BPMN

Where the process starts.

bpmn, start, event, begin

The process starts when a message arrives.

bpmn, start, event, begin, message, envelope, mail

The process starts when a set time is reached or a period has passed.

bpmn, start, event, begin, timer, clock, time, delay, schedule

The process starts when a condition becomes true.

bpmn, start, event, begin, conditional, condition, rule

The process starts when a signal is broadcast.

bpmn, start, event, begin, signal, broadcast, triangle

The process starts when any one of several things happens.

bpmn, start, event, begin, multiple, pentagon, several

The process starts when an error is raised. Used as the start of an event sub-process.

bpmn, start, event, begin, error, exception, fault, lightning

The process starts when earlier work has to be undone. Used as the start of an event sub-process.

bpmn, start, event, begin, compensation, undo, rollback, rewind

The process starts when an escalation is raised. Used as the start of an event sub-process.

bpmn, start, event, begin, escalation, escalate

The process starts when all of several things have happened.

bpmn, start, event, begin, parallel multiple, plus, all

Starts an event sub-process when a message arrives, without stopping the work already under way.

bpmn, start, event, non-interrupting, dashed, message, envelope, mail

Starts an event sub-process when a set time is reached or a period has passed, without stopping the work already under way.

bpmn, start, event, non-interrupting, dashed, timer, clock, time, delay, schedule

Starts an event sub-process when a condition becomes true, without stopping the work already under way.

bpmn, start, event, non-interrupting, dashed, conditional, condition, rule

Starts an event sub-process when a signal is broadcast, without stopping the work already under way.

bpmn, start, event, non-interrupting, dashed, signal, broadcast, triangle

Starts an event sub-process when any one of several things happens, without stopping the work already under way.

bpmn, start, event, non-interrupting, dashed, multiple, pentagon, several

Starts an event sub-process when an escalation is raised, without stopping the work already under way.

bpmn, start, event, non-interrupting, dashed, escalation, escalate

Starts an event sub-process when all of several things have happened, without stopping the work already under way.

bpmn, start, event, non-interrupting, dashed, parallel multiple, plus, all

Something that happens partway through the process.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary

The flow waits here until a message arrives. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, message, envelope, mail

The flow waits here until a set time is reached or a period has passed. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, timer, clock, time, delay, schedule

The flow waits here until an error is raised. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, error, exception, fault, lightning

The flow waits here until a transaction is cancelled. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, cancel, abort

The flow waits here until earlier work has to be undone. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, compensation, undo, rollback, rewind

The flow waits here until a condition becomes true. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, conditional, condition, rule

The flow waits here until the flow arrives from a matching link elsewhere on the page. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, link, arrow, jump, off-page

The flow waits here until a signal is broadcast. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, signal, broadcast, triangle

The flow waits here until any one of several things happens. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, multiple, pentagon, several

The flow waits here until an escalation is raised. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, escalation, escalate

The flow waits here until all of several things have happened. Placed on the edge of a task, it takes over from the task when that happens.

bpmn, intermediate, event, catch, wait, boundary, parallel multiple, plus, all

Placed on the edge of a task: when a message arrives, a side branch starts and the task carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, boundary, non-interrupting, dashed, message, envelope, mail

Placed on the edge of a task: when a set time is reached or a period has passed, a side branch starts and the task carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, boundary, non-interrupting, dashed, timer, clock, time, delay, schedule

Placed on the edge of a task: when a condition becomes true, a side branch starts and the task carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, boundary, non-interrupting, dashed, conditional, condition, rule

Placed on the edge of a task: when a signal is broadcast, a side branch starts and the task carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, boundary, non-interrupting, dashed, signal, broadcast, triangle

Placed on the edge of a task: when any one of several things happens, a side branch starts and the task carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, boundary, non-interrupting, dashed, multiple, pentagon, several

Placed on the edge of a task: when an escalation is raised, a side branch starts and the task carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, boundary, non-interrupting, dashed, escalation, escalate

Placed on the edge of a task: when all of several things have happened, a side branch starts and the task carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, boundary, non-interrupting, dashed, parallel multiple, plus, all

The process sends a message here and carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, throw, send, message, envelope, mail

The process asks for earlier work to be undone here and carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, throw, send, compensation, undo, rollback, rewind

The process jumps to a matching link elsewhere on the page here and carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, throw, send, link, arrow, jump, off-page

The process broadcasts a signal here and carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, throw, send, signal, broadcast, triangle

The process sends several things at once here and carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, throw, send, multiple, pentagon, several

The process raises an escalation here and carries on.

bpmn, intermediate, event, throw, send, escalation, escalate

This path of the process ends here.

bpmn, end, event, finish, stop

This path of the process ends and sends a message.

bpmn, end, event, finish, stop, message, envelope, mail

This path of the process ends and raises an error.

