Upload a file

We can upload both process models in BPMN and event logs in CSV, XES, XLSX, and Parquet formats.

We can do it through two options – Upload Local File and Upload File from web or cloud.

Note

The plugin supports the following delimiters: Tab, Semicolon, Comma, and Spaces. However, the plugin supports comma delimiter the most.

Upload a process model

To begin uploading a file, click on the upload file icon to upload a file/folder.

To browse for the .bpmn file, click Browse and locate the file.

We can upload both process models in BPMN and event logs in CSV, XES, XLSX, and Parquet formats. A window will open, displaying a file selection. Here we can select the relevant file, and it will appear beside the “Browse”. Click OK to upload the file.

We will be prompted to name the BPMN model.

Finally, the successfully uploaded file will be placed into the location/repository in which we have initiated the plugin.

Upload an event log

The Apromore Portal allows us to import event logs in .csv, xlsx, .xes, and .parquet file formats. Event logs can also be uploaded uncompressed or compressed (zip or gz).

Note

In CSV files, Apromore supports the following delimiters: tab, semicolon, comma, and spaces. Excel (XLSX) files must contain one single sheet. Excel worksheets with multiple sheets are not supported.

To begin uploading a file, click the Upload file  icon.

To browse for the file, click Browse and locate the file.

After selecting the file, click OK to continue the uploading process.

Files in XES format are imported directly, as they already contain all the metadata required by Apromore.

On the other hand, we need to provide schema information for CSV, Parquet, and XLSX files before importing them into the Apromore workspace.

A window opens, displaying the data based on the imported CSV file.

In this pop up window, we can tag each column in the CSV file with one of the following column types: case identifier, activity, start timestamp, end timestamp, other timestamps, resource, case attribute, event attribute, or ignore (in the latter case, some columns are dropped, but we can see them at the columns drop-down menu).

To upload a CSV file, we must indicate which column corresponds to the case identifier, which column corresponds to the activity, and the end timestamp. These three columns are mandatory.

Note

Apromore does not support timestamps earlier than 1 January 1900.

We may also tag other columns.

For example, a case attribute is a column whose value is the same for every event of a case. For example, an attribute “Channel” with values “Email”, “Manual” and “Online”, is likely to be a case attribute since a case with Email channel does not change during the execution of the case.

An event attribute is an attribute that changes during the execution of a case, e.g. the “Activity Cost” is likely to change: at the beggining it has an empty value and then it gets a value in the middle of the execution of a case.

Additionally, the log importer supports a wide range of encoding options. We can change the encoding by merely clicking on the Encoding drop-down menu.

Note

The CSV importer attempts to automatically tag the columns corresponding to the case identifier and activity. It is important, however, to check that the columns have been tagged correctly.

We can manually alter the column attribute by clicking the drop-down menu as shown below and choosing the desired attribute.

We can also edit the name of a column. Let’s assume we want to change the “Channel” column to “Source”. To do this, click on the column name, enter the new column name and press Enter.

A confirmation pop up appears.

Note

We cannot change the name of the Activity, Start Time, End Time, Resource and Role columns.

Apromore automatically detects the timestamp of an end time column. To change this timestamp format, click on the Specify timestamp format icon.

We can opt not to import a column by attaching the Ignore tag to it. To make it easier to ignore multiple columns, we can click on the Event attribute -> Ignore button at the bottom-left corner. From that point on, any column we select becomes tagged with Ignore.

Similarly, if we need to tag multiple columns as Event attribute, we can click on Ignore –> Event Attribute in the bottom-left corner. From that point on, any column we select becomes tagged with Event Attribute.

Start times estimation

If the event log does not have end times, Apromore provides the option of estimating the start times of every activity in an event log, given the end times. This is useful in analyzing waiting times and processing times in a business process.

To calculate the start times from the end times, check the Discover start timestamp tickbox

The imported event log will have a start time column.

