Signal Start

An active process sends a Signal and triggers the start of another Process.

Considerations

Signal Start is always a catch shape. That is, in order to use a Signal Start, there has to be a Signal Event that throws the message.

A signal is sent to any Process that can receive it, but it does not have a specific Source and Target. Any catch shape with the same name will be triggered.

Properties

The Intermediate event that throws the signal and the Signal Start that catches it should have the exact same name.

Diagram the throw and the catch signal in the First Step of the Wizard.An event can be converted into a signal in the same way it is explained how to convert to a Message previously in this article.

Timer Start

 With the time start, a specific time-date (e.g. every Monday at 9am) can be set in order to trigger the start of the Process autimatically. i.e. the process will be started automatically in the date and time previously defined. The events can be transformed into Timer Events in the same way it is explained how to convert to a Message previously in this article.

Properties

Timer start has a schedule option in the shape's properties. This is the schedule that will trigger the case to start.

Configure the schedule to trigger the start of the process

Intermediate Events

Intermediate Events are tasks that affect the normal flow of the process and can occur at any time, Intermediate Events do not depend on the user but on an external event. Intermediate Events may or may not occur within a process.

The Intermediate Event can be triggered manually by the user or automatically by a business rule, but it must be available.

The different types of intermediate events are:

BPMN NAME	USE	NOTATION
Timer	This shape represents a delay mechanism within the process. This time can be defined in an Expression or as part of the process information (Date or length in any type of unit of time).
Compensation	Intermediate Event indicates that compensation is necessary. Thus, it is used to "throw" the compensation Event. If an Activity is identified, and it was successfully completed, then that Activity will be compensated.
Cancel	Exception paths in the flow occur outside the normal flow of the process and are based on an intermediate event that takes place during the course of the process. The shape shows the use of the exception line with a sub-process and an activity.
Error	An Intermediate Error Catch Event can only be attached to the boundary of an activity. Note that an Error Event always interrupts the Activity to which it is attached.
Message	A Message Intermediate Event can be used to either send a Message or receive a Message. When used to “throw” the message, the marker MUST be filled. When used to “catch” the message, the marker MUST be unfilled. This causes the Process to continue if it was waiting for the message, or changes the flow for exception handling. The catch and throw messages must have the exact same name.
Link	A Link is a mechanism for connecting two sections of a Process. Link Events can be used to create looping situations or to avoid long Sequence Flow lines. Link Event uses are limited to a single Process level.
Signal	Signals are used for sending or receiving general communication within and across Process Levels, and between Business Process Diagrams. A BPMN Signal is similar to a signal flare that shot into the sky for anyone who might be interested to notice and then react. Thus, there is a source of the Signal, but no specific intended target.

Considerations

Many Sequences Flows may enter it, but only one enters in an instance of time, and a transition always comes out of it.

It can form a direct part of the process flow in its normal sequence or it can come before an activity, module or sub process as a separate thread of the normal process flow.

If an Intermediate Event has an associated shape, there is no need for an activity to precede it.

Properties

  Basic Properties (name, display name, description, help text).

Cancellation Intermediate Event

This type of intermediate event is used in transactional sub-processes. It must always be attached (diagramed) to the ends of the sub-process and should be launched if a cancellation exception is reached while the sub-process is being carried out.

Error Intermediate Event

This type of intermediate event can only be used if it is attached to the limits of an activity. It means that the activity is aborted when an error happens. This event is possible to be used in automatic activities, which means that a system error.

Example: Purchase Order. The token passes to the activity create manual purchase order when an error in the system’s activity to generate a purchase order occurs.

 

• Configuration of Transactional Sub-process or Transactions.

Compensation Intermediate Event

This type of intermediate event is used in transactional sub-processes. They are also used to handle compensations. It is used reactively when drawn at the ends of an activity.

Example:Travel agency. An event of termination of cancellation is launched when an error occurs in the hotel or flight reservation, which leads to the execution of the compensation activities: Flight Cancellation and Hotel Cancellation. .

 

• Configuration of Transactional Sub-process or Transactions.

Timer Intermediate Event

This shape represents a delay (period of time) within the process. The time can be defined at design time or as part of the process data (Date or length in any unit of time).

The duration is a Basic Property of the event. It is constant.

The timer duration can be also variable and it can be modified in an expression, by using the Me.Duration = x Minutes method. The minutes can be the result of a calculation or an element in the vocabulary. Another way to set the duration is by using the Me.EstimatedSolutionDate = Date method, where Date can be an attribute in the data model, the result of a calculation or a vocabulary definition. An example of how to use this method can be found can be found in the following link

Example:The following diagram of a loan request is timed using the Timer Intermediate Event representing a simple wait in the process (5 days) after the activity to inform the client of the result of the request. This type of timer use is known as a delay or wait in the process.

 

Example2: In this process, you can see a Timer Intermediate Event associated with an activity, which indicates that if the activity to INFORM THE CLIENT OF THE RESULT has not been completed at a certain time, the activity following the Timer Intermediate Event should be carried out; automatic notification to the client and close process. Notify the client via email. In this case, to define the duration of the timer associated with the activity, it is necessary to use Me.TimerEventDuration

On the following link, the user can find more information about the Intermediate Events attached to the Activity Boundaries

Considerations

  The length or the time assigned to the Timer Intermediate Event can be fixed or variable and is defined in minutes. The minutes assigned correspond to the wait time that must be taken into account. For instance, if the process flows arrives to an Event Timer which has defined duration of 120 minutes at 17:00 (5:00 p.m.) on Friday and the work shift has been defined from Monday to Friday at 9:00 (9:00 a.m.), then the process will wait before continuing to the following activity.

  In order for the shape to operate properly, the scheduler service for the corresponding application must be enabled.

