You can create the following data items in a BPMN Process diagram:

• Data Object
• Data Store
• Data Input and Data Output

You can mark a Data Object as a collection.

With a Data Association, you can connect a data item to other elements of the BPMN Process diagram.

To create a data item

• On the Process diagram pallet, click Data Object and select needed Data item.

To create a new Data Object, which is typed by a classifier

• Select the classifier in the Containment tree and drag it to a BPMN Process or BPMN Collaboration diagram.

To specify a type of Data Item, do one of the following

• In the Containment tree, select an element and drag it on the Data Item.
• Right-click the Data Item, from the shortcut menu, select Type and choose the needed type.
• Open the Specification window and select a Type.

To mark a Data Object as collection, do one of the following

• Right-click the Data Object and from the shortcut menu choose Is Collection > true.
• Open the Data Object Specification window, Is Collection property set to true.

To create a Data Association between two data items

1. On the Process diagram pallet, click the Data Association button.
2. On the diagram pane
   • Click an element, which will be the source of the Data Association.
   • Click an element, which will be the target of the Data Association.

To display a Data Object directly connected to a Sequence Flow

1. Draw a Data Association from an Activity to a Data Object.
2. Draw another Data Association from the Data Object to another Activity.
3. Draw a Sequence Flow from the first to the second Activity.
4. Right-click the Data Object and select Show Connected to Sequence Flow from the shortcut menu.

Related element

• Common BPMN Elements

Related diagrams

• BPMN Process Diagram
• BPMN Collaboration Diagram

Related procedures

• Creating a Diagram
• Creating and Using Tasks
• Creating and Using SubProcesses
• Using Activities
• Creating and Using an Event
• Creating and Using a Sequence Flow
• Navigation Between BPMN Diagrams