Working with ArchiMate Shapes
concept australia Updated Sep 10, 2026 2 min read eaw-work-with-archimate-shapes.md
Use ArchiMate® shapes to build enterprise architecture diagrams that represent the relationships between business, application, and technology domains across your organization.
ArchiMate® is an open, independent enterprise architecture modeling language standardized by The Open Group. In the Enterprise Modeling and Visualization, ArchiMate® shapes let you model the current and target state of your enterprise using a consistent, industry-standard notation.
ArchiMate® shapes are organized into the following categories in the Shapes palette:
- Implementation and Migration: Shapes for modeling transition states, work packages, deliverables, gaps, and plateaus.
- Relationship Type: Junction shapes (And Junction and Or Junction) for modeling branching and merging relationships.
- Business Layer: Shapes for actors, roles, processes, functions, services, and other business-layer elements.
- Application Layer: Shapes for application components, services, functions, interfaces, and data objects.
- Motivation: Shapes for goals, requirements, drivers, principles, stakeholders, and other motivational elements.
- Physical: Shapes for equipment, facilities, and materials.
- Strategy: Shapes for capabilities, courses of action, resources, and value streams.
- Technology: Shapes for nodes, devices, system software, technology services, functions, and interfaces.
When you connect two ArchiMate® shapes, a toolbar appears on the connector. Use the Relationship type drop-down in the toolbar to set the ArchiMate® 3.2 relationship type — for example, Access, Assignment, Influence, or Serving. For the full list of relationship types and their visual styles, see Shape connector properties in Enterprise Modeling and Visualization.
Connector ports on ArchiMate® shapes are bi-directional. You can use any connector port — top, bottom, left, or right — as either an input or an output when connecting shapes.
Tip:
To keep connector ports permanently visible on all shapes without hovering, enable the Show all buttons without the need to hover preference in Preferences > Accessibility. For more information, see Show shape controls without hovering.
- Create diagram using ArchiMate shapes and add relationships
Use the industry standard ArchiMate shapes to create modeling diagrams for your enterprise in the Enterprise Architecture Workspace.
Parent Topic:Working with Enterprise Modeling and Visualization
Related topics
Shape connector properties in Enterprise Modeling and Visualization
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--- title: Working with ArchiMate Shapes description: Use ArchiMate shapes to build enterprise architecture diagrams that represent the relationships between business, application, and technology domains across your organization. locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/application-portfolio-management/eaw-work-with-archimate-shapes.html release: australia topic_type: concept last_updated: "2026-09-10" reading_time_minutes: 2 breadcrumb: [Working with Enterprise Modeling and Visualization, Managing Enterprise Architecture Workspace, Enterprise Architecture Workspace, Enterprise Architecture] --- # Working with ArchiMate Shapes Use ArchiMate® shapes to build enterprise architecture diagrams that represent the relationships between business, application, and technology domains across your organization. ArchiMate® is an open, independent enterprise architecture modeling language standardized by The Open Group. In the Enterprise Modeling and Visualization, ArchiMate® shapes let you model the current and target state of your enterprise using a consistent, industry-standard notation. ArchiMate® shapes are organized into the following categories in the **Shapes** palette: - **Implementation and Migration**: Shapes for modeling transition states, work packages, deliverables, gaps, and plateaus. - **Relationship Type**: Junction shapes \(And Junction and Or Junction\) for modeling branching and merging relationships. - **Business Layer**: Shapes for actors, roles, processes, functions, services, and other business-layer elements. - **Application Layer**: Shapes for application components, services, functions, interfaces, and data objects. - **Motivation**: Shapes for goals, requirements, drivers, principles, stakeholders, and other motivational elements. - **Physical**: Shapes for equipment, facilities, and materials. - **Strategy**: Shapes for capabilities, courses of action, resources, and value streams. - **Technology**: Shapes for nodes, devices, system software, technology services, functions, and interfaces. When you connect two ArchiMate® shapes, a toolbar appears on the connector. Use the **Relationship type** drop-down in the toolbar to set the ArchiMate® 3.2 relationship type — for example, Access, Assignment, Influence, or Serving. For the full list of relationship types and their visual styles, see [Shape connector properties in Enterprise Modeling and Visualization](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-portfolio-management/eaw-connector-properties.md). Connector ports on ArchiMate® shapes are bi-directional. You can use any connector port — top, bottom, left, or right — as either an input or an output when connecting shapes. **Tip:** To keep connector ports permanently visible on all shapes without hovering, enable the **Show all buttons without the need to hover** preference in **Preferences** > **Accessibility**. For more information, see [Show shape controls without hovering](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-portfolio-management/eaw-show-shape-ports.md). - **[Create diagram using ArchiMate shapes and add relationships](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-portfolio-management/eaw-modeling-create-diagram-archimate.md)** Use the industry standard ArchiMate shapes to create modeling diagrams for your enterprise in the Enterprise Architecture Workspace. **Parent Topic:**[Working with Enterprise Modeling and Visualization](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-portfolio-management/eaw-work-with-ent-model-and-visual.md) **Related topics** [ArchiMate shapes](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-portfolio-management/eaw-modeling-archimate-shapes.md) [Shape connector properties in Enterprise Modeling and Visualization](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-portfolio-management/eaw-connector-properties.md) [Create diagram using ArchiMate shapes and add relationships](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-portfolio-management/eaw-modeling-create-diagram-archimate.md) [Show shape controls without hovering](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-portfolio-management/eaw-show-shape-ports.md)
| title | Working with ArchiMate Shapes |
| description | Use ArchiMate shapes to build enterprise architecture diagrams that represent the relationships between business, application, and technology domains across your organization. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/application-portfolio-management/eaw-work-with-archimate-shapes.html |
| release | australia |
| topic_type | concept |
| last_updated | 2026-09-10 |
| reading_time_minutes | 2 |
| breadcrumb | Working with Enterprise Modeling and VisualizationManaging Enterprise Architecture WorkspaceEnterprise Architecture WorkspaceEnterprise Architecture |