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BPMN Elements ​

Element Introduction ​

In the workflow module of the Informat system, understanding and mastering BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) elements is the foundation for designing efficient workflows. BPMN provides a set of standard symbols and rules for describing business processes. The following is a detailed introduction to common elements in BPMN, including events, activities, gateways, and sequence flows.

Events ​

Events are basic components of a workflow, representing the occurrence of certain things in the process. Events can trigger the start of a process, affect the progress of a process, or mark the end of a process. Events are mainly divided into the following types:

Start Event ​

Marks the starting point of a process. When a start event occurs, the process is initiated. Start events are usually represented by a hollow circle.

  • Message Start Event: Triggers the start of a process when a specific message is received.
  • Timer Start Event: Triggers the start of a process at a specific time or periodic time point.
  • Signal Start Event: Triggers the start of a process when a specific signal is received.

Intermediate Event ​

Represents an intermediate state or breakpoint in a process. Intermediate events can be placed on the sequence flow of a process, indicating that the process waits for the occurrence of an event here.

  • Intermediate Message Catch Event: Waits for a message to continue execution.
  • Intermediate Message Throw Event: Sends a message.
  • Intermediate Timer Catch Event: Waits for a specific time interval before continuing execution.
  • Intermediate Signal Catch Event: Waits for a signal to continue execution.
  • Intermediate Signal Throw Event: Sends a signal.

End Event ​

Marks the end point of a process. When an end event occurs, the process terminates. End events are usually represented by a solid circle.

  • End Message Event: Ends after sending a message, used to notify other processes or systems.
  • End Signal Event: Ends after sending a signal, used to broadcast notifications to multiple recipients.
  • Terminate Boundary Event: Immediately terminates the entire process instance or the subprocess instance containing it when the process ends.

Activities ​

Activities are core operations in a workflow, representing tasks or actions that need to be executed. Activities are mainly divided into the following types:

Task ​

Represents a basic unit of operation in a process. Tasks can be user tasks completed manually or service tasks automatically executed by the system.

  • User Task: Tasks that need to be completed manually, such as filling out forms, approving requests, etc.
  • Service Task: Tasks automatically completed by the system, such as calling external services, executing scripts, etc.
  • Script Task: Executes embedded script code.
  • Receive Task: Waits for the arrival of external events or messages.
  • Manual Task: Tasks that require manual intervention but are not tracked by the system.

Sub-Process ​

Represents a subprocess in a process, which can further refine and split complex business logic. Subprocesses can be embedded or reference subprocesses that call other processes.

Gateways ​

Gateways are used to control the branching and merging of processes, determining the path of the process.

Gateways are mainly divided into the following types:

Exclusive Gateway ​

Indicates that the process makes a conditional judgment here and selects a unique path to continue execution based on the conditions. Exclusive gateways are usually represented by a diamond with an "X" symbol.

  • Conditional Branch: Selects a path based on a conditional expression.
  • Default Path: Selects the default path when all conditions are not met.

Parallel Gateway ​

Indicates that the process executes multiple paths in parallel here, all paths start at the same time, and continue execution after all paths are completed. Parallel gateways are usually represented by a diamond with a "+" symbol.

Inclusive Gateway ​

Indicates that the process selects one or more paths to continue execution here based on conditions, all selected paths start at the same time, and continue execution after all paths are completed. Inclusive gateways are usually represented by a diamond with an "O" symbol.

Event-Based Gateway ​

Indicates that the process waits for the occurrence of an event here and selects a path based on the event. Event-based gateways are usually represented by a diamond with a hollow circle.

Sequence Flow ​

Sequence flow represents the execution order between activities in a process, represented by an arrow. Sequence flow connects events, activities, and gateways, defining the execution path of the process. Sequence flow is mainly divided into the following types:

  • Normal Sequence Flow: Represents a normal execution path, represented by a solid arrow.
  • Conditional Sequence Flow: Represents a conditional execution path, which is only executed when conditions are met, represented by a solid arrow with a conditional expression.
  • Default Sequence Flow: Represents the execution path when all other conditions are not met, represented by a solid arrow with a slash.

Summary ​

Mastering the above BPMN elements is the foundation for designing and implementing efficient workflows. By rationally using events, activities, gateways, and sequence flows, complex business processes can be built to meet various business needs. In practical applications, it is recommended to flexibly use these elements according to specific business scenarios to achieve process automation and optimization.