Data Object Reference

You use Data Object References to model the flow of data from one Activity or Event to another.

In a diagram, they’re used to reference a Data Object you create in Process Attributes. You can have several Data Object References referencing the same Data Object within the same process.

You can use a Data Object Reference as a source or target for a Data Association.

A Data Object.

Data Object attributes

Fill in these fields in the Attributes tab:

  • Data Object

    Define the Data Object referenced by the Data Object Reference.

    Select an existing Data Object or create a new Data Object:

    To select an existing Data Object:

    • Click to open the dropdown list and select a Data Object.

    Selecting a Data Object.

    To create a new Data Object:

    1. Click New.

    2. In the panel that opens, select the process where you want to create the Data Object and provide the name of the Data Object, a description (optional) and indicate the data type (Item Definition) and default value.

    3. Click Create and select.

    Creating a new Data Object.

  • Data State

    You can define the different states of a Data Object Reference at different points of a process — for example, “in progress” or “completed”. How you define the state is your choice.

    Unlike a description, the state is visible in the diagram. You can see it in the label of the Data Object Reference.

    Defining the state of a Data Object.