<h1 id="dczaoq2e6lm" data-toc-id="dczaoq2e6lm">BA Copilot: Trace paths through complex process maps</h1><p>Trace is a viewer tool for reading complex BPMN process maps. Open it from the process-map header to turn on three lenses that make routes and handoffs easy to follow.</p><img data-width="100%" data-align="left" alt="Trace paths in BA Copilot" data-featurebase-content-key="682dfdea93312847a2159c5f/article/6a344e4f0a18fe6da5b696b7/019edc70-aad4-7442-b0c5-0219c4e48d63/b64u-MDE5ZWRjNzAtYTllZS03MTAxLWE2ZmQtM2FhM2Q5NzgxYzBh.png" data-featurebase-content-filename="019edc70-a9ee-7101-a6fd-3aa3d9781c0a" src="https://682dfdea93312847a2159c5f.featurebase-attachments.com/c/article/6a344e4f0a18fe6da5b696b7/019edc70-aad4-7442-b0c5-0219c4e48d63/b64u-MDE5ZWRjNzAtYTllZS03MTAxLWE2ZmQtM2FhM2Q5NzgxYzBh.png?X-Amz-Expires=3600&amp;X-Amz-Date=20260710T220000Z&amp;X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&amp;X-Amz-Credential=DO801TYC4FCVNNEKURKM%2F20260710%2Ffra1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&amp;X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&amp;X-Amz-Signature=25d2a41e9ab0888aa9c8a5cc3771db4bcc4ff3fa07f0549318d02732da2cf481"><h2 id="0moqi61tq38" data-toc-id="0moqi61tq38">Open Trace</h2><p>Open a process map and click <strong>Trace</strong> in the header.</p><h2 id="50s0rc3dfa0" data-toc-id="50s0rc3dfa0">The three lenses</h2><ul><li><p><strong>Highlight paths on hover:</strong> hover any element to light up its connected route through the map and dim everything else. The trace follows sequence flows and message flows, so it works across pools.</p></li><li><p><strong>Click to pin:</strong> click an element to lock its trace while you pan, zoom, and inspect.</p></li><li><p><strong>Spotlight handoffs:</strong> mark flows that cross lane or pool boundaries in amber, so team and organisation handoffs stand out.</p></li></ul><p>Trace reads the BPMN graph in the viewer without changing the process map.</p>

Read complex BPMN process maps with the Trace viewer: highlight connected paths on hover, pin a trace, and spotlight cross-lane and cross-pool handoffs.

Trace paths through complex process maps

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Changelog

Jack Finnegan

Learn what BA Copilot is, create your account, and build your first process map.

Getting started

BA Copilot is an AI-powered platform that helps business analysts, consultants, and professionals create BPMN-compliant process maps through a conversational interface. Describe your process in plain 

What is BA Copilot?

1. Go to ba-copilot.com and click Sign Up.

Create your account

1. From the dashboard, click New Chat within any space, or click the compose button.

Your first process map in 5 minutes

The BA Copilot dashboard is your central workspace. Here is a quick orientation:

Understanding the dashboard

Find the BA Copilot free process-map templates, starter packs, and downloadable resources.

Use free templates and starter packs

Step-by-step walkthroughs for common BA Copilot workflows.

Tutorials

This tutorial walks you through the complete workflow: creating a process map with AI, refining it, sharing it for review, and publishing the approved version.

Tutorial: Creating and sharing a process map for stakeholder review

Jane coordinates the effort with a team of five BAs, including Anita, who is responsible for converting existing process documentation.

Tutorial: Digitising existing processes for your organisation

Turn a BPMN process map into a step-by-step walkthrough for review and explanation.

Create a clickable process play-through

Upload two BPMN files and compare them in the browser, no sign-in required.

Compare two BPMN files with the free comparison tool

Create an editable Visio (.vsdx) file from a plain-English process description.

Generate a Visio file with the free Visio generator

Use the AI chat interface to generate BPMN process maps from natural language descriptions.

Creating process maps

The chat interface is the primary way to create process maps in BA Copilot. It works like a conversation: you describe what you need, and the AI generates a BPMN diagram.

Using the AI chat interface

The quality of your process map depends on the context you provide. Here are tips for getting the best results:

Providing effective context to AI

BA Copilot offers two AI models for generating process maps:

Choosing an AI model (Core vs Plus)

Each time the AI generates a process map, it creates up to three alternative options. This gives you the flexibility to choose the layout, structure, or level of detail that best fits your needs.

Working with diagram options

Every change to a process map creates a new version, giving you a complete history.

Working with versions

You can upload files and images to provide the AI with additional context when generating or refining process maps.

Attaching files and images

Generate and refine BPMN process maps programmatically with the BA Copilot REST API.

Use BA Copilot with the Process Maps API

Connect Claude to BA Copilot's MCP server to generate, refine, and manage BPMN process maps and your wider process library, all from Claude.

Use BA Copilot inside Claude with MCP

Use Agent chat to inspect process maps across your selected organization and identify next actions.

Use Agent chat to review your process workspace

Shape the assistant with saved guidance and reusable prompt templates.

Set up custom instructions and prompt templates

Fine-tune your diagrams with the built-in BPMN editor, properties panel, and metadata.

Editing process maps

After the AI generates a process map, you can fine-tune it manually using the built-in BPMN editor. The editor supports standard BPMN 2.0 elements and full drag-and-drop editing.

