---
title: Container Shapes in the Universal Model Editor
slug: rm/container-shapes-in-the-universal-model-editor
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-06-09T13:38:48.576Z
---

Certain shapes are containers, meaning they can have other shapes contained within them.

To use a container:

1. Drag the container shape from one of the shape libraries onto the canvas. Container shapes include the Horizontal Pool, Vertical Pool, Sub Process, and Sub-Conversation shapes from the BPMN library.

The container will not include any shapes it is placed on top of.

2. Drag shapes into the container. The container automatically re-sizes as you drag shapes in.
3. Certain containers can be collapsed, meaning the shapes inside them will be hidden from view. Use the add (+) and remove (-) buttons to collapse and expand the container.

   ::Image[]{src="https://files.helpdocs.io/4rdnduk17o/other/1568732511454/ume-work-with-container.png" size="50" isUploading="false" width="434" height="359" darkWidth="434" darkHeight="359" position="flex-start" showCaption="false"}

:::hint{type="info"}
Container shapes automatically re-size when you re-size any shapes within it.
:::