The Situation
Business Processes (BPs) created with tools such as Camunda Modeler or Signavio are imported into Enterprise Architect. There are basically two functions available in EA (both can be found in the ribbon “Publish“):
- Technologies | Import | BPMN 2.0
- Model Exchange | Import-XML | Import Package from XMI
The Problem
The BPMN files generated by other tools mostly contain only a diagram and a process flow, but no namespace definition (Package element). Therefore, the Technologies-Import-BPMN-2.0 function is to be preferred, but it has the limitation that it can not be merged.
The Solution
Before an import is carried out in the EA, the desired target Package should first be specified in the Project Browser by selecting (otherwise the EA will determine the target Package itself based on the last(!) marking action).
After applying the Technologies-Import-BPMN-2.0 function, the EA has created a Package element (with the name of the import file) and created an anonymous model element of the type BPMN Business Process which contains a composite child diagram of type BPMN Business Process Diagram containing the imported process flow.
Attention: If the same BPMN file is imported again, then – regardless of the selected target namespace (Package element) – everything is generated again and not merged!
The scenario in which the EA model is not the administrative master of the BPs, but another tool that provides modified BPs as BPMN files is currently not functionally supported out-of-the-box in the EA.
Tips
If necessary, the import files must be revised before the actual import process; see:
- BPMN Import aus Camunda/Signavio: Schriftgröße in Diagrammen
- BPMN Import aus Camunda/Signavio: Activities mit Boundary Events