Manual editing with the BPMN editor

1. Select an existing element on the diagram.

Adding and connecting elements

The properties panel lets you view and edit metadata for the overall process map or for individual elements.

Using the properties panel

Adding time metadata to your process maps makes them valuable for operational analysis and improvement.

Adding metadata (execution time, cycle time)

You can continue chatting with the AI to refine your process map after the initial generation:

Asking AI to refine your process map

Define organisation-level metadata fields and attach them to process map elements.

Using custom properties

Set a default colour theme for new maps in Settings → Appearance, or tweak a single map live from the editor's Appearance sidebar. Presets, custom colours (Pro), scope precedence and troubleshooting.

Customising process map appearance (themes)

Add titles, labels, callouts, highlight boxes, and arrows on top of a process map without changing the BPMN.

Add presentation annotations to a process map

Manage your profile, set up MFA, change your password, or delete your account.

Account and security

Managing your profile

Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your account using a time-based one-time password (TOTP).

Setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Changing your password

Warning: Account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. All your data, process maps, and organisation memberships will be permanently removed.

Deleting your account

Configure in-app and email notifications for comments, reviews, and more.

Managing notifications

Publish official versions of your process maps and filter by status.

Publishing and review workflows

Publishing marks a specific version of your process map as the official, approved version. Published process maps can be filtered and identified easily by your team.

Publishing a process map

When browsing process maps in a space, you can filter by status to quickly find what you need.

Filtering by status (All, Published, Draft)

If a published process map needs further changes, you can revert it to draft status.

Unpublishing (reverting to draft)

Assign reviewers from your team and track approvals before publishing.

Requesting reviews and approvals

Link a current-state map with a future-state version and compare them side by side.

Compare As-is and To-be process maps

Manage organisations, spaces, and folders to keep your process maps well-structured.

Organising your work

An organisation is the top-level container in BA Copilot. It groups your spaces, process maps, and team members together.

Understanding organisations

Spaces are where your process maps, chats, and folders live. Every organisation has two types: team spaces and private spaces.

Creating and managing spaces

Tip: Many professionals use BA Copilot as their personal productivity tool — using private spaces to generate and refine process maps with AI, and only sharing the polished final versions in team spac

Team spaces vs private spaces

Folders help you organise chats and process maps within a space.

Creating folders

You can move or copy process maps between spaces and folders. This is essential for workflows where you prepare work privately and then share it with your team.

Moving and copying process maps

Use the search function to quickly find any chat, folder, or process map across your organisation.

Searching for process maps

Pin frequently used chats to keep them easily accessible.

Pinning chats for quick access

The reorganized sidebar, plus where API, MCP, and Team settings now live.

Find your way around the dashboard sidebar and settings

Convert existing process documentation from Excel or CSV into BPMN at scale.

Bulk import

The bulk import feature lets you convert existing process documentation (spreadsheets, lists) into BPMN process maps at scale.

Importing process maps

Reviewing and generating imports

When importing multiple process maps, you can choose which AI model to use:

Choosing the right AI model for imports

Export process maps as PDF, BPMN XML, SVG, or PNG, and create branded documents.

Exporting and printing

You can export any individual process map directly from the diagram view.

Exporting a single process map

The bulk export feature lets you export multiple process maps from across your spaces into a single branded PDF document.

Bulk exporting process maps

When exporting to PDF, you can customise the document with your company branding:

Adding your company logo to exports

BPMN XML files can be opened in any BPMN-compatible tool (Camunda, Signavio, Bizagi, etc.).

Downloading BPMN XML files

To print a process map for physical distribution (e.g. for warehouse teams or field staff who do not have PC access):

Printing process maps

Export single or bulk process maps as native Microsoft Visio (.vsdx) files. Labs opt-in, the export menu, the bulk export page, the MCP/agent tool, plan limits and troubleshooting.

Exporting process maps as Visio (.vsdx)

Export process maps as editable Word documents (.docx) as well as PDFs.

Export process maps to Word

Invite team members, assign roles, and share process maps securely.

Collaboration and sharing

BA Copilot uses role-based access control to manage what each team member can do:

Understanding roles: Owner, Collaborator, Viewer

Viewers get read-only access to team spaces. They are ideal for stakeholders, managers, and other reviewers who need to see process maps but do not need to create or edit them.

Inviting viewers

Collaborators can create and edit process maps, use the AI chat, and publish process maps. They are ideal for fellow business analysts or consultants working on process mapping alongside you.

Inviting collaborators

Manage your organisation's members from the Team Settings page.

Managing team members

A key design principle in BA Copilot: when you copy a process map to a team space, the chat history stays behind.

Sharing process maps without sharing chat history

Leave threaded comments on specific elements or the whole process map.

Commenting on process maps

Send a secure external feedback link so clients and stakeholders can comment on and approve a process map without accessing your workspace.

Share Processes Externally

Answers to common questions, solutions for common issues, and how to get support.

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Yes. You can try BA Copilot as a guest with a limited number of AI messages and chats. Sign up to unlock the full experience.

Common questions

If you are using the Plus model, generation can take 2–4 minutes for complex processes. Switch to the Core model for faster results if speed is a priority.

Common issues

If you need help or want to report an issue:

Getting support

Understand trial limits, plan features, collaborator seats, and subscription management.

Plans and billing

You can try BA Copilot for free without a credit card.

Free trial

The Essential plan gives you the core features for individual use:

Essential plan

The Pro plan unlocks the full platform for professionals and teams:

Pro plan

Collaborator seats let you add team members who can create and edit process maps alongside you.