Place multiple instances of one shape

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, double-click the shape you want to place, and then click in the diagram space to place the shape.

2. Continue clicking to place additional shapes.

3. Click Finish, or click another toolbar button, to stop.

Place shapes using the keyboard

1. Select a shape.

2. Use Ctrl+<arrow key> to place the shape to the right, left, up (above) or down (below) the current shape.

Note: Use Ctrl+Spacebar to switch which shape is placed.

Automatically connect shapes while placing

1. Place a shape in the diagram space.

2. Click outside the shape in the diagram space. The cursor changes to indicate you are in placement mode.

3. Click and drag (hold down the left mouse button) from inside the shape you just placed to place another instance of the same shape.

Automatically connect different shapes as you place them in the diagram space

1. Place a shape in the diagram space.

2. While the shape is selected, click another shape in the Toolbox toolbar or Shape Palettes.

3. Click and drag from inside the shape you just placed to place the new shape.

You can also place and connect graphics in a flowchart, but unlike shapes, graphics serve as communication aids and are not intelligent. See Graphics and Callout Lines.

Place a shape that spans swimlanes

Click the shape, then hold the Ctrl key while you click and drag the shape by its handle across one or more swimlanes.

Exclude a swimlanefrom a task

1. Double-click the activity shape that spans multiple swimlanes.

2. In the Properties dialog box, click the Task page, then click the Step tab.

3. Click the Exclude Swimlanes button.

4. In the resulting Exclude Swimlanes dialog box, select a swimlane name and click the Yes button to move it to the Excluded list.

Connect shapes

1. Click and drag around a group of shapes to select multiple shapes, or hold the Ctrl key while you click to select shapes one at a time.

2. On the Arrange menu, choose Connect Shapes. A connector line connects shapes in the order they were placed or selected.

To draw unconnected lines, on the Tools menu, choose Options and click the Connector Lines tab, then select the Allow Unconnected Lines check box.

Use this feature cautiously! Unconnected lines appear connected in a Process or BPMN diagram. If you must draw unconnected lines, be sure to turn off this feature as soon as you are finished using it.