Messaging

Messaging

Enabling communication with other lanes, pools or even entirely separate processes requires the ability to exchange information. In BPMN, Message Events are used to model this information exchange. Modeling communication with Message Events in the same diagram uses Message Flow. Message Flow is typically represented by a dashed line arrow between BPMN elements with a black (send) or white (receive) envelope icon. The following BPMN collaboration diagram shows message exchange between two processes.

BPMN collaboration diagram with two processes using message flow to exchange information between two organizations

Message Start Event

Message Start Events allow a BPMN process to be started by an incoming message. In the DSF, all BPMN processes are started via messages. Therefore, a Message Start Event has to be included at the beginning of all of your BPMN models.

Message Intermediate Throwing Event

Message Intermediate Throwing Events are used to send messages during process execution.

Message Intermediate Catching Event

Message Intermediate Catching Events serve as the counterpart to Message Intermediate Throwing Events. Use them whenever it is expected to receive a message from another process or organization during execution.

Message End Event

The Message End Event will stop the execution of a BPMN process and finish by sending a message.