General shapes

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 1 minute to read

    • The general shapes section provides basic design elements that can be used to construct diagrams. By inserting icons such as arrows, circles, and text boxes, you can visually represent concepts, relationships, and processes in a clear and structured manner.

    You can add a shape to the canvas by either selecting the shape or by dragging the shape from the Shapes palette to the canvas.

    You can also adjust the size of shapes by selecting a shape and then drag any of its edges or corner handles. Pulling outward increases the shape's dimensions, while dragging inward reduces its size.

    Table 1. General shapes in Enterprise Modeling and Visualization
    Shape Name
    Actor
    Arrow
    Chevron
    Circle
    Cylinder
    Diamond
    Double ended arrow
    Eight pointed star
    Five pointed star
    Half eclipse
    Junction
    Octagon
    Parallelogram
    Pentagon
    Rectangle
    Speech bubble
    Square
    Sticky note
    Text box
    Triangle