  It can be diagramed into the main flow and acts as a delay or wait mechanism. If it is used as time control for a manual activity, it will be diagramed within the activity (bottom).

Properties

  Basic Properties (name, Duration (dd-HH-mm) and cost). The duration could be fixed or variable.

  Expressions.

Advanced Examples:This case shows a “Wait” period of three days. In the Intermediate Event that the Document Delivery does not occur before the Wait time (3 day), the client should be contacted.

Message Intermediate Event

This shape has a throw and a catch option, which is to send a Message or receive a Message. In order to learn how to convert an Intermediate Event into a Message Intermediate Event,please read this article

When used to throw the message, the shape is filled. When used to catch the message, the shape is unfilled.
Considerations

If a process is waiting for the message, it will be paused until the message arrives or it will change the flow for exception handling.

In order to use a throw Message, there has to be a catch Message Event that catches the message. It can be a Message Intermediate Event or a Message Start.

The shape in the process that throws the message should be configured to identify the target Process and the target Element.

Properties

The catch and throw messages must have the exact same name and they must be in different Processes.

1. In the Process Modeler configure the throw and the catch message so they have the exact same name.

2. In the Process Modeler configure the shape that will send the message to “Is Throw”

3. Go to the Wizard and select the Collaboration option in the 6th step, for the process where the Throw Event is. Configure the throw message to identify the process and element target, that is, the process where the Message Start is.

Link Intermediate Event

A Link is a mechanism for connecting two sections of a Process. Link Events can be used to create looping situations or to avoid long Sequence Flow lines. This shape has a throw and a catch option, which is to throw a connecting point to a catch shape. To convert an Intermediate Event into a Link Intermediate Event, the user should follow a similar process to the one explained for the Collaboration Setup.

Considerations

Link Event uses are limited to a single Process level. That is, they are used only within the same process.

First draw the throw Event, then the catch event.

Properties

The catch and throw links must have the exact same name.

Example: Imagine the Complaint Handling process is very large, and the File activity is far right in the diagram. To link the flow together without using a very long Sequence Flow, use a Link Event.

Signal Intermediate Event

Signals are used for sending or receiving general communication within and across Processes. A BPMN Signal is similar to a signal flare that shot into the sky for anyone who might be interested to notice and then react. Thus, there is a source of the Signal, but no specific intended target.

Considerations

A signal is sent to any shape that is configured to receive it, that is, has the same Name. There is no specific target, so any shape that is available will be triggered.

Properties

This shape has a throw and a catch option, which is to send a Signal or receive a Signal.
When used to throw the signal, the shape is filled. When used to catch the signal, the shape is unfilled.

In order to transform an event into a signal, right click the Event and select Event Type -> Signal as shown in the image below.

Example: The Credit Request process throws a signal to start a Sales process as soon as an offer is viable.

Configure the throw and the catch signal so they have the exact same name

End Events

The Terminate End Event indicates the end of a process. The different types of End Event types are:

BPMN NAME	USE	NOTATION
Terminate	This is the end of the process. There can be more than one in a flow. If a process reaches this event, it will be closed.
Cancel	This type of End is used within a Transaction Sub-Process. It will indicate that the Transaction should be canceled and will trigger a Cancel Intermediate Event attached to the Sub-Process boundary.
Error	This shape is used to capture errors, whether they are identified or not. All currently active threads in the particular Sub-Process are terminated as a result. The Error will be caught by an Error Intermediate Event with the same Name which is on the boundary of the nearest enclosing parent activity.
Message	This type of End indicates that a Message is sent to a specific process or active case, at the conclusion of the Process.
Signal	This type of End indicates that a Signal will be broadcasted when the End has been reached. Note that the Signal is sent to any Process that can receive the Signal and can be sent across Process levels, but is not a Message (which has a specific Source and Target).
End	Type of End Element that indicates a temporary end in the process. It is used when, after an activity, intermediate event or Exclusive Gateway (divergence element) nothing else needs to be carried out.

Terminate Event

Event that constitutes the end of the process. There can be more than one in a flow. If a process reaches this event, it will be closed.

Considerations

 All flows should have a Terminate End event, regardless of whether they are referring to a process, a sub-process or a module.

Note: The Terminate End event is an optional shape in diagramming the process. However, it is advisable to use it in the diagram.

A sequence flow goes into this shape (nothing ever comes out of it).

Properties

A description and a help text can also be associated with this shape as additional information.

Example: The “Terminate End Event” shape is drawn at the end of this process, indicating the end of the process.

 

End Event

This shape indicates a temporary end in the process. It is used when, after an activity, intermediate event or Exclusive Gateway (divergence element) nothing else needs to be carried out. Unlike the Terminate End Event, this shape does not close the process directly unless there are no pending tokens when it is reached, that is to say, there are no more pending manual activities or points waiting for something else to be done (for instance, a Timer Intermediate Event).

Example: In the loan request, let’s suppose that parallel to the disbursement and preparation of the credit cards, documents that are still at the office are filed. The filing activity is not required and therefore, it may or may not be carried out. Once it is performed, the process should not end until the request has been closed. In this case, after the Filing activity, an “End Event” is included, indicating that after this activity, there is nothing more to be done on this path.

 

Considerations

The End Event has not outgoing transitions

The End Event has the property to verify whether or not there are any pending activities (tokens) for each case. If there are no activities pending, the process is closed automatically.

The typical use of this shape takes place in business situations in which there are parallel paths and, on one of the paths, there are no more activities to be carried out, but the process does not have to be closed altogether.

This element cannot be synchronized with another point of the process.

Note: An End Event is an optional shape in diagramming the process, however, if necessary, it should be used in the diagram.

Properties

A description can also be associated with this shape as additional information. However, it is not displayed in the web application.