Desktop Client: Simulation warning: Activity has multiple output paths that share the same start and end points

This article applies to iGrafx Process and iGrafx Process for Six Sigma Client tools

You may receive a warning when you run simulation similar to the following message:

Warning: Document2 - Process1:  Activity 'Start' has multiple output paths that share the same start and end points. These may duplicate unwanted transactions.

This warning indicates that you have overlapped (identical) lines; in particular, more than one line leaving an activity (shape) at a particular point, and going to the same activity (shape) at the identical destination point. The simulator is warning you of this, as you have most likely accidentally drawn a line on top of an existing line without being aware of doing so.

When you run simulation, each transaction that enters the activity is implicitly (automatically) duplicated into the number of overlapping lines. For example, if there are two overlapping lines, then for each transaction that comes in, 2 will leave. Both transactions arrive at the same activity. If you intended to duplicate transactions, please note that you may want to separate the lines to make it clear that parallel paths (and transactions) leave the shape and enter the same destination shape. Please also note that you may duplicate transactions explicitly using the "Duplicate" option in the "On Completion" tab of the Task page, in the Properties dialog box for the shape. See the iGrafx Help system (Help menu > iGrafx Help) for more information.

The simulator makes this a Warning vs. an Error because it's possible (though not probable) that you intended to have lines overlapped in such a way that someone looking at the diagram would not be aware that multiple lines are being used to duplicate transactions.

To correct the warning, either select and delete one of the lines (if this overlap was not intended), or select one of the lines and move its begin or end point to another location on the shape (or to another shape).