Configuring Partners

A partner is an abstracted identification for an external system that is linked with the Business Process in the Connectivity Map. Multiple activities can use the same external system, meaning multiple activities can have the same partner. By default, BPM assigns this identification to speed up and automate model development.

If you are invoking multiple components such as web services, JMS messages, or connectors such as eWays, you must create unique partner names for those components. Then, when you create the Connectivity Map, there will be a unique partner for each component rather than just one partner for multiple components. This enables you to successfully associate those components in your Deployment Profile and deploy your Project.

When creating a Business Process that will be used as a sub-process, you need to create a partner and associate it with the receive or receive and reply pair.

Creating a New Partner

Some partners are created for you automatically, but you can add new partners to use in your Business Processes as needed. Partners are associated with the activities in a Business Process. After you create a partner, associate it with an activity as described in Associating a Partner with an Activity.

To create a partner

1. In the Project Explorer, right-click the Business Process and then click Properties.

2. Click the Partners tab.

3. Click New.

   The partner is added to the partner list.

4. Double-click the partner name to rename the partner.

5. Click OK.

Editing a Partner

Once you add a Business Process partner, or one is added for you, you can modify the partner name. When you change the name of a partner, you can specify that the rest of the Business Process be updated to reflect the change.

To edit a partner

1. In the Project Explorer, right-click the Business Process, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Partners tab.

3. Double-click the name of the partner you want to modify, enter a new name, and then press Enter.

4. Click OK.

   The Confirm Refactoring dialog appears.

5. Do one of the following:

   • To update the name change across the Business Process, click Yes, Do Refactoring.

   • To only change the name of the partner, click No, Only Do Name Change.

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     Note –

     To avoid this message in the future, select Don’t Ask Me Again. The option you selected above will always be the default option.

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Deleting Partners

If you are not using a defined partner in the Business Process, you can delete the partner. Keeping partners that are not in use can result in validation warnings, which typically do not prevent the Business Process from running. You can only delete a partner that is not in use.

To delete a partner

1. In the Project Explorer, right-click the Business Process, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Partners tab.

3. Click the partner name that you want to remove.

4. Click Delete.

   The partner is removed from the partner list.

Associating a Partner with an Activity

Once you create a partner, you can associate it with an activity in the Business Process using the activity’s property sheet. You must create and select a partner for the receive and reply activities in a sub-process.

To associate a partner with an activity

1. In the Business Process Designer, select an activity in the Business Process.

2. In the Business Process Designer toolbar, click Show Property Sheet.

   The activity’s property sheet appears.

3. Click the Partner field and select the partner from the drop-down list.

4. Click Hide Property Sheet.