Generate Process Model Documentation

On This Page

This page explains how to view process model documentation, what the documentation includes, and how to configure printing options.

Why generate process model documentation

To help you and your development team stay aligned, Appian generates process model documentation that details a process model's design and the nodes and smart services it contains. You can view and print the process model documentation, so you and your team can easily understand and maintain your application processes.

View process model documentation

To view process model documentation, you must have Administrator or Editor permissions to the process model. You can view the process model documentation from Appian Designer or from the Process Modeler.

From Appian Designer

To view process model documentation from Appian Designer:

In the Build view, select a process model.
In the toolbar, click MORE.
Select View Documentation. The latest published process model is rendered as documentation in a separate window.

From the Process Modeler

To view process model documentation from the Process Modeler:

Open a process model.
Select Tools > Generate Documentation from the toolbar. The current process model (saved or unsaved, published or unpublished) is rendered as documentation in a separate window.

Parts of the process model documentation

The process model documentation is split into the following sections:

Process model properties: High-level details about the process model, such as its display name, ID, and UUID.
Process model diagram: A BPMN view of the process flow.
Process model contents: Summaries of the objects on the canvas: variables, lanes, nodes, annotations, and connections.
Process model nodes: A detailed, node-by-node breakdown of each activity, event, gateway, and subprocess.

Process model properties

The process model documentation includes a Process Model Properties section with the following information:

Property	Description
Process Display Name	The name of the process as it appears to users after a process has been started. The display name can be either text or an expression. To edit the process display name, edit the Process Model Properties.
Model Id	The local identifier of the process model. The ID number is assigned when the process model is first saved. If the process model is imported and exported, this ID number is reassigned by the system. This value cannot be changed.
UUID	The universally unique identifier (UUID) of the process model, which is assigned when the process model is first saved. If the process model is imported and exported, the UUID property remains unchanged.
Last Updated	The username of the user who last saved the process model.

Process model diagram

The Process Model Diagram section of the process model documentation displays a Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) view of the process model.

From the diagram, you can:

Click each event, node, or smart service to view its details.
Click a subprocess to display its diagram.

Process model contents

The Process Model Contents section of the process model documentation provides tables that summarize the process variables, lanes, nodes, annotations, and connections that make up your process model.

Process Model Contents section of the process model documentation report

Process start form type

If the process model has a process start form, the documentation lists it as an interface.

Process variables

The Process Variables table lists each process variable configured for the process model, along with the total number of process variables. The table includes the following columns:

Column	Description
Name	The process variable name.
Type	The process variable's data type.
Multiple	Whether the process variable holds more than one value.
Default Value	Any configured default value.
Parameter	Whether the process variable is required at the start of the process, as with a process start form.
Required	Whether a value must be stored for the process variable.
Hidden	Whether the process variable is hidden from reports.

Lanes

The Lanes table lists the swimlanes configured for process activities in the process model. The table includes the following columns:

Column	Description
Id	A number used internally to reference the swimlane.
Label	The name of the swimlane as it appears on the process model.
Size (px)	The height setting for the swimlane in pixels.
Lane Assignment	Whether or not the swimlane is assigned to a user or group.
Attended	Whether the lane is attended. An attended lane overrides individual assignment settings for attended activities in the lane and assigns them to a designated user or group.
Assignees/Run As	For an assigned swimlane, the user or group that the lane's activities are assigned to. For an unassigned swimlane, the user account used to resolve security requirements.

Node list

The Nodes table lists all nodes that appear in the process model. The table includes the following columns:

Column	Description
Id	A number used internally to reference the node at runtime.
GUI Id	A number used internally to reference the node at design time.
Name	The name displayed on the Process Modeler canvas.
Task Display Name	The name displayed on any tasks assigned by the activity.
Lane	The name of the swimlane that contains the node, if any.
Attended	Whether the node is assigned to a user or group as a task.
Assignees/Run As	For an assigned activity, the user or group the activity is assigned to. For an unassigned activity, the user account used for security permissions.

Annotations

The Annotations table lists any notes that appear in the process model. The table includes the following columns:

Column	Description
GUI ID	A number used internally to reference the note.
Text	The content of the note.

Connections

The Connections table lists the flow connectors that appear in the process model. The table includes the following columns:

Column	Description
Start Node	The process node where the flow connector originates.
End Node	The process node where the flow connector terminates.
Activity-Chained	Whether the flow is configured to automatically display the next assigned task.

