Object
An element, derived from an object type, consisting of a definition and an occurrence, that is a graphical representative that is used in a model. Several objects based on one object type can be used in a model. Multiple object occurrences of an object definition can be used in one or more models.
Object type
Object types characterize the type of objects that are permissible within a model type. Object types of the Event-driven process chain include Event, Function, and Rule, for example.
Object types represent different procedures, activities, states, etc. For example, the Function object type can represent both the Send delivery note activity and the Check parts availability activity. Therefore, it represents a technical task or activity to support one or more business objectives. You define a function by placing it in the modeling area and assigning attributes to it, for example, name, costs, or times. The function then describes a specific task. A model type contains structurally relevant and structurally non-relevant object types.
An object type can occur in multiple model types. For example, the Role object type occurs in the Organizational chart model type (structurally relevant object type) which represents the hierarchical structure of an organization. Roles are also used in the Event-driven process chain model type. As non-structural objects, they add additional information to the Event-driven process chain.
Object definition
Object in the database for which you specify all relevant attributes.
Object definitions are displayed in models as object occurrences, which are represented graphically by object symbols. When you place a new object in the model, an object definition is automatically created in the group where the model is stored.
Object symbol
Graphical representation of object occurrences in the model.
The object symbol of an object can occur several times in a model and/or in several models. In a model, for example, the same role can be involved in several work steps, which is why the object symbols of the role are modeled to the corresponding functions.