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Import and export a process

How to import and export processes in Bonita Studio.

Import a process diagram into Bonita Studio

From the Studio’s home page:

  • From a .bos archive (a diagram from another Bonita studio)

    1. Choose Import a BOS archive from the Home Page or click Import a project in the toolbar.

    2. Specify the archive to be imported.

    3. Manage eventual conflicts.

    4. Click Import, the .bos archive is imported, a new diagram is created.

From an open Bonita project:

  • From a .bos archive (a diagram from another Bonita studio)

    1. Right-click on the name of your Project and select Import a project, or click Import a project in the toolbar.

    2. Specify the archive to be imported.

    3. Manage eventual conflicts.

    4. Click Import, the .bos archive is imported, a new diagram is created.

  • From another format (.xml, .bpmn, .bpmn20)

    1. Right-click on 'Process Diagram' (located on the left-hand panel) and select Import a BPMN 2.0 file.

    2. Specify the file to be imported.

    3. Click Import. A new diagram is created.

You can import diagrams that were exported from the following tools:

  • Bonita

  • BPMN 2.0

What is supported or compatible?

A diagram that was exported from the same edition of Bonita, or a lower edition, can be imported successfully. You cannot import a diagram from a higher edition. For example, you can import a diagram created with the Community edition into an Enterprise edition Bonita Studio, but you cannot import a diagram that was created with the Enterprise edition into a Community edition Bonita Studio.

If the format to be imported is BPMN 2.0 compatible, any of the BPMN 2.0 elements displayed in the Bonita Studio BPMN elements menu, can be imported successfully. However, if the element to be imported is not displayed in the BPMN elements menu, it is not supported by Bonita, so Bonita Studio will interpret the element and create the closest BPMN element that is supported. The following specific changes are made for all import formats:

  • If a task in an imported process is not recognised, Bonita Studio will create an abstract task for it by default.

  • A task format can be redimensioned (Height/width) when it is imported.

  • If a multiple event is not recognised, Bonita Studio takes the first element in order that it can interpret.

  • If a gateway is not supported, it will be interpreted by default as an AND gateway.

  • If there are multiple pools in a *.bar file, they will all be imported into a single process diagram.

The following sections list restrictions for specific import formats.

BPMN 2.0 (*.bpmn)

Most BPM applications export in the BPMN 2.0 file format. This format is the most suited for Bonita Studio. See here for a list of applications which export in the .bpmn format.

Export a process diagram as a BPMN 2.0 archive

If you export a process diagram as a BPMN 2.0 archive you can import it into any BPM application that supports this format, including Bonita Studio.

To export a diagram in BPMN 2.0 format from Bonita Studio:

  1. Open the diagram.

  2. Choose Export as…​ from the Diagram menu and select BPMN2…​ from the drop-down list.

  3. Specify the location and filename for the exported diagram, and click OK.

Export process elements

You can export files related to elements of the processes in the Bonita Studio project. The files are exported into a .bos archive that can be imported into another Bonita Studio.

You can export the following:

  • Application resources

  • Business Data Model

  • Configurations

  • Dependencies

  • Diagrams

  • Environments

  • Organizations

  • XSD files

To create a .bos archive:

  1. Choose Export from the Diagram menu or click Export in the Cool bar.

  2. Select the items to be exported.

  3. Specify the filename and location or use the default suggested.

  4. Click Finish.

The resulting .bos file can be imported into Bonita Studio.

Build a process for deployment

When a process is ready for deployment, you must create an executable business archive (.bar file) for deployment.

To create the business archive:

  1. Choose Build…​ from the Server menu.

  2. Select the process to be exported.

  3. Specify whether you want to export a configuration with the process. Exporting a configuration will export all the information and other items that you configured, including connectors and dependencies.

  4. Specify the location where the .bar file will be created. The filename is determined by the process name and cannot be changed at this stage.

  5. Click Finish. The business archive is created.

Export a process diagram as an image

This section explains how to export a diagram as an image.

To export a diagram from Bonita Studio:

  1. Open the diagram.

  2. Choose Export as…​ from the Diagram menu and select Image…​ from the drop-down list.

  3. Specify the image format and quality.

  4. Specify the location and filename for the exported diagram, and click OK.