bpmn, end, event, finish, stop, error, exception, fault, lightning

This path of the process ends and cancels the transaction.

bpmn, end, event, finish, stop, cancel, abort

This path of the process ends and asks for earlier work to be undone.

bpmn, end, event, finish, stop, compensation, undo, rollback, rewind

This path of the process ends and broadcasts a signal.

bpmn, end, event, finish, stop, signal, broadcast, triangle

This path of the process ends and stops every other path of the process at once.

bpmn, end, event, finish, stop, terminate, kill

This path of the process ends and sends several things at once.

bpmn, end, event, finish, stop, multiple, pentagon, several

This path of the process ends and raises an escalation.

bpmn, end, event, finish, stop, escalation, escalate

A decision: the flow takes exactly one of the paths leaving it.

bpmn, gateway, exclusive, xor, decision, either, choice

The flow takes whichever path's event happens first.

bpmn, gateway, event-based, race, first event, wait

Starts a new process when the first of several events happens.

bpmn, gateway, event-based, instantiate, start

The flow takes every path whose condition is true, one or more.

bpmn, gateway, inclusive, or, one or more

The flow splits to follow every path at once, or waits for all of them to arrive.

bpmn, gateway, parallel, and, fork, join, split

Starts a new process once all of several events have happened.

bpmn, gateway, parallel, event-based, instantiate, start

A split or join with a rule of its own, explained in a note.

bpmn, gateway, complex, asterisk, custom rule

Work done by a system or service, with nobody involved.

bpmn, task, service, system, automatic, gear, api

The process waits here for a message to arrive.

bpmn, task, receive, message, wait, envelope

The process sends a message.

bpmn, task, send, message, notify, envelope

Work a person does with the help of software, such as filling in a form.

bpmn, task, user, person, human, form

A script the process engine runs itself.

bpmn, task, script, code, automatic

Work a person does by hand, without any system.

bpmn, task, manual, hand, person, offline

A message arriving here starts a new process.

bpmn, task, receive, instantiate, start, message

A decision worked out from a set of business rules.

bpmn, task, business rule, decision, rules, table, dmn

A step that is a whole process in itself, folded shut. Its detail is drawn elsewhere.

bpmn, sub-process, subprocess, collapsed, plus, nested

A step that calls a process defined somewhere else, so it can be reused.

bpmn, call activity, reusable, global, thick border, sub-process

A sub-process that is started by an event and not by the flow reaching it.

bpmn, event sub-process, dotted, handler, sub-process

A sub-process that either finishes as a whole or is undone as a whole.

bpmn, transaction, double border, all or nothing, sub-process

Placed at the bottom of a task: the task repeats until a condition is met.

bpmn, loop, repeat, mark, marker, standard loop

Placed at the bottom of a task: the task is done several times at once, once for each item.

bpmn, multi-instance, parallel, mark, marker, three bars, for each

Placed at the bottom of a task: the task is done several times, one after another, once for each item.

bpmn, multi-instance, sequential, mark, marker, three bars, for each

Placed at the bottom of a task: the task undoes work done earlier.

bpmn, compensation, undo, mark, marker, rewind

Placed at the bottom of a sub-process: its steps can be done in any order.

bpmn, ad hoc, tilde, mark, marker, any order

Placed at the bottom of a task to show it is a sub-process folded shut.

bpmn, sub-process, plus, mark, marker, collapsed

A piece of information the process uses or produces, such as an order or a report.

bpmn, data object, document, information, file, page

A set of the same kind of information, such as a list of orders.

bpmn, data object, collection, list, set, several

Information the process needs from outside before it can start, such as an application form. Its arrow is outlined.

bpmn, data input, input, information, arrow, page

A set of the same kind of information the process needs from outside, such as a batch of claims.

bpmn, data input, input, collection, list, several

Information the process hands back when it finishes, such as an approved order. Its arrow is solid.

bpmn, data output, output, result, arrow, page

A set of the same kind of information the process hands back, such as a list of invoices.

bpmn, data output, output, collection, list, several

Somewhere information is kept beyond the life of the process, such as a database.

bpmn, data store, database, storage, repository, drum

A message passed between two participants. This one starts the conversation.

bpmn, message, envelope, initiating, communication

A message sent in reply to an earlier one.

bpmn, message, envelope, reply, non-initiating, response, shaded

For a conversation diagram: the messages two or more participants exchange about one thing, such as an order, shown as one exchange. Lines join it to each participant's pool.

bpmn, conversation, hexagon, exchange, participants, collaboration

A conversation defined somewhere else and reused here. Its border is heavy, like a call activity's.

bpmn, conversation, call, hexagon, reuse, heavy border

A note for the reader. Its text sits to the right of the bracket.

bpmn, annotation, note, comment, bracket, text

A frame that gathers shapes for the reader. It changes nothing about how the process runs.

bpmn, group, frame, category, dash dot, box