Align and Distribute Process Model Objects

Align and distribute multiple Process model objects to improve legibility.

Overview

Align and/or distribute multiple Process model objects placed in your Process model for greater legibility.

The following restrictions apply to aligning or distributing Process model objects:

• Two (2) or more objects must be selected to align those objects.

• Three (3) or more objects must be selected to distribute those objects.

• Boundary-type elements associated with any selected item are not affected: they remain with their respective object.

• Sequence Flow elements and Message Flow elements adjust their placement and contours automatically to maintain connections between their respective objects.

• Association elements cannot be aligned or redistributed. Association elements adjust automatically between their Text Annotation elements and the element/connector they reference when their Text Annotation elements' placement change.

• Lane elements cannot be aligned nor redistributed from their default positions.

• If a Pool element is among the selections, items in that Pool element cannot be redistributed. However, the Pool element(s) can be redistributed.

Icons to align and distribute multiple selected Process model objects display above the selected objects when the Align button is selected.

Alignment and distribute icons display above the selected objects

Align Process Model Objects

Your user account or group membership must have the following permissions to align items in the Process model unless your user account has the Make this user a Super Admin setting selected:

• Processes: Edit Processes

• Processes: View Processes

See the Process permissions or ask your Administrator for assistance.

Follow these steps to align Process model objects:

1. Select at least two (2) Process model objects and/or PM Blocks to align. Note that Lane elements cannot be aligned from their default alignments in their Pool element.

2. Click the Align button.
3. Select from the following alignment options:

   • Align left: Click the Align Left icon to left-align the selected items based on the left-most object selected.
   • Center horizontally: Click the Center Horizontally icon to horizontally center the selected items.
   • Align right: Click the Align Right icon to right-align the selected items based on the right-most object selected.
   • Align bottom: Click the Align Bottom icon to bottom-align the selected items based on the bottom-most object selected.
   • Center vertically: Click the Center Vertically icon to vertically center the selected items.
   • Align top: Click the Align Top iconto top-align the selected items based on the top-most object selected.
4. Optionally, distribute the selected Process model objects and/or PM Blocks. Note that at least three (3) items must be selected to distribute them.

Distribute Process Model Objects

Your user account or group membership must have the following permissions to distribute items in the Process model unless your user account has the Make this user a Super Admin setting selected:

• Processes: Edit Processes

• Processes: View Processes

See the Process permissions or ask your Administrator for assistance.

Follow these steps to distribute Process model objects:

1. Select at least three (3) Process model objects to distribute. Note that Lane elements cannot be distributed from their default positions in their Pool element.

2. Select from the following alignment options:

   • Distribute horizontally: Click the Distribute Horizontally icon to horizontally distribute the selected objects based on the left-most and right-most selected objects. If a Pool element is among the selections, the object(s) in that Pool element are not affected, but instead affect the Pool element.
   • Distribute vertically: Click the Distribute Vertically icon to vertically distribute the selected objects based on the top-most and bottom-most selected objects. If a Pool element is among the selections, the object(s) in that Pool element are not affected, but instead affect the Pool element.
3. Optionally, align the selected Process model objects.

Related Topics

pageCollaborate During Process DesignpagePin a Process Model ObjectpageShow Configuration Settings for a Process Model ObjectpageCustomize the Appearance of a Process Model ObjectpageCopy Process Model Objects into the ClipboardpageClone Process Model Objects Without the ClipboardpageSelect Multiple Process Model ObjectspageDelete Process Model ObjectspageUndo and Redo Changes in Your Process ModelpageNavigate Around Your Process ModelpageDiscard Changes to Your Process ModelpageClose Process Modeler with Your Saved ChangespagePublish Your Process ModelpageValidate Your Process is BPMN 2.0 CompliantpageOptimize Your ProcesspageWhat is Process Modeling?