In the most recent release of MDG Office Integrations (v1.4.40), an exciting enhancement known as the "BPMN Visualizer" has been introduced, offering an excellent utility for BPMN users. This feature facilitates the seamless transfer of BPMN Components between Microsoft Excel documents and Sparx Enterprise Architect Models.

The key feature of 'BPMN Visualizer' in MDG Office Integration

• Simplified Approach that eliminates the necessity for Profile Creation during import and export for mapping items. This drastically minimizes user time and the possibility of manual errors.
• Through a single click of "Excel to EA" menu, users can quickly synchronize BPMN Components, seamlessly updating and aligning data between Excel and the Enterprise Architect model.
• The visual representation of diagrams from the Enterprise Architect model, as well as the related preconfigured mapping table, can be displayed within Excel.
• The capability to incorporate multiple diagrams is supported when a package is selected. This involves displaying all diagrams in the selected packages along with their corresponding predefined mapping tables on separate sheets.

BPMN Components on Microsoft Excel

MDG Integration for Microsoft Office provides seamless integration within Microsoft Excel (Version 2007 and above). A newly introduced feature named ‘BPMN Visualizer’ now resides in the ‘Feature’ dropdown of the Enterprise Architect ribbon in Excel. This feature facilitates the seamless transfer of ‘BPMN Components' between an Excel document and Enterprise Architect, allowing for bi-directional data exchange.

To import BPMN Components into Enterprise Architect from Excel

	The Feature dropdown offers the following selection options: ‘Export to EA’: Export the elements to Enterprise Architect using Profiles ‘SysML Requirement Manager’: Import SysML requirements from Enterprise Architect and Export SysML requirements and their connectors to Enterprise Architect. ‘BPMN Visualizer’:  Import BPMN Components from Enterprise Architect and export BPMN Components to Enterprise Architect.
	Allows one to select a *.eap or *.eapx or *.feap or *.qea or *.qeax or *.eadb through local project, server connection, or cloud connection. Local Project: To connect the Local Enterprise Architect model. Server Connection: To connect to an Enterprise Architect repository through a database Cloud Connection: To connect to an Enterprise Architect repository through the Pro Cloud Server
	Allows users to select a Package or BPMN Diagram to Load from the Enterprise Architect Model to Excel with the respective diagram image.

Select a package

• This window will be displayed when the Package Icon is clicked.
• It displays all the models and packages from the selected Enterprise Architect model, with BPMN Components being imported specifically.

Select a BPMN Diagram

• This window will be displayed when the Diagram button is clicked.
• It provides a hierarchical overview of all diagrams within the packages of the model. Users have the ability to choose a specific BPMN diagram from this view.

Note: The ‘Ok’ button will only enable when the selection type is BPMN Diagram

Utilizing Excel for BPMN Components

• The selected diagram is imported to an Excel sheet along with its predefined mapping table.
• The Excel sheets are named in the format of Diagram Name with Diagram ID.

Excel column definition

Creation of element from Excel to Enterprise Architect model

• To create a new element, enter a name in the ‘Action Name’ column (mandatory).
• By default, the ‘Action Type’ is ‘Activity’. Users can change the type using the drop-down list.
• Mapping the parent element for the newly created element is also achievable using the ‘Parent’ column.

Note: Supported Element types are Activity, Gateway, StartEvent, IntermediateEvent, EndEvent, DataStore, DataObject, BusinessProcess, BPELProcess, GlobalTask, Pool, and Lane.

Establishing connectors for the newly created element in Excel

‘Next Action ID’ creates a connector between two BPMN elements. Choose the appropriate ‘Action ID’ in the checklist box of ‘Next Action ID’ to connect. By default, the connector type is ‘Sequence Flow’

Note: Supported connector types are SequenceFlow, MessageFlow, Conversation Link, DataAssociation, and Association.

