1. New in RSA 8.0.4 BPMN: Data Configuration
October, 2011
New in RSA BPMN: Data Configuration

2. Process data input/output in RSA BPMN
We introduced process data input and process data output.
Process data inputs are visually displayed on a process diagram to show the inputs to the top-level process. Analogously, process data outputs are visually displayed on a process diagram to show the outputs of the top-level process
Process data input and process data output can be created from the palette.

3. Data inputs/outputs of activities
All data inputs and data outputs are item aware elements, i.e. an item definition can be assigned to them.
As of data associations connect two item aware elements, as required by the spec. Previously, data associations were connecting an item aware element directly to an activity. Item aware elements are: data object, data store, data input and data output - all elements that can have an item definition assigned.
Activities now have data inputs and data outputs which can be used as targets and sources (respectively) of data associations. These data inputs/outputs do not have a visual representation on diagram.
Data inputs/outputs of the activities can be created manually, on the Data Inputs and Data Outputs property tabs.
When data association is created, if an unused data input/output exists that has the same item definition reference as the other end of data association, then that data input/output is used. Otherwise, a new data input/output is created and set to be the target/source (respectively) of the data association.

4. Data inputs/outputs of global tasks and call activities
Global tasks can also be configured with data inputs and data outputs.
Call activity has the same data inputs and data outputs as its called element, which is a global task or a process. By “the same” we mean the same name and the same item definition assigned. There is no mechanism for matching data inputs and data outputs other than by their name and assigned item definition.
Data inputs and data outputs of a call activity and its called element are kept in synch. So if a new data input is added / removed / renamed in the call activity, it is also added / removed / renamed in its called element.
The same as above holds for updating data inputs and data outputs of the called element – it results in corresponding update of all of its referencing call activities. However, if a model with referencing call activity is not available at that time, we end up with data inputs or outputs of the call activity being out of synch. Update to Match button appears in that case.

5. Item definitions on elements connected by data association
Item definition references assigned to item aware elements that are connected with a data association have to be the same.
For example, if in the diagram shown on the first slide, we change item definition reference on DataObject1, it will be change to that same reference on data output of Task1 that is the source of data output association with DataObject1, and data input of Task2 that is the target of data input association from DataObject1.