Use default flow only in executable models

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====== Use default flow only in executable models ======

{{tag>default_flow}}

Use default flow outgoing from the exclusive gateway only if the model to be executed by a process engine.

===== ✔ How to =====

Executable model:

<bpmnio type="bpmn">
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<definitions xmlns="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/MODEL" xmlns:bpmndi="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/DI" xmlns:omgdi="http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DI" xmlns:omgdc="http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DC" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" id="sid-38422fae-e03e-43a3-bef4-bd33b32041b2" targetNamespace="http://bpmn.io/bpmn" exporter="http://bpmn.io" exporterVersion="0.10.1">
  <process id="Process_15ed216">
    <task id="Activity_026ukqj" name="Approve request">
      <incoming>Flow_0i4dirv</incoming>
      <incoming>Flow_0ka3lo7</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_1ps4vkt</outgoing>
    </task>
    <exclusiveGateway id="Gateway_0uhmn8g" name="Approved?" default="Flow_1ytsb8j">
      <incoming>Flow_1ps4vkt</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_00j2hvl</outgoing>
      <outgoing>Flow_0qwic4b</outgoing>
      <outgoing>Flow_1ytsb8j</outgoing>
    </exclusiveGateway>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1ps4vkt" sourceRef="Activity_026ukqj" targetRef="Gateway_0uhmn8g" />
    <task id="Activity_0crg87t" name="Adjust request">
      <incoming>Flow_00j2hvl</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_0i4dirv</outgoing>
    </task>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_00j2hvl" name="adjustment needed" sourceRef="Gateway_0uhmn8g" targetRef="Activity_0crg87t" />
    <endEvent id="Event_0598b4i" name="Request&#10;rejected">
      <incoming>Flow_0qwic4b</incoming>
    </endEvent>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_0qwic4b" name="no" sourceRef="Gateway_0uhmn8g" targetRef="Event_0598b4i" />
    <task id="Activity_0ima1sh" name="Process request">
      <incoming>Flow_1ytsb8j</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_1cpgayi</outgoing>
    </task>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1ytsb8j" name="yes" sourceRef="Gateway_0uhmn8g" targetRef="Activity_0ima1sh" />
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_0i4dirv" sourceRef="Activity_0crg87t" targetRef="Activity_026ukqj" />
    <task id="Activity_17d50ei" name="Apply request">
      <incoming>Flow_1s9xphs</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_0ka3lo7</outgoing>
    </task>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_0ka3lo7" sourceRef="Activity_17d50ei" targetRef="Activity_026ukqj" />
    <startEvent id="Event_1wgw2sz">
      <outgoing>Flow_1s9xphs</outgoing>
    </startEvent>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1s9xphs" sourceRef="Event_1wgw2sz" targetRef="Activity_17d50ei" />
    <endEvent id="Event_13bz61v" name="Requst processsed">
      <incoming>Flow_1cpgayi</incoming>
    </endEvent>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1cpgayi" sourceRef="Activity_0ima1sh" targetRef="Event_13bz61v" />
  </process>
  <bpmndi:BPMNDiagram id="BpmnDiagram_1">
    <bpmndi:BPMNPlane id="BpmnPlane_1" bpmnElement="Process_15ed216">
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Activity_026ukqj_di" bpmnElement="Activity_026ukqj">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="390" y="220" width="100" height="80" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Gateway_0uhmn8g_di" bpmnElement="Gateway_0uhmn8g" isMarkerVisible="true">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="545" y="235" width="50" height="50" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="544" y="292" width="53" height="14" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Activity_0crg87t_di" bpmnElement="Activity_0crg87t">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="390" y="70" width="100" height="80" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Event_0598b4i_di" bpmnElement="Event_0598b4i">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="552" y="372" width="36" height="36" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="549" y="415" width="42" height="27" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Activity_0ima1sh_di" bpmnElement="Activity_0ima1sh">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="660" y="220" width="100" height="80" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Activity_17d50ei_di" bpmnElement="Activity_17d50ei">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="230" y="220" width="100" height="80" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Event_1wgw2sz_di" bpmnElement="Event_1wgw2sz">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="142" y="242" width="36" height="36" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Event_13bz61v_di" bpmnElement="Event_13bz61v">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="802" y="242" width="36" height="36" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="792" y="285" width="57" height="27" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1ps4vkt_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1ps4vkt">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="490" y="260" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="545" y="260" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_00j2hvl_di" bpmnElement="Flow_00j2hvl">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="235" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="110" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="490" y="110" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="582" y="176" width="55" height="27" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_0qwic4b_di" bpmnElement="Flow_0qwic4b">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="285" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="372" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="579" y="326" width="13" height="14" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1ytsb8j_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1ytsb8j">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="595" y="260" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="660" y="260" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="619" y="242" width="17" height="14" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_0i4dirv_di" bpmnElement="Flow_0i4dirv">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="440" y="150" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="440" y="220" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_0ka3lo7_di" bpmnElement="Flow_0ka3lo7">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="330" y="260" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="390" y="260" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1s9xphs_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1s9xphs">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="178" y="260" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="230" y="260" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1cpgayi_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1cpgayi">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="760" y="260" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="802" y="260" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
    </bpmndi:BPMNPlane>
  </bpmndi:BPMNDiagram>
</definitions>
</bpmnio>

