pp108 : Constructs Used in a Business Process Model

Constructs Used in a Business Process Model

This topic describes the various BPMN constructs used in a business process model.

Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) is a standardized graphical notation for representing business processes in a workflow. BPMN specifies a standardized way to depict various activities and events that are used to model business processes in a graphical manner. The graphical objects defined by BPMN are known as BPMN constructs. Process Platform supports the following BPMN constructs:

Table 1. Adding BPMN Constructs

Construct Name

Description

Start Event

To initiate a process flow, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox. Refer to Start Event for more information on this construct.

Activity

To add an activity to the business process model, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox. Refer to Activity for more information on this construct.

Independent Subprocess

To add an independent sub-process, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox. Refer to Independent Subprocess for more information on this construct.

Case Model

To add a case model to the business process model, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox.

Send Message

Send Message Intermediate Event should be used to send a message from one process to the other. Click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox to add this construct.Refer to Send Message for more information on this construct.

Compensate

To roll back an operation that has been executed, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox. Refer to Compensate Event for more information on this construct.

Catch Exception

To catch an exception into the process for error handling, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox. Refer to Catch Exception for more information on this construct.

Time-out

To introduce a time-out into the process, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox. Refer to Time-out for more information on this construct.

Decision

To indicate a decision point in the process, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox. Refer to Decision for more information on this construct.

Vertical Lane

To introduce a vertical lane in the process, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox. Refer to Swimlane for more information on this construct.

Horizontal Lane

To introduce a horizontal lane in the process, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox. Refer to Swimlane for more information on this construct.

Text

To add an annotation, comprising a border and a background color, to the business process diagram. You can use the annotation to add and display information specific to the business process diagram.

  • To set the properties of the annotation, right-click it and select Properties to open the property sheet of the annotation, and set the text to be displayed and the font size of the text.

Text Annotation

To add an annotation which can be linked to a construct. You can use the annotation to add and display information specific to the construct.

  • The annotation comprises a border and a connector that links it to the construct.
  • To set the properties of the annotation, right-click it and select Properties to open the property sheet of the annotation, and set the text to be displayed and the font size of the text.

Transparent Text

To add a transparent annotation to the business process diagram. You can use the annotation to add and display information specific to the business process diagram.

  • The annotation does not contain a border or background color.
  • To set the properties of the annotation, right-click it and select Properties to open the property sheet of the annotation, and set the text to be displayed and the font size of the text.

Receive Message

Receive Message Intermediate Event should be used to receive the message. Click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox to add this construct.Refer to Receive Message for more information on this construct.

Delay

To introduce a delay or pause in the process flow, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox.Refer to Delay for more information on this construct.

Embedded Sub-process (While, Until, For Each, Transaction)

To group a set of constructs for executing a set of activities or sub-processes repeatedly, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox.Refer to Group Constructs for more information.

End Event

To end the process flow, click on the Business Process Modeler toolbox. Refer to End Event for more information on this construct.

Related tasks

Designing a Business Process Model