Note

If this feature is used when the original event log has a start-time column, the existing start-time column will be replaced by the estimated start-times.

Note

To estimate the start times, the event log must have a Resource column.

Apromore will estimate the start time of each activity instance A as follows:

• It finds the end time of the preceding activity instance in the same case. This is called the enablement time of the activity instance.

• It finds the time when the resource who performed activity A completed its most recent activity. This tells us the time when the resource became available. This is called the resource availability time.

Given the above, the start time of an activity instance is the maximum of the enablement time and the resource availability time.

Note

The technique used to estimate start times is not suitable when:

• Many of the resources in the process only appear sporadically, for example, if some resources only perform a handful of activity instances. In this case, the resource availability times of these resources will be misleading.

• The resources perform multiple activity instances simultaneously (multi-tasking). Again, this would result in a misestimation of the resource availability times.

Click on Upload log to finish the import.

A dialog box will appear with a message prompting us to save the imported log in our Apromore Workspace. Enter a name and click OK to complete the import.

The successfully imported log will be placed in the current folder in the Apromore workspace. Apromore internally stores files in XES format.

Warnings or errors during log import

A log file containing invalid data may be uploaded using the Log importer. Examples of invalid data include a timestamp that does not match the actual timestamp entered during log import, missing case IDs, activity names, end timestamp, etc. When such a log is imported, a warning icon appears next to the log name in the Workspace.

For instance, in the log below, the second row of the start timestamp has a wrong date format. There are also missing values in the Activity, Role, and Resource columns.

When we import the log, we get the warning sign.

Clicking the warning sign shows the exact invalid entries in the log file.

Click Download error report to download the error report that includes the first 1000 errored rows. We can also delete the log from our Apromore Workspace by clicking Discard log.

Upload a file from Web or Cloud

This feature allows us to upload a file from Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive. To upload a file from the web or cloud, click the upload file icon.

Switch to the “Upload from Web or cloud” tab.

Note

The supported file formats are bpmn, csv, xlsx, xes, xes.gz, zip and parquet.

Upload from Microsoft OneDrive

In Microsoft OneDrive, right-click on the file we want to upload and click on Embed.

Once the Embed drawer opens, click on the Generate button to generate the URL of the file.

Once the link is generated, copy the link contained in the inverted commas (” “) of the iframe src parameter in the embed code snippet.

Paste the link to the File to upload input box and click on Select.

Once we click on Select, the file name will be displayed as highlighted below. Click on OK to upload the file.

The log will be successfully uploaded in the Apromore workspace.

Upload from Google Drive

To upload a file from Google Drive, right-click on the file we want to upload and click on Share.

Once the share window opens up, click on the Change button in the Get Link section to change the file-sharing permissions.

Note

Make sure the file’s visibility is set to Anyone with the link.

Once the sharing permissions are set, click on the Copy link button to copy the URL of the file.

Paste the link to “File to upload” input box and click on Select.

Once you click on Select, the file name will be displayed as highlighted below. Click on OK to upload the file.

The log will be successfully uploaded in the Apromore workspace.

Note

Similarly, to upload a file from Dropbox, make sure the file’s visibility is set to Anyone with the link.

Paste the link to the File to Upload input box under the Upload file from URL tab to upload the file in Apromore successfully.

Anonymize an event log

We can anonymize one or more columns during the log import to keep sensitive data private and secure.

For example, we can import the log with encrypted resources names.

To anonymize a column, go to the Portal, and click on File - > Upload. Select the log and click on OK.

Log Importer window appears. Choose the column we would like to anonymize and select the Incognito toggle by swiping towards right  button.

 

Click on Upload Log.

Save process Log window appears with the field to enter the log name in. Enter the name and click OK.

To check whether the anonymization was done successfully, go back to the Portal and open the uploaded log.

To check whether the column has been anonymized, switch the perspective to view that attribute.

The encryption codes are displayed instead of resources names, meaning we successfully anonymized the resources.