Creating and Building Navigation Trees

Add a tree, build its branches from filters, node types, relationships, or by dragging elements in.

Navigation trees live in the Trees section of the Model Navigator (left panel), alongside Filters.

Create a tree

1. Find the Trees section in the Model Navigator.
2. Click the + button. A new tree is added and its properties panel opens.
3. Give it a name (and, optionally, a description).

Add branches

1. Click the + on the tree row to add a top-level branch, or the + on a branch to add a child branch.
2. Select a branch to open its properties, where you set:
   • Label — the heading shown for the branch.
   • Seed filter — what the branch contains:
     • A node type — every element of that type appears under the branch.
     • A saved filter — the filter's matches appear under the branch.
     • (none) — a plain heading you fill with child branches or dragged-in elements.
   • Expand relationship (optional) — pick a relationship and a direction to expand from the seed elements, with an optional depth limit. Use this to show, say, a process and its sub-steps as a live sub-tree.
   • Order — alphabetical, by a property, or manual.

Drag elements onto a tree

The quickest way to place specific elements:

1. Expand the tree so you can see it.
2. Drag a node from the Model Navigator onto the tree (adds it at the top level) or onto a branch (adds it beneath that branch).
3. Drop it — a branch for that element appears. Select several elements first to add them all at once.

Other ways to build a tree

• AI assistant — ask the assistant to build or reorganize a tree in plain language (e.g. “make a reading tree grouped by capability”). It proposes the change for you to approve.
• API / MCP — external tools can create, update, and list trees programmatically (see the MCP API reference).

Everything you build is saved with the model and shared with collaborators in real time.