# BPMN palette and context pad

The palette down the left creates elements from scratch. The context pad, which appears when you select an element, creates the next element already connected to this one.

The context pad is the faster route for building a process, because it does the connecting for you.

![image-20260907-085656.png](https://help.gocapable.com/images/87b6427e-aa84-4bfb-b8ac-964a31428fe9.webp)

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## What this is for

* Building a process from the first event onwards.
* Changing an element's type after drawing it.
* Connecting elements that already exist.

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## How it works

| **Action**  | **How**                                                                                   |
| ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Palette     | Left edge. Drag or click a tool, then place on the canvas.                                |
| Context pad | Select an element; the pad appears beside it.                                             |
| Append      | Pick a shape from the context pad and it is created already connected.                    |
| Connect     | The connector tool on the pad, then click the target.                                     |
| Change type | The wrench icon on the pad turns a task into a gateway, an event into a timer, and so on. |
| Delete      | The bin icon on the pad, or the Delete key.                                               |

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## A few things that catch people out

* Changing an element's type keeps its connections. You do not have to redraw the flows.
* Appending from the context pad also places the element sensibly, which saves aligning later.
* The palette is for the first element and for anything disconnected. Use the pad for everything else.

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## Related

[Build a BPMN processFrom start event to end event, in order.](https://help.gocapable.com/diagrams/build-a-bpmn-process.html)

[BPMN properties panelEverything the canvas does not show.](https://help.gocapable.com/diagrams/bpmn-properties-panel.html)

[BPMN editorBack to the editor overview.](https://help.gocapable.com/diagrams/bpmn-editor.html)

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_Simulate it before you publish it._