ArchiMate behavior elements can be refined into BPMN processes in Horizzon by creating BPMN diagrams in Horizzon. This is done on the Horizzon modeling canvas. Once you have claimed a modeling task or selected an object and created a new diagram, the modeling canvas is presented in which you can start modeling.

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Start modeling

Initially, when the modeling canvas opens, a BPMN Start event is shown on the canvas. You can use it as the starting point for your diagram and continue from there, but you can also start with a clean canvas and create the objects that you need.

Creating objects

To create a new object, click on the canvas and hold down the mouse button. The quick-create pop-up window appears in which you can select an object. In the case of Boundary events, click the object and hold down the mouse button to add the event.

Creating an object starting from an existing object in the canvas, can be done in the following ways:

• By clicking. Click the plus control and select an object.
  
  
  
  
• By dragging. Click the plus control, keep the mouse button pressed and drag sideward. Then release the mouse button and select an object.
  
  

Creating relations

When creating objects, the appropriate relations are automatically drawn between the objects.

If you have two objects that need to be related, you can create a relation between them. Determine the direction in which you want to create the relation and select the object you want to start from. Then click the plus control, keep the mouse button pressed and drag the relation to the target object and release the mouse button.

Available concepts

The modeling canvas can be used to model processes and collaborations. The concepts commonly used in the BPMN Process Collaboration diagrams are available on the canvas, like events, tasks, lanes, sub-processes, and more.

Available commands and object controls for modeling

The modeling canvas includes toolbars with command that can help you modeling, like performing an auto-layout or zooming in and out. For an overview of all available commands, please refer to Toolbars on the Horizzon modeling canvas.

All objects on the modeling canvas have controls that can be used for modeling, for example, to add a new object, set the type of an event (message, timer, conditional, etc.), toggle the loop of a task, or set a pool.

Object controls

The control on the sides of an object is for creating new objects. The control accesses options to set attribute on an object, like object type and markers (loop, ad hoc, collapsed, etc.). The  controls on lanes are for setting a pool.

Object types and markers

Tips and tricks for modeling

Below are some tips and tricks that may help you when modeling the BPMN process.

• Use the full-screen mode command in the canvas toolbar when you are modeling.
• When using horizontal or vertical lanes for modeling, also make sure to use the horizontal or vertical auto-layout command in the canvas toolbar to further optimize the layout.
• Several keyboard shortcuts are available for modeling in the canvas. For more information, see Horizzon keyboard shortcuts.

Side notes on modeling

As the feature is still being developed and extended, there are some aspects to take into account when modeling.

• Call activities cannot call anything at the moment.
• Messages (envelopes) cannot be set on message flows. Use text annotations instead.
• Connecting a message flow to a pool needs to be done exactly on the border of the pool.
• Rotating an existing diagram with lanes from horizontal to vertical cannot be done automatically.
• Performing an auto-layout on the diagram may not work perfectly in some situations. Sometimes the better option is performing the layout on a part of the diagram.