BPMN - Business Process Modeling Notation 1.

1
Gateways Activities Data
Data-based Exclusive Gateway Multiple Instances of the A Data Object represents information flowing
When splitting, it routes the sequence flow to exactly one of the outgoing same activity are started in A Task is a unit of through the process, such as business documents,
Multiple
branches based on conditions. When merging, it awaits one incoming branch parallel or sequentially, e.g. Task work, the job to be e-mails or letters.
Instances
to complete before triggering the outgoing flow. for each line item in an performed.
order. Sequence Flow defines the Attaching a data object with an Undirected
Event-based Exclusive Gateway execution order of activities. Association to a sequence flow indicates hand-over
Is always followed by catching events or receive tasks. Sequence flow is Loop Activity is iterated if a of information between the activities involved.
A Subprocess is a
routed to the subsequent event/task which happens first. loop condition is true. The Conditional Flow has a
Collapsed decomposable activity. A Directed Association indicates information flow.
Loop condition is either tested condition assigned that
Parallel Gateway Subprocess It can be collapsed to A data object can be read at the start of an
before or after the activity defines whether or not the
When used to split the sequence flow, all outgoing branches are activated hide the details. activity or written upon completion.
execution. flow is used.
simultaneously. When merging parallel branches it waits for all incoming
branches to complete before triggering the outgoing flow. Default Flow is the default A Bidirected Association indicates that the data
Ad-hoc Subprocess branch to be chosen if all Expanded Subprocess object is modified, i.e. read and written during the
Inclusive Gateway execution of an actvity.
Ad-hoc Subprocesses other conditions evaluate to
When splitting, one or more branches are activated based on branching
contain tasks only. Each task false.
conditions. When merging, it awaits all active incoming branches to
can be executed arbitrarily
complete. read write modify modify
often until a completion
condition is fulfilled. An Expanded Subprocess contains a
Complex Gateway
valid BPMN diagram.
It triggers one or more branches based on complex conditions or verbal ~
descriptions. Use it sparingly as the semantics might not be clear. doc doc doc doc doc
[state1] [state2]

Collapsed Pool
Events Message Flow
Transactions
Start Intermediate End
A Transaction is a set of activities that logically
Catching Throwing Parallel Event-based
Loop Parallel Transaction belong together; it might follow a specified
Gateway Exclusive Activity Gateway transaction protocol.
Untyped events, typically Gateway Intermediate
Plain showing where the process Collapsed
Lane

Message Event Attached Intermediate Cancel Events indicate

starts or ends. Subprocess reactions to the cancellation of a transaction.
Transaction
Receiving and sending Conditional Intermediate Multiple End Event Activities inside the transaction are compensated
Message Start Event Message Event upon cancellation.
messages. Instances
Intermediate
Cyclic timer events, points in Timer Event
Timer Data Completed activities can be compensated. An
time, time spans or timeouts.
Object Activity activity and the corresponding Compensate Activity
are related using an attached Intermediate
Expanded Pool

Ad-hoc Subprocess [state1]

Catching or throwing named Sequence Compensation Event.
Error Flow Data-based Condition
errors. Task
Exclusive Compensate
Task
Gateway Activity
Reacting to cancelled
Lane

Cancel transactions or triggering End Error Event

cancellation.
Task Task Data
Default Object
Compen- Compensation handling or Embedded
Data Flow
Lane

sation triggering compensation. Subprocess [state2]

Documentation
Object
~
Reacting to changed business Intermediate Intermediate
Conditional conditions or integrating Timer Event Error Event
business rules.
An arbitrary set of objects can be
Signalling across different
Signal processes. One signal thrown Exception Group defined as a Group to show that
they logically belong together.
Lane

can be caught multiple times. Flow

Task Task
Any object can be associated with a
Catching or throwing one out of Text Annotation Grouping Teminate
Multiple Text Annotation Text Annotation to provide
a set of events. End Event
additional documentation.
Off-page connectors. Two
Link corresponding link events equal
a sequence flow.

Swimlanes
Terminate Triggering the immediate
termination of a process.
Business Process Technology
Message Flow symbolizes Prof. Dr. Mathias Weske
Pool
Catching Throwing information flow across
Lane

Task Pools and Lanes represent

organizational boundaries. Web: bpt.hpi.uni-potsdam.de
End Event: An event is thrown responsibilities for activities in a
Start Event: Catching an event Message flow can be attached to Oryx: oryx-editor.org
Pool

when the end of the process is process. A pool or a lane can be an Pool
starts a new process instance. organization, a role, or a system. pools, activities, or message events. Blog: bpmn.info
reached.
Lane

Lanes sub-divide pools or other

Intermediate Event (catching): Intermediate Event (throwing): Task
lanes hierarchically.
Pool

The process can only continue An event is thrown and the process Authors
once an event has been caught. continues. The order of message exchanges
Gero Decker
can be specified by combining
message flow and sequence flow. Alexander Grosskopf
activity Attached Intermediate Event: The
Pool

activity is aborted once an event is Collapsed Pools hide all internals Sven Wagner-Boysen
Pool
caught. of the contained processes.