ARIS Express - free business modeling tool

ARIS Express Description

ARIS Express was developed in 2009 by IDS Scheer, as a simplified version of ARIS Architect. At present, ARIS Express as well as other ARIS Platform products are distributed by Software GmbH (former Software AG). ARIS Express has significantly simplified functionality compared to ARIS Architect. It uses basic types of diagrams and lacks its own repository and model analysis tools. ARIS Express does not provide multi-user support.

Advantages of ARIS Express:

• Intuitive and friendly user interface.
• Free-of-charge.
• Describing basic business processes and their environment without training costs.
• Export of model graphics to various formats.
• All models can be imported into the database of other ARIS Platform products.

Download ARIS Express

To get started, download and install ARIS Express using the link.

Note! At the first launch, the user needs to log in with a valid ARIS Community account to register the application.

Functionalities

ARIS Express is a standalone application for a single user. The workspace has two main areas:

• Homepage – used to create new or open recently used models (fig. 1).

  
  Figure 1. ARIS Express Homepage

• Modeling environment – used to edit models (fig. 2).

  
  Figure 2. ARIS Express modeling environment

ARIS Express supports the following types of diagrams:

• Organizational chart
• Data model
• BPMN Diagram
• Process Landscape
• IT Infrastructure
• Business process (EPC notation)
• Whiteboard
• System landscape

ARIS Express can export models to various formats such as PNG, JPEG, EMF, PDF, ADF (ARIS data file). It is also available to export information about model as a report in PDF or RTF formats. In addition, there is a clipboard to copy and paste models into office packages such as Microsoft Powerpoint.

Models saved in ADF format can later be imported into the database of ARIS Platform products and fully used, like any other ARIS models.

Graphical views of models can be printed by defining printing parameters such as model scale, sheet orientation, number of pages, black-and-white or color image.

ARIS Express uses the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), so it can be installed on any operation system that supports Java, including Linux. But officially, ARIS Express should be installed on Microsoft Windows OS.

An internet connection is required to register the application and download updates. Creating an ARIS Community account is free.

Since ARIS Express does not have a repository, it is not possible to re-use the same object in different diagrams. In other words, it does not have a mechanism for using an "object definition" as a record in the repository and a copy of an "object instance" as a display element on the model.

Conclusion

Even beginner users can use ARIS Express for an initial description of the elements of the business architecture. The simple and user-friendly interface of this tool makes it easy for inexperienced users to start modeling. ARIS Express support of common methods and standards ensures fast and productive modeling. The tool can be used in universities and vocational schools to introduce students to BPM.

ARIS Express is an excellent product for starting a business description. However, it is necessary to use professional ARIS Platform products for fully-fledged modeling.