Within these three levels, the following types of validation may occur: UI Validation, Activity Class Validation, and Structural Validation.

UI validation

UI validation occurs when the user submits information or when the user attempts to take an action that goes against a process model setup. For example, one validation rule states that a process model must contain an End_Event. If your process model does not contain an end event, it will not pass validation.

Activity class validation

Activity Class Designers may specify additional validation rules on the UI or the data layer. These should be defined in terms of a framework provided by Appian Process Engine.

Structural validation

Structural Validation refers to the validation of required data elements in Process Models, as well as how nodes connect to each other.

Possible structural validation errors include the following:

• Duplicate process variable names, regardless of letter casing, existing in the model. If so, the model fails validation until you delete the duplicates so only process variables with unique names exist.

• Undefined variables in expressions and rules referenced by the process model. If so, the model fails validation with a validation error until you update the expression or rule that references the incorrect variable. For example, the validation message "Variable not found: ri!myVar" indicates that an expression in the process model references the variable ri!myVar either directly or indirectly via a rule.

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