Process model nodes

The Process Model Nodes section of the process model documentation provides a detailed, node-by-node breakdown. The following information appears for each node below its name and icon:

Item	Description
Node Type	The type of node as it appears on the Process Modeler palette, with the internal object name in parentheses.
Form Type	For smart service activities, the type of form configured. A dynamic form uses the Process Modeler; a JSP form lists the path to the JSP.
UUID	A unique identifier assigned to the node once you save the process model.
Description	Any descriptive text entered for the activity on the General tab of the node properties dialog.
Task Display Name	The name displayed on any tasks assigned by the activity. A rule or expression may resolve the display name at runtime.
Lane	The name of the swimlane that contains the node, if any.
Attended	Whether the node is assigned to a user or group as a task.
Assignees	For an assigned activity, the user or group the activity is assigned to. For an unassigned activity, whether the node runs as the process initiator or the process designer.
Exception Flow Triggers	For smart services, any rules configured to trigger an exception flow.

Event nodes

Each process event is listed by name and Process Modeler icon. The documentation includes the following details for each event:

Item	Description
Event Type	The type of event node, or the type of event configured for the node, such as send message or receive message.
Conditions to activate event node	Each logic test that must be satisfied before the event is triggered.

Send Message events

The documentation includes the following details for each send message event:

Item	Description
Message Type	The type of message being sent, such as email or process.
Message Body	The body text of the message that is sent.

Event mappings

The event mappings are listed in a table with the following columns:

Column	Description
Name	The name of each property.
Value	The data configured for each property in the event mapping.

Receive Message event

The documentation includes the following details for each receive message event:

Item	Description
Listen for messages of type	The message type the event listens for, typically email or process-to-process messages.
Once activated, listen for messages for the life of the process	Whether the event is activated once or can be activated multiple times (True or False).

Gateways

Each gateway node is listed with its standard node properties. Each gateway also lists the conditions that route process flow to different nodes, in a table with the following columns:

Column	Description
Condition	The logical test that must be true to activate an outgoing flow.
Result	The outgoing flow to activate, listed according to its destination node.
Path Label	The label that appears on the outgoing flow, if any.

Node inputs table

When a node has configured data inputs, the table lists the data collected. Node inputs are normally configured only in assigned nodes.

Note: Appian doesn't recommend configuring node inputs for unassigned activities. Use outputs instead.

When a complete custom data type (CDT) hierarchy, or the parent element of a CDT, is saved into a process variable, the documentation lists it as a node input. When a subelement of a CDT is saved into a process variable or subelement of a CDT, the documentation displays it as a node output.

Column	Description
Name	The name assigned to the node input variable.
Type	The process variable's data type.
Value	Any configured default value. When a CDT default value is set on the parent element, the Value column displays the expression or literal value specified. When the default value is defined on a subelement of a CDT, the Value column appears blank.
Parameter	Whether the process variable is required at the start of the process, as with a process start form.
Required	Whether a value must be stored for the process variable.
Multiple	Whether the process variable holds more than one value.
Hidden	Whether the process variable is hidden from reports.

Node outputs table

When a node has configured outputs, this table lists the output data. The following columns are displayed:

Column	Description
Expression	The expression used to formulate the output data, which provides the output's name.
Operation	The operation performed when storing the data, such as appending the values to an array.
Variable	The process variable that stores the output data.

Subprocess activities

Click the name of a subprocess to display the process model documentation for that subprocess. The documentation includes the following additional items for each subprocess:

Item	Description
Is Asynchronous	Whether the subprocess is asynchronous (True or False). A synchronous subprocess activity must end before the process flow continues, while an asynchronous subprocess activity launches the child process and continues the flow.
Data from subprocess can be included…	Whether process reports can aggregate data from multiple process models (True or False). When true, give process variables different names in each process model referenced by the report.
Subprocess inherits security from parent process	Whether the subprocess inherits security from the parent process (True or False). If a user cannot view a subprocess, the parent process may pause due to a security exception. Inheriting security from the parent lets users launch the subprocess model if they can launch the parent process.
Subprocess Model	The name of the subprocess model, with the process model ID or UUID in parentheses (PmId, PmUUId).

Subprocess data mapping

Subprocesses pass variable data from parent to child. Synchronous subprocesses can also pass data from the child back to the parent process. The documentation lists any such variables.

For input variables, the documentation displays the following columns:

Column	Description
Subprocess Variable	The name of the parameter in the child process model that receives data from the parent process.
Set From	The name of the parent process variable.

For output variables, the documentation displays the following columns:

Column	Description
Subprocess Variable	The name of the process variable in the child process model that returns data to the parent process.
Save Into	The name of the parent process variable that receives data from the child process.

Best practices for process model documentation

To get the most useful process model documentation, prepare your process model:

Ensure the process model properties and activities have clear descriptions.
Annotate the process model to call out sections that need additional explanation.
Use descriptive names for your process variables.

Print process model documentation

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

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

To print the documentation:

View the process model documentation.
From the toolbar in your browser, click File > Print.
Click Print.

Feedback

Was this page helpful?