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Reuse & copy objects

Some objects in the system can be reused in several process groups or processes. These include: Process group and process (also sub-process ). Task. Swimlanes. Data Object Input / Output. Related doc…

Dennis Reichle
Updated by Dennis Reichle

Some objects in the system can be reused in several process groups or processes. These include:

Reusing allows you to manage the properties of objects centrally.

For example, if an IT system 'SmartProcess' is used in 10 different processes, the object is created only once and is reused when modeling the other processes. If the properties of the IT system 'SmartProcess' change, they only need to be changed for a single object.

Reuse & Copy when creating objects

If a new object is created in the process model, a name must be defined for it (e.g. for a task).

By clicking on <OK>, a background check is performed to see whether a task with this name already exists in any process in SmartProcess. If this is not the case, the new task is created without further action.

By clicking on the magnifying glass in the text field, you can also check in advance whether a task with the same name already exists.

If, however, a task with the same name already exists, the system offers you various options for dealing with this duplication of names:

Create new

A new object is created with the same name but a different ID.

This object is not linked to the other object with the same name and has not copied any properties from this object (for example, the task description)

Reuse

The found object with the same name is inserted into the process model as a link. It is therefore the same object with the same ID that is used in several processes.

It is therefore linked to the other object with the same name and has taken over all the properties of it.

If an object is edited in any process, this change also affects all the other processes in which the object was reused.
If several objects of the same type with the same name have already been created, a list of all these objects opens after selecting 'Reuse'. The desired object to reuse can be selected from that list.

Copy

A new object with its own ID is created. The name is taken from the found object and " - copy" is added.

The new object is not linked to the other object of the same name, but has taken over all properties from the object with the same name during the copy process (e.g. the task description)

Reuse objects from the symbol area

In the symbol area of the Process Designer there are further tabs available in addition to the modeling symbols. These include:

  • Processes and Tasks
  • Inputs / Outputs
  • Documents

These tabs can be used, for example, to access all data objects Input / Output that have been created in SmartProcess so far. These can be searched by quick search and inserted into the process model via drag & drop and thus be reused.

Reuse & Copy in the Process Explorer

In the Process Explorer, you can reuse or copy process groups, processes, sub-processes and tasks by right-clicking on them and selecting the <Copy> button.

In this example a process is used for this purpose.

After copying to the clipboard, the object can be pasted into any other process group with another right click and the button <Paste>.

If an object is copied or reused in this way, it is not automatically displayed in the process model at the target location. If required, it has to be inserted into the process model afterwards using the symbol area in the Process Designer.

It can now be decided whether the object should be reused or copied.

If <Reuse process> is selected, the process and all sub-processes, tasks and artifacts contained in it will be linked to the new position so that all objects have the same ID as in the original process.

Linked process groups, (sub-)processes and tasks are displayed in the Process Explorer with a hyperlink at their symbol.

If you select <Create new process as a copy>, a copy of the process from the clipboard is created at the new location according to the pattern "<Process name> - Copy". The original process and the copy have no link to each other after this action.

For process groups and processes it can be further decided whether a copy should also be created for the sub-processes, tasks and artifacts contained in the process or whether these subordinate objects should be reused. If the process group "Test environment" is to be copied in the example, the setting has the following effect:

Reuse contained objects (checkbox not activated)

The process group "Test environment" is newly created as a copy with its own ID.

The subordinate objects are linked into this newly created copy. They have the same ID as the original objects.

Create copy of contained objects (checkbox activated)

The process group "Test environment" is newly created as a copy with its own ID.

In this newly created copy, the subordinate elements selected by checkbox are also created as a new copy with their own ID.

Reused sub-processes remain reused in the copy
If the process being copied contains sub-processes that have been reused, a copy of the sub-processes is not created in the copy of the process, but the sub-processes are also reused in the copy.

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