Adding an external alternate flow

An external alternate flow is an alternate flow that is included from an separate use case.

Alternate flows allow you to demonstrate the behavior of the system, given a particular condition. For example, the system will behave differently depending on whether the user clicks Yes or No after a confirmation dialog is displayed.An external alternate flow is the same as an internal alternate flow, except the use case content is stored in a different (external) use case artifact.

To add an external alternate flow to a use case:

1. Select the use case step where you want the external flow to begin.

   • In text view, place the cursor on a use case step by clicking anywhere on the use case text.
   • In workflow view, click a use case step.

2. Click Add Alternate Flow > External .

   Choose one of the following options to add an external alternate flow:

   • Click the Add Alternate Flow drop-down on the ribbon (Use Cases tab, Step group) and then select External Flow
   • Click the Add External Flow option on the right-click context menu

   After you click the button, the Select Use Case dialog appears.

3. Select the use case you want to add.

   1. Search or browse for the use case.
   2. Click OK.

4. Set the start and return steps.

   You can use the following buttons to set the start and return steps:

   • the Set Start/Return Steps button on the ribbon (Use Cases tab, Flow group)
   • the Set Start/Return Steps option on the right-click context menu

   Read more about Setting start and return steps.

After you have added an alternate flow, a decision point appears in workflow view. In text view, a new flow appears under the Alternate Flows heading.

In workflow view, you can expand and collapse the alternate flow using the expand and collapse icons. In text view, you can expand and collapse the alternate flow using the expand and collapse icons.

Note: Alternate flows are labeled the same way in both text view and workflow view. Conditions that are peers end in letters (example: 2a, 2b, and 2c). The regular steps in the flows end in numbers based on the condition. Therefore, condition 2a has steps labeled 2a1, 2a2 and so on.

Flow Conditions

The first step in an alternate flow is a condition. Also, the step in the main flow immediately after the decision point also becomes a condition. The text of the condition steps must indicate under what condition the main flow and the alternate flow will be exercised.

In the example below, the external flow is exercised in the event that an incorrect password is provided by the user:

Learn More

Adding use case steps

Merging use case steps

Deleting use case steps

Adding an internal alternate flow

Changing an external use case

Setting start and return steps

Adding an actor to a use case step

Including a use case in a step

Setting UI mockups on use case steps

Removing a UI mockup from a use case step

Rearranging the order of use case steps and flows

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