Start with a small part of the story: a person using a system, a task passing work to the next task, or two related entities. You can add detail as the model develops.
Add and name an element
- Open a model of the right type. Drag + Element from the palette to the canvas, then choose a type from the picker.
- In Details, enter a Name and check the Type. The available types depend on the model's notation.
- Press Enter or leave a field to apply its edit. Changes are in the editing session until you save the model.
Rename or change type
Select an element to show its floating toolbar. Enter a new name in Rename and press Enter. Escape restores the previous name while that field is being edited. Use the type selector to choose another supported type. The Details button opens Name, Type, Parent and custom properties; BPMN steps also expose Pool and Lane.
Connect two elements
- Select the source element.
- Drag its arrow connection handle onto the target element.
- Select the resulting relationship to name it and choose its relationship type.
- To reconnect an arrow, drag its endpoint handle or use Details → From / To to select endpoints by name.
For sequence diagrams, record order determines message order. Fragment markers have no ordinary From/To endpoints. Follow the sequence guide when working with them.
Move, resize and delete
Drag elements to adjust a supported interactive layout. Use resize handles where an element exposes them. In BPMN, dragging a task does not assign a different lane; change its Lane field instead.
Select the trash button on the floating toolbar, or press Delete with the record selected and no text field active. Read the confirmation before proceeding. Save a backup before a large deletion; do not rely on a generic undo history.
A relationship that cannot be edited
A view may draw a derived relationship representing lower-level relationships. Its toolbar explains what it stands for. Edit the underlying relationships in an appropriate view rather than trying to edit that derived arrow.