Working with the BPMN elements

This table gives an overview of the BPMN elements available on the palette:

Element Icon
IT-System IT-System
Message Message
Start Event Start Event
Intermediate/Boundary Event Intermediate/Boundary Event
End Event End Event
Gateway Gateway
Task Task
Sub Process Sub Process
Data Object Reference Data Object Reference
Data Store Reference Data Store Reference
Pool/Participant Pool/Participant
Group Group

To place an element on the canvas, click the element icon and then move the mouse to the location where you want to place it. Type a name and click outside of the element shape to confirm.

You can find other element types by using the wrench icon from the element context menu. The context menu is shown when an element is selected on the canvas.

This tables gives an overview of other supported element types that are interchangeable from the context menu:

Element Additional Type Icon
IT-System Traffic Light Traffic Light
Message Message
Indicator Indicator
Cockpit Cockpit
Start Event Intermediate Throw Event Intermediate Throw Event
End Event End Event
Message Start Event Message Start Event
Timer Start Event Timer Start Event
Conditional Start Event Conditional Start Event
Start Multiple Event Start Multiple Event
Intermediate/Boundary Event Start Event Start Event
End Event End Event
Message Intermediate Catch Event Message Intermediate Catch Event
Message Intermediate Throw Event Message Intermediate Throw Event
Timer Intermediate Catch Event Timer Intermediate Catch Event
Escalation Intermediate Throw Event Escalation Intermediate Throw Event
Conditional Intermediate Catch Event Conditional Intermediate Catch Event
Link Intermediate Catch Event Link Intermediate Catch Event
Link Intermediate Throw Event Link Intermediate Throw Event
Compensation Intermediate Throw Event Compensation Intermediate Throw Event
Signal Intermediate Catch Event Signal Intermediate Catch Event
Signal Intermediate Throw Event Signal Intermediate Throw Event
End Event Message End Event Message End Event
Escalation End Event Escalation End Event
Error End Event Error End Event
Compensation End Event Compensation End Event
Signal End Event Signal End Event
Terminate End Event Terminate End Event
Gateway Parallel Gateway Parallel Gateway
Inclusive Gateway Inclusive Gateway
Exclusive Gateway Exclusive Gateway
Complex Gateway Complex Gateway
Event based Gateway Event based Gateway
Task Parallel Multi Instance Parallel Multi Instance
Sequential Multi Instance Sequential Multi Instance
Loop Loop
Send Task Send Task
Receive Task Receive Task
User Task User Task
Manual Task Manual Task
Business Rule Task Business Rule Task
Service Task Service Task
Script Task Script Task
Call Activity Call Activity
Collapsed Sub Process Collapsed Sub Process
Expanded Sub Process Expanded Sub Process
Sub Process Parallel Multi Instance Parallel Multi Instance
Sequential Multi Instance Sequential Multi Instance
Loop Loop
Ad-hoc Ad-hoc
Transaction Transaction
Event Sub Process Event Sub Process
Collapsed Sub Process Collapsed Sub Process
Data Object Collection Parallel Multi Instance
Data Store Reference Data Store Reference
Pool/Participant Participant Multiplicity Parallel Multi Instance
Empty Pool Empty Pool
Expanded Pool Expanded Pool

After an element is placed on the canvas, you can edit its attributes in the panel on the right side:

  • Main attributes to describe the general properties of this element type.
  • Business attributes that contain industry-specific values.
  • Cost & Resource Analysis attributes.
  • Related documents to allow attaching documents specific to this element. For details, see Infor Document Management related documents.

To edit the attribute values, there are specific value pickers depending on the attribute type. In presentation mode, the attribute values for various elements are shown on the attributes panel that you can open and close when you click the element.

These attributes have a special meaning:

  • The text or rich text type attributes can be edited in the BPMN Modeler, or they can be associated with a registry entry that has been predefined for reuse. For details, see Content translation.
  • The Application Navigation attribute is used to define navigation links to other applications. For details, see Application Navigation.
  • The Image attribute for the IT System element is used to select an image from the registry and place it on the canvas. In the registry, the administrator can upload SVG and PNG images into Image Library type categories. For details, see the Infor Process Intelligence Administrator Guide.
  • The Subprocess Reference attribute in a Collapsed Subprocess element is used to navigate to the BPMN diagram that describes this collapsed subprocess. In presentation mode, double-click the collapsed subprocess element to navigate to the referenced diagram.
  • The Diagram Links attribute used in Intermediate Catch and Throw events helps you navigate preceding or following diagrams for these events. If there is only one diagram link defined, you can navigate in presentation mode by clicking the element on the canvas. If several diagram links are defined, these are displayed in presentation mode as clickable links in the attributes panel.