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Object: Artifacts in general

The term artifact is used in SmartProcess to refer to several modeling objects that can be used to represent additional information for a process or task in the process. Modeling with artifacts. The…

Dennis Reichle
Updated by Dennis Reichle

The term artifact is used in SmartProcess to refer to several modeling objects that can be used to represent additional information for a process or task in the process.

Modeling with artifacts

The explanations in this section apply to the modeling of all artifacts in SmartProcess. These include:

There are different ways to add additional information as artifacts, depending on whether it is additional information for the whole process or for a single task:

Artifact for a process

Drag & Drop the artifact from the symbol bar into the process model.

In the opening creation window a name for the object can be assigned and confirmed with <OK>.

If the artifact with this name (in the example: the IT system "SmartProcess") has already been created and used in another process, SmartProcess suggests that the existing object be reused at this point.

Using the magnifying glass in the creation window, all artifacts of this type that have already been created can be directly accessed and selected for reuse.

Artifact for a Task - Drag & Drop

The procedure is the same as for 'Artifact for a process'.

To represent the reference from the artifact to a specific task of the process, the artifact and the task can be linked with an association link.

The direction of the connector only has a technical influence on the type of link for the data object Input / Output.
However, it can also be consciously used for other artifacts in order to clarify its usage, for example:
- Connector points from the task to the IT system -> Data must be written into the IT system when the task is performed
- Connector points from the IT system to the task -> Data must be retrieved from the IT system when performing the task

In the example, the SmartProcess IT system must therefore be used for the task 'Modelling process'.

If the user points to the artifact symbol with the mouse in the read-only view of the process, additional artifact properties are displayed.

The link between the artifact and the task is also visible in the process description.
Artifact for a task - task details

If an artifact is to be assigned directly to a task, this is also possible via the properties of the task.

In the 'Attributes and Artifacts' table, artifacts can also be linked via the <Add> button. The further procedure corresponds to that of 'Artifact for a process'.

This option results in a different appearance of the artifact in the process model - it is displayed in the form of a mini-symbol directly at the task. When you mouse over one of the mini-symbols, all artifacts of this object linked to the task are listed.

If several different artifacts are linked to a task, the symbols of the artifacts are lined up next to each other.
Artifacts are individual objects to which individual properties are assigned and which can be reused in other processes within the scope of process modeling.

How did we do?

Object: Pool & Swimlane

Object: Artifacts IT System, Resource

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