The relationship between the outside depiction of both the elements, call activity and called process or global task, is described here. Innovator can be used for explicitly linking interfaces, i.e. data input and output from both sides.
The call activity is essentially a limited view of the actual process or global task and is used so that the process can be used throughout the model without adding too much bulk to the call activity's diagram.
In light of this, it is obvious that there must be a certain link between the called element’s input and output data and the call activity. This means it must always be possible to e.g. replace the call activity with the process without needing to change data or sequence flows.
As far as this is possible, data inputs/outputs between call activities and called elements are kept synchronous and linked with each other (mapped).
You can see whether a data input/output references another in the Properties tab in the Properties window:
Data Input/Output of Called Element property
Data Inputs/Outputs of Calling Element property
If you create a data input/output at the topmost level in e.g. a called process or global task, where possible, a data input/output with the same name is automatically created for all respective call activities and a reference between both elements is created. An unlinked data element with the same name is referenced if it already existed in the call activity. The reference is used for navigation in both directions.
If you e.g. delete data inputs/outputs from the top-most level of a called element and these are linked with call activities using data inputs/outputs, the linked elements are always deleted too. This may also remove inflowing or outflowing data associations.
An equivalent to creation is the behavior of dragging a data input/output out of a subprocess to the topmost level of the called process; this is the same as deleting in the other direction.
Modification of a data input/output regarding an assigned business object or assigned states is transferred to the mapped data input/output of the called element.
You can map the call activity's data inputs/outputs to called elements. This automatic process can only take place if it is for a called element and not for a process' view, as it is not possible to modify this.
The following occurs during automatic maintenance:
If a data input/output exists for a call activity through any action, the called element (process or global task) is searched for a pendant in terms of name and assigned business object. A copy of the data input/output is created if it doesn't exist already. The outerand inner data input/output are then linked with each other (mapped).
If one of the call activity's linked data inputs/outputs is deleted, the mapped data input/output is also deleted if it is not linked with data inputs/outputs for other call activities and the called element is not a process view. If the inner data input/output cannot be deleted, only the respective mapping disappears if the outer data input/output is deleted.
Modification of a data input/output regarding an assigned business object or assigned states is transferred to the mapped data input/output of the called element (different process reference). If this is not permissible, the modification of the outer data input/output is rejected.
The following actions can trigger maintenance:
Please note that when a data association is created, a suitable data element is looked for in the call activity with a name and business process at the other side of the edge. If the search gets any hits, this element is then linked with the edge and no further maintenance is carried out on the activity's called element. The same applies for attaching a data association. A pendant to the original linked data element is searched on the new call activity and used, if found.
Existing links between data elements can be manually resolved directly in the Properties window in the Data Input/Output of Called Element and Data Inputs/Outputs of Calling Element properties by removing the property using the selection button [...] or the context menu.
Links between data inputs/outputs of call activities and calling elements can also be manually created again. This is particularly significant if name similarity between the elements is not or no longer given.
To create a link, click on the [...] selection button in the Data Input/Output of Called Element or Data Inputs/Outputs of Calling Element in the Properties window and set the assignment in the dialog that appears.
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