Configuring swimlanes in a flow

Use Swimlanes to organize and graphically identify a related group of shapes that are performed within a specific work context (typically a work group) or business purpose. A router activity identified in the lane shape, or specified on the Routing section of the Assignment, is associated with Assignment shapes inside the lane. During processing work items are routed to the appropriate user worklist or workbasket defined by the router.

For example, an insurance claim application has one assignment instructing operators to collect customer information, another to verify the information and calculate payments, and a third to issue payments and update financial records. You want each to have its own work group and workbasket. You create three swimlanes named CSR, Back Office, and Fulfillment, in a pool named Insurance Claim Process. Each lane has a router activity associated with the assignments within it. During flow processing, the router assigns the work item to the appropriate workbasket inside the lane.

Swimlanes are not available for screen flows.

1. In the toolbar of Process Modeler, click to open the shape palette.

2. Click and drag the Swimlane shape to a position on the flow diagram.

3. Double-click the shape.

4. When the Swimlane properties panel appears, enter a name for this shape to the Swimlane:[Swimlane] heading. The shape name is only descriptive; it does not affect runtime execution. This name also appears inside the Swimlane shape on the diagram. If a name is not specified, the Swimlane will take the name of the optionally-assigned router activity.

5. Complete the fields in the Swimlane section described below.

   Field	Description
   Router	Optional. You can select a router activity here. The default Router is ToCurrentOperator. By default, the swimlane Router applies to all assignments inside the lane. Routers defined in Assignments dragged into the lane are overwritten.
   Parameters	The router activity you select may accept input parameters that will appear in the box below. Supply a value for each parameter. Parameter values are validated when you Save.

6. Click OK to close the panel when you have completed your edits.

Working with swimlanes and router pools

• Dragging and dropping a swimlane — A swimlane may be dragged to a new position within the pool by selecting then dragging the lane. Any shapes within the lane move with it.
• Deleting a swimlane — Select the swimlane frame and delete it. Be careful not to select the router pool frame. If the first or last lane is deleted, the other lanes remain in position. If an interior lane is deleted, the lanes move to close the gap.
  Deleting a router pool — If you delete a router pool, all of its lanes are deleted. Shapes in the flow are not deleted.
  Caution: Deleting a swimlane or router pool does not delete the shapes within it. The shapes remain on the canvas.
• Changing the width of a swimlane — Grab the resize handle in the lower right corner of the swimlane to widen or narrow it.  The pool will widen or narrow to accommodate the added or removed space.  Shapes within repositioned lanes move along with the lane. You cannot change the height of an individual swimlane.
• Resizing a router pool — When you change the width of a router pool shape, all swimlanes change proportionately.  The shapes within a lane do not change size. You can adjust the pool's height with corresponding changes to lane heights.

• Cut and copy — Cut or copy shapes from a flow and paste them within the same flow or in other flows within your user session. When you select a swimlane to copy, do not include the router pool, as there is a limit of one router pool per flow. The shapes in the swimlane must be selected and copied in a subsequent step.

Orientation and positioning

• Swimlane orientation is derived from an operator preference. For example, if the orientation is set to Landscape, the Landscape orientation icon on the tool bar will be selected.
• You can change the orientation using the toolbar icons and, before you create a swimlane. When a pool and lane are created, the swimlane orientations are disabled.
• You can place the first swimlane anywhere on the canvas. Subsequently added swimlanes will place to the right of pools with portrait orientation, and to the lower end of pools with landscape orientation.
• Reposition the pool by clicking and dragging the pool name.
• Reposition lanes within the pool by clicking and dragging the swimlane name.
• An assignment shape assigned to a swimlane will inherit the router assigned to the swimlane.
• When you move an assignment out of the pool, the router is removed from the assignment.

Guidance for upgrading users

In releases prior to PRPC Version 5.5, pools and swimlanes defined and separated processing performed by distinct organization units within one division, or that depended upon the value of a work item property. Pool and swimlane shapes in such versions will function as originally configured in PRPC Version 5.5 and later. You cannot add more lanes for organization units or property values.

As a best practice, upgrade them to router pools, which use swimlanes that employ router activities. This enables you to more precisely direct assignments to user worklists and workbaskets and illustrate router behavior.

Related information

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