A BPEL process receives, manipulates, and sends data through XML variables. Variables hold the messages exchanged between business partners as well as data used only within the process.

Use the Process Variables view to open individual variables to view their properties and to add sample data for use during simulation. Open and edit variables using the right-mouse menu.

Opened variables are adorned with various icons, symbols and colors to indicate statuses. For example, a variable part shown in blue text indicates that the part is used in a copy operation.

Use the Outline view to create global or local variables. Global variables are available to the whole process and local variables are available only within the process scope in which they are defined.

Error-handling and Internal Variables

When you create an error-handling variable from a fault-handler, the icon for the error variable is two-toned, blue and yellow. This is a special variable only available for fault-handling.

When you create a receive, reply, invoke or people activity, you can manipulate data without creating a new variable. An internal variable, called

parameters

, is created to contain the data mappings you add within one of these activities.

For details, see Using Variables.