Non-executable model:

<bpmnio type="bpmn">
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<definitions xmlns="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/MODEL" xmlns:bpmndi="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/DI" xmlns:omgdi="http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DI" xmlns:omgdc="http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DC" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" id="sid-38422fae-e03e-43a3-bef4-bd33b32041b2" targetNamespace="http://bpmn.io/bpmn" exporter="http://bpmn.io" exporterVersion="0.10.1">
  <process id="Process_15ed216">
    <task id="Activity_026ukqj" name="Approve request">
      <incoming>Flow_0i4dirv</incoming>
      <incoming>Flow_0ka3lo7</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_1ps4vkt</outgoing>
    </task>
    <exclusiveGateway id="Gateway_0uhmn8g" name="Approved?">
      <incoming>Flow_1ps4vkt</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_00j2hvl</outgoing>
      <outgoing>Flow_0qwic4b</outgoing>
      <outgoing>Flow_1ytsb8j</outgoing>
    </exclusiveGateway>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1ps4vkt" sourceRef="Activity_026ukqj" targetRef="Gateway_0uhmn8g" />
    <task id="Activity_0crg87t" name="Adjust request">
      <incoming>Flow_00j2hvl</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_0i4dirv</outgoing>
    </task>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_00j2hvl" name="adjustment needed" sourceRef="Gateway_0uhmn8g" targetRef="Activity_0crg87t" />
    <endEvent id="Event_0598b4i" name="Request&#10;rejected">
      <incoming>Flow_0qwic4b</incoming>
    </endEvent>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_0qwic4b" name="no" sourceRef="Gateway_0uhmn8g" targetRef="Event_0598b4i" />
    <task id="Activity_0ima1sh" name="Process request">
      <incoming>Flow_1ytsb8j</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_1cpgayi</outgoing>
    </task>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1ytsb8j" name="yes" sourceRef="Gateway_0uhmn8g" targetRef="Activity_0ima1sh" />
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_0i4dirv" sourceRef="Activity_0crg87t" targetRef="Activity_026ukqj" />
    <task id="Activity_17d50ei" name="Apply request">
      <incoming>Flow_1s9xphs</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_0ka3lo7</outgoing>
    </task>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_0ka3lo7" sourceRef="Activity_17d50ei" targetRef="Activity_026ukqj" />
    <startEvent id="Event_1wgw2sz">
      <outgoing>Flow_1s9xphs</outgoing>
    </startEvent>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1s9xphs" sourceRef="Event_1wgw2sz" targetRef="Activity_17d50ei" />
    <endEvent id="Event_13bz61v" name="Requst processsed">
      <incoming>Flow_1cpgayi</incoming>
    </endEvent>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1cpgayi" sourceRef="Activity_0ima1sh" targetRef="Event_13bz61v" />
  </process>
  <bpmndi:BPMNDiagram id="BpmnDiagram_1">
    <bpmndi:BPMNPlane id="BpmnPlane_1" bpmnElement="Process_15ed216">
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Activity_026ukqj_di" bpmnElement="Activity_026ukqj">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="390" y="220" width="100" height="80" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Gateway_0uhmn8g_di" bpmnElement="Gateway_0uhmn8g" isMarkerVisible="true">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="545" y="235" width="50" height="50" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="544" y="292" width="53" height="14" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Activity_0crg87t_di" bpmnElement="Activity_0crg87t">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="390" y="70" width="100" height="80" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Event_0598b4i_di" bpmnElement="Event_0598b4i">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="552" y="372" width="36" height="36" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="549" y="415" width="42" height="27" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Activity_0ima1sh_di" bpmnElement="Activity_0ima1sh">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="660" y="220" width="100" height="80" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Activity_17d50ei_di" bpmnElement="Activity_17d50ei">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="230" y="220" width="100" height="80" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Event_1wgw2sz_di" bpmnElement="Event_1wgw2sz">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="142" y="242" width="36" height="36" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Event_13bz61v_di" bpmnElement="Event_13bz61v">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="802" y="242" width="36" height="36" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="792" y="285" width="57" height="27" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1ps4vkt_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1ps4vkt">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="490" y="260" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="545" y="260" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_00j2hvl_di" bpmnElement="Flow_00j2hvl">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="235" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="110" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="490" y="110" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="582" y="176" width="55" height="27" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_0qwic4b_di" bpmnElement="Flow_0qwic4b">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="285" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="372" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="579" y="326" width="13" height="14" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1ytsb8j_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1ytsb8j">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="595" y="260" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="660" y="260" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="619" y="242" width="17" height="14" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_0i4dirv_di" bpmnElement="Flow_0i4dirv">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="440" y="150" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="440" y="220" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_0ka3lo7_di" bpmnElement="Flow_0ka3lo7">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="330" y="260" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="390" y="260" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1s9xphs_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1s9xphs">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="178" y="260" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="230" y="260" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1cpgayi_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1cpgayi">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="760" y="260" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="802" y="260" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
    </bpmndi:BPMNPlane>
  </bpmndi:BPMNDiagram>
</definitions>
</bpmnio>