To update the changes from the mapping table in Excel to the Enterprise Architect model utilize the ‘Excel to EA’ Icon available in the Excel Ribbon; The preview form is presented to the user to ensure that the intended changes are ready for export. Once you click the ‘Export’ button, synchronization is initiated between the Enterprise Architect Model and Excel, causing the changes to be updated in Excel as well.

As depicted in the image below, you can observe that the recently generated ‘Process goods’ element has been incorporated into the Excel diagram. This element establishes a connection with the ‘Gateway5’ element, as indicated in the mapping table. Likewise, this synchronization is also reflected in the Enterprise Architect model.

The ‘EA to Excel’ icon enables users to revert the produced items back to their original state as Enterprise Architect Models, providing an opportunity to undo changes made in Excel. Additionally, it facilitates the synchronization of changes made from Enterprise Architect to Excel.

BPMN Components from Enterprise Architect to Microsoft Excel

Through the ‘BPMN to Excel’ menu, users can export data pertaining to BPMN Components, which have been accumulated within Enterprise Architect, into the Predefined mapping tables along with diagrams in separate sheets within Excel.

After selecting the package or BPMN Diagram, the Enterprise Architect will begin exporting data to an Excel sheet and proceed with Refer "Utilizing Excel for BPMN Components"

Check out the BPMN on Excel and Enterprise Architect video here

To know more or to request a demo, please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

"SysML Requirements on Excel" is a new MDG Office Integration feature that allows users to author SysML requirements using Excel. Users can seamlessly integrate SysML requirements between MS Excel and Enterprise Architect.

Key features

• Import and export SysML requirements data from Excel into Enterprise Architect.
• Ability to create SysML Compliant requirements with inter-dependencies

SysML Requirements in Enterprise Architect

Using the “SysML Requirements on Excel” menu, users can connect an Enterprise Architect Model with an Excel spreadsheet.

This will create an Excel Document with required templates to let users create SysML requirements. This will also copy any existing Enterprise Architect requirements and the derived relationships to the Excel spreadsheet, to let users update or modify these contents.

Working with Excel to author Requirements

The Excel template for SysML requirements authoring will have two spreadsheets,

1. Requirements – The requirements sheet is used to create and update SysML compliant requirements, including Id and text, the sheet also displays any derived requirements (interconnected requirement)

The Requirement Sheet has two parts: "SysML Requirements" and "Derived SysML Requirements".

SysML Requirements – It contains Name, Notes, Status, Version and Id, Text (Mandatory tags for SysML)

Derived SysML Requirements – It also contains Name, Notes, Status, Version of Derived Requirement for each SysML requirement. This part is completely non-editable.

2. Requirement Matrix – This worksheet will present all requirements in a matrix format to let users easily create derivation inter-dependencies between them.

• This sheet will be automatically updated when new requirements are added in the ‘Requirements’ worksheet
• New relationships created in this spreadsheet will also be automatically updated in the ‘Requirements’ worksheet

Insert Elements and Connectors

Insert the element in the Name Column of the Requirement Sheet (with Notes, Status, Version, ID, and text, but the Name column is mandatory). And create a connector between the newly created element and the existing element in the ‘Requirement Matrix’ sheet.

Newly created connector details are updated in the ‘Requirement’ sheet.

To sync or update the modifications to the Enterprise Architect Model, use the Excel to EA icon. The changes reflected in the Enterprise Architect Model will be shown in the preview form. To update into an Enterprise Architect Model, select Export.

New elements are created under the chosen package.

The EA to Excel icon is used to restore the produced items to their original state as in the Enterprise Architect Model.

Prior to ‘EA to Excel’

Post ‘EA to Excel’

SysML Requirements on Excel (from Excel)

MDG Integration for Microsoft Office offers integration within Microsoft Excel (Office 2007 and above), and a new feature called SysML Requirement Manager is added to the feature dropdown of the Enterprise Architect ribbon. Using this, users can easily push the contents of SysML requirements from an Excel document to an Enterprise Architect or vice versa.

