Business Process Objects Palette

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This palette appears in the Diagram Area when you open or create a Business Process diagram. It is not available if a Conceptual Model is open. If a element has additional options available, a drop-down menu appears to the right of the icon and element name in the palette. For example, if you click the End Event element, six additional end event types are available.

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Element	Palette Icon	Description
Start Events
Start Event		Initiates the start of a Process.
Error		An error that triggers an in-line Event Sub-Process.
Compensation		A compensation trigger indicates that a previously-performed process resulted in an undesirable outcome and the steps must be undone.
Conditional		A Conditional Start Event is triggered when a condition becomes true. An event that could trigger a Conditional Start Event is when a condition such as, "Oven temperature above 450F" is True.
Escalation		An escalation trigger occurs when a result is not the desired behavior and the process must be diverted from the normal flow to address the escalation.
Link		A mechanism for connecting the end of one Process to the start (or trigger) of another.
Message		A message arrives from a participant and triggers the start of the Process.
Signal		A signal transmitted by another process triggers the start of the Process. Note that a single signal can start multiple Processes.
Timer		A specific time-date or a specific cycle (e.g., every Friday at 10:00 a.m.) is set that triggers the start of the Process.
Intermediate Events
Intermediate Event		Happens during the course of a process event.
Cancel		This trigger is used within a Transaction Sub-process. This type of event must be attached to the boundary of a Sub-process.
Compensation		Compensation is when activities are invoked that undo an undesirable outcome.
Error		The trigger sets or catches errors. It sets an error if the Event is part of a Normal Flow. It reacts to a named error when attached to the boundary of an activity.
Link		Connects an End Event of one Process to an Intermediate Event in another Process.
Message		A message arrives from a participant and triggers an Event. The Process then continues if it is waiting for a message, or changes the flow for exception handling.
Rule		This trigger is only used for exception handling. This event is triggered when a Rule becomes True. A Rule is an expression that evaluates some Process data.
Timer		A specific time-date or cycle is set that triggers an Event. It can act as a delay mechanism if used within the main flow. If used for exception handling, it changes the Normal Flow into an Exception Flow.
End Events
End Event		Ends a process flow.
Cancel		The type of End is used within a Transaction Sub-process. It indicates that the Transaction should be cancelled and triggers a Cancel Intermediate Event attached to the Sub-process boundary. It also indicates that a Transaction Protocol Cancel message should be sent to any Entities involved in the Transaction.
Compensation		This End indicates that a Compensation is necessary. The Compensation identifier triggers an intermediate Event when the Process is rolling back.
Error		A named Error should be generated. This Error is caught by an Intermediate Event within the Event Context.
Link		A Link is a mechanism for connecting the end of one process to the start of another.
Message		A message is sent to a participant at the conclusion of the process.
Terminate		All activities in the Process should be ended immediately. The Process is ended without compensation or event handling.
Tasks
Task		This is an activity that is performed within a business process.
Loop Task		The attributes of Tasks and Sub-processes determine if they are repeated or performed once. There are two types of loops: Standard and Multi-Instance. The looping indicator is displayed at the bottom-center of the activity.
Parallel Multiple Instance Loop Task		This refers to parallel multiple instances of the activities. Activities that are Parallel Multi-Instance have a parallel marker placed in the bottom center of the activity.
Sequential Multiple Instance Loop Task		This refers to sequential multiple instances of the activities. Activities that are sequential multi-Instance have a parallel marker placed in the bottom center of the activity.
Embedded Sub-Processes
Embedded Sub-Process		An Embedded (or nested) Sub-process is an activity that contains other activities (a Process). The Process within the Process is dependent on the parent Process for instigation and has visibility to the parent’s global data. No mapping of data is required.
Embedded Sub-Process (Collapsed)		Select this icon to place a collapsed embedded sub-process in the Diagram View
Ad Hoc Embedded Sub-process		An Ad Hoc Process is a group of activities that have no pre-definable sequence relationships. Activities within the Process are disconnected from each other. During execution of the Process, any one or more of the activities may be active and they can be performed in almost any order or frequency.
Loop Embedded Sub-process		The attributes of Tasks and Sub-processes will determine if they are repeated or performed once. There are two types of loops: Standard and Multi- Instance. A small looping indicator is displayed at the bottom-center of the activity.
Parallel Multiple Instance Embedded Sub-process		The attributes of Tasks and Sub-processes determine if they are repeated or performed once. A small parallel indicator is displayed at the bottom-center of the activity.
Serial Multiple Instance Embedded Sub-process		The attributes of Tasks and Sub-processes determine if they are repeated or performed once. A small parallel indicator is displayed at the bottom-center of the activity.
Transaction Embedded Sub-process		A Sub-process, either collapsed or expanded, can be set as being a Transaction, which has a special behavior that is controlled through a transaction protocol (such as BTP or WS-Transaction). The boundary of the activity is double-lined to indicate that it is a Transaction.
Independent Sub-processes
Independent Sub-Process		An independent Sub-process element is an activity within a Process that calls to another process that exists within a business process definition diagram.
Loop Independent Sub-process		The attributes of Tasks and Sub-processes will determine if they are repeated or performed once. There are two types of loops: Standard and Multi- Instance. A small looping indicator is displayed at the bottom-center of the activity.
Parallel Multiple Instance Independent Sub-process		The attributes of Tasks and Sub-processes determine if they are repeated or performed once. A small parallel indicator is displayed at the bottom-center of the activity.
Serial Multiple Instance Independent Sub-process		The attributes of Tasks and Sub-processes determine if they are repeated or performed once. A small parallel indicator is displayed at the bottom-center of the activity.
Transaction Independent Sub-process		A sub-process, either collapsed or expanded, can be set as being a Transaction, which has a special behavior that is controlled through a transaction protocol (such as BTP or WS-Transaction). The activity has a double border to indicate that it is a Transaction.
Gateways
Gateway		This symbol displays decisions, merges, forks, and joins in the process flow. They control how Sequence Flows interact as they converge and diverge within a process. You can set the Gateway Control Types of a gateway and change the logic specified by it.
Complex		Decision: This expression determines which output flow is taken from multiple Sequence Flow names. Merge: You specify a complex flow condition referencing incoming Sequence Flow names or process data coming into a gateway. This expression determines when the task starts.
Data-Based		These are the most common gateways used. A data token traverses the Process Flow arriving at the gateway. It can only go out on one flow. This control type is represented by either a diamond with an “x” in the middle or blank diamond shape.
Event-Based		Decision: This represents a branching point where the alternatives are based on an event occurring at that point. Merge: The exclusive merge models data-based or event-based merges. Only one of the many inputs is chosen as the output.
Inclusive		Decision: One or more of the outgoing Sequence Flows may be taken. A default flow must be specified at this point, there cannot be zero output flows. Merge: A process flow continues when it receives the first input signal from the input Sequence Flow. If other signals arrive after that, they are not used.
Parallel		Fork: All Sequence Flows out of this gateway are taken. Join: This gate must receive input signals from all input Sequence Flows. The process flow does not continue until it receives all signals.
Sequence Flows
Sequence Flow (BPM)		A sequence flow shows the sequence of processes in an organization. You can use the sequence flow lines to connect events, activities, and gateways in pools or lanes. The Sequence Flow (BPM) has five different designations that can be set using the Sequence Flow Property View. Double-click the Sequence Flow to open the Sequence Flow Properties dialog.
Conditional Flow		A conditional flow is evaluated at runtime to determine whether or not the flow is used. If the conditional flow is outgoing from an activity, then the Sequence Flow has a mini-diamond at the beginning of the line. If the conditional flow is outgoing from a Gateway, then the line does not have the diamond.
Default Flow		For Data-Based Exclusive Decisions or Inclusive Decisions, one type of flow is the Default Condition flow. This flow is used only if all other outgoing conditional flows are not true at runtime. These Sequence Flows have a diagonal slash added to the beginning of the line.   You would add a Default Conditional Flow marker to a Sequence Flow for two types of decision: Data-based Exclusive and Inclusive Decisions. This flow is used only if all the other outgoing conditional flows are not true at runtime.
Exception Flow		Exception Flows occur outside the normal flow of the Process and it is based upon an Intermediate Event that occurs during the performance of the Process.
Message Flows
Message Flow (BPM)		Shows the model order of processes between organizations (i.e. between pools).
Associations
Association		An Association is used to associate information and artifacts with events and activities
Association to Target		The Association connection flows from the source to the target.
Association from Target		The Association connection flows from the target to the source.
Association to/from Target		The Association connection indicates a flow in both directions.
Pools
Pool (Horizontal)		This pool is drawn as a rectangular region placed horizontally. A lane is a subpartition within a pool and extends the entire length of the pool. A pool represents an organization, function, application, class, or an entity.
Pool (Vertical)		This pool is drawn as a rectangular region placed vertically. It has the same characteristics as the horizontal pool.
Lanes
Lanes		Lanes organize and categorize activities. When you place a process in a pool or lane you specify who is doing what. If you place an event in a lane you specify where that event occurs. When you place a gateway in a lane you specify where a decision is made or who makes it.
Nested Lane		You can place lanes within existing lanes with this object.
Artifacts
Data Object		Data objects provide information about how documents, data, and other objects are used and updated in a Process. They represent data so are defined by a combination of entities or classes.
Group		Use the Group symbol to visually organize activities.
Annotation		Textual annotation allows you to provide additional facts and details about an element.
Off-Page Connector		If a process model extends beyond the length of one printed page you can use a Off-Page Connector to show how Sequence Flow connections extend across the page breaks.