Transforming XPDL models

The XML Process Definition Language (XPDL) is a format standardized by the Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC) to interchange Business Process definitions between different workflow products like business process modeling tools and business process management suites. XPDL defines an XML schema for specifying the declarative part of workflow / business process.

XPDL is designed to exchange the process definition, both the graphics and the semantics of a workflow business process. XPDL is currently the best file format for exchange of BPMN diagrams; it has been designed specifically to store all aspects of a BPMN diagram. XPDL contains elements to hold graphical information, such as the X and Y position of the nodes, as well as executable aspects which would be used to run a process. This distinguishes XPDL from BPEL which focuses exclusively on the executable aspects of the process. BPEL does not contain elements to represent the graphical aspects of a process diagram

You can create a business process model from a XPDL model and you can create a XPDL model from the existing BPMN model. 

To transform a BPMN model to a XPDL model

  1. Select the editor of the BPMN model.
  2. On the Modeling menu, click Transform to XPDL.
  3. In the Transform dialog, specify the destination folder and file name.
  4. Click OK.

 

See also:

Transforming to a BPEL model

External reference: How Does XPDL Compare to BPEL?