To import SysML requirement data into Enterprise Architect from Excel

	Dropdown list to choose the Export to Enterprise Architect Model or the SysML Requirement Manager for the document. ‘Export to EA’: Export the elements to Enterprise Architect using Profiles ‘SysML Requirement Manager’: Import SysML Requirements from Enterprise Architect and Export SysML Requirements and their connections to Enterprise Architect.
	Allows one to select a *.eap or *.eapx or *.feap or *.qea or *.qeax or *.eadb through Local project, server Connection, or cloud connection. Local Project - To Connect Local Enterprise Architect model. Server Connection - To Connect to an Enterprise Architect repository through a database Cloud Connection - To Connect to an Enterprise Architect repository through Pro Cloud Server

Select a package

• This screen will be displayed when the Package button is clicked.
• It displays all the models and packages from the selected Enterprise Architect model, with SysML Requirement items being imported specifically.

After selecting the package and clicking ‘OK, ‘Enterprise Architect will begin exporting information to an Excel sheet and proceed with Refer "Working with Excel to author Requirements"

Check out the SysML Requirements in the Enterprise Architect video here

To know more or to request a demo, please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The much-awaited Sparx Systems #EnterpriseArchitect 16.0 released!!!.

The world-leading modeling tool now with the cutting edge features to meet the emerging needs of remote, distributed teams. Auto-refresh diagrams, Auto-reloading in-flight diagrams, Excel-like views to edit artifacts and relationships, Custom dynamic documents, Faster

Model interchange. and a plethora of long-awaited enhancements to simplify and make modeling easier and efficient.

More information on key features can be found in the articles below

ENTERPRISE ARCHITECT 16.0 – A Quick Glance

https://sparxsystems.in/enterprise-architect-16-0-a-quick-glance/

Enhanced User Security in Enterprise Architect 16

https://sparxsystems.in/enhanced-user-security-in-enterprise-architect-16/

QEA Files in Sparx EA 16 enables EA SaaS solution

https://sparxsystems.in/qea-files-in-sparx-ea-16-enables-ea-saas-solution-for-individuals-and-small-teams/

Scriptlets in Enterprise Architect 16 – A Step Beyond Static View

https://sparxsystems.in/scriptlets-in-enterprise-architect-16-a-step-beyond-static-view/

Enterprise Architect 16 Menus and Shortcuts – A Detailed Comparison to EA 14 and EA 15

https://sparxsystems.in/ultimate-sparx-enterprise-architect-16-user-guide/

Additional Resources

EA SaaS is now available for Small and Medium Teams, powered by QEA files

https://sparxsystems.in/enterprise-architect-saas/

EA SaaS for Small Teams (EA for Mac) Video  -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF0BdnasvqI

Visit https://sparxsystems.com/products/ea/16.0/index.html or reach This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a demo.

The first Sparx University Week for 2018 will be run during March, with most training sessions being held during the week of March 2-9.

University Weeks are hosted by Sparx Systems Japan, Sparx Systems Central Europe, Sparx Services North America, Sparx Systems India and Sparx Services UK (Hippo Software).

The delivery format for each course varies depending on the subject, audience and location, with a mix of both online and face-to-face seminars and courses.

It is anticipated that Sparx University Week will be run on a global basis every few months, in conjunction with Sparx Systems Sister and Services Partner network.

Bookings are essential, please review the course schedule below and visit the course provider's website for more details and to register your place.

Sparx University Week Schedule:

The second Sparx University Week will be run during October, with most training sessions being held during the week of October 23-27.

University Weeks are hosted by Sparx Systems Japan, Sparx Systems Central Europe, Sparx Services North America, Sparx Systems India and Sparx Services UK (Hippo Software).

The delivery format for each course varies depending on the subject, audience and location, with a mix of both online and face-to-face seminars and courses.

It is anticipated that Sparx University Week will be run on a global basis every few months, in conjunction with Sparx Systems Sister and Services Partner network.

Bookings are essential, please review the course schedule below and visit the course provider's website for more details and to register your place.

Sparx University Week Schedule: