BPMN Flow Object Type

Options for defining the type, depending on the object type you select.

Activity–Activity type and behavior. You can specify a Task, or a Subprocess. Settings for Activity type flow objects depend upon which type of Activity is chosen:

• All activity types, except Event Subprocess, provide the option to specify:

• Loop Type: Standard looping or Parallel transaction processing.

• Exception Flow, catching a boundary event condition such as Timer or Error. The Exception flow may be Non-interrupting, causing parallel flow to occur.

• Call Activity, indicating a callable process is referenced and defines the behavior of the activity.

• Task activity type allows specifying a Task Type indicator, which places a graphical icon in the shape. There are send and receive task types to indicate message flow, as well as other task types. Please see Properties dialog box - Task page - Step tab for more information on task types other than send and receive.

• Embedded Subprocess activity type also provides the option to specify behavioral options. Please see the Diagram Properties dialog box - Behavior page for more details.

• Event Subprocess allows specifying what event type will trigger (start) the Event Subprocess, and whether the subprocess is Non-interrupting.

See BPMN Activities Reference for other information.

Gateway–Gateway type and behavior. Allows specifying how paths are merged, joined, branched (which path of a decision) or forked. Depending on the type of Gateway chosen, you can choose further options for behavior. See BPMN Gateways Reference for more information on types of Gateways.

Event–Event type and behavior. See BPMN Event Types Reference for more information.

Details

Specify detailed behavior for the BPMN flow object. Clicking Details will either change to a Modeling category page of the Properties dialog box, or will present a menu of Modeling pages to choose from if the behavior is specified on more than one page.

Apply BPMN Shape (Only Shown in Limited Situations)

The option “Apply BPMN shape” may appear if clicking OK or Apply would not force the shape to a BPMN shape. This is only likely to occur if you replace a BPMN shape with a non-BPMN shape, using the Arrange menu Replace Shape command. We recommend you use the BPMN Guide Flow Object type, instead of the Replace Shape command, to set the flow object type in a BPMN diagram.