===== Notes =====

  * When used in the executable model, the default flow guarantees that the process will continue even if there is a mistake in the flow conditions. E.g. there may be a gateway controlled by a boolean attribute stored in a database. Process designer may define flow conditions as "if value is TRUE" and "if value is FALSE". It'd be a mistake because the attribute value may be also NULL. Therefore it's more robust to define explicit condition for one flow and mark the other as default flow.
  * In case of analytical model default flow doesn't add value but may confuse reader.

===== Exceptions =====

The above applies to exclusive gateways only. As for exclusive gateways, the default flow is useful both in executable and non-executable models:

<bpmnio type="bpmn">
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<definitions xmlns="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/MODEL" xmlns:bpmndi="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/DI" xmlns:omgdi="http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DI" xmlns:omgdc="http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DC" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" id="sid-38422fae-e03e-43a3-bef4-bd33b32041b2" targetNamespace="http://bpmn.io/bpmn" exporter="http://bpmn.io" exporterVersion="0.10.1">
  <process id="Process_1vphr67">
    <inclusiveGateway id="Gateway_0h14sq9" default="Flow_1fiufcu">
      <outgoing>Flow_0v7gy70</outgoing>
      <outgoing>Flow_1q65gr0</outgoing>
      <outgoing>Flow_1fiufcu</outgoing>
    </inclusiveGateway>
    <task id="Activity_0s9ye6s" name="Fix syntax errors">
      <incoming>Flow_0v7gy70</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_1yo36j4</outgoing>
    </task>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_0v7gy70" name="syntax errors detected" sourceRef="Gateway_0h14sq9" targetRef="Activity_0s9ye6s" />
    <task id="Activity_0utrx8b" name="Fix substantial errors">
      <incoming>Flow_1q65gr0</incoming>
      <outgoing>Flow_0lb8qxs</outgoing>
    </task>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1q65gr0" name="substantial errors detected" sourceRef="Gateway_0h14sq9" targetRef="Activity_0utrx8b" />
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_0lb8qxs" sourceRef="Activity_0utrx8b" targetRef="Gateway_0ncb01t" />
    <inclusiveGateway id="Gateway_0ncb01t">
      <incoming>Flow_0lb8qxs</incoming>
      <incoming>Flow_1yo36j4</incoming>
      <incoming>Flow_1fiufcu</incoming>
    </inclusiveGateway>
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1yo36j4" sourceRef="Activity_0s9ye6s" targetRef="Gateway_0ncb01t" />
    <sequenceFlow id="Flow_1fiufcu" sourceRef="Gateway_0h14sq9" targetRef="Gateway_0ncb01t" />
  </process>
  <bpmndi:BPMNDiagram id="BpmnDiagram_1">
    <bpmndi:BPMNPlane id="BpmnPlane_1" bpmnElement="Process_1vphr67">
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Gateway_12uxsxa_di" bpmnElement="Gateway_0h14sq9">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="285" y="265" width="50" height="50" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Activity_0s9ye6s_di" bpmnElement="Activity_0s9ye6s">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="400" y="140" width="100" height="80" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Activity_0utrx8b_di" bpmnElement="Activity_0utrx8b">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="390" y="370" width="100" height="80" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Gateway_1rj8ws5_di" bpmnElement="Gateway_0ncb01t">
        <omgdc:Bounds x="545" y="265" width="50" height="50" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_0v7gy70_di" bpmnElement="Flow_0v7gy70">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="310" y="265" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="310" y="180" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="400" y="180" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="293" y="220" width="64" height="27" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1q65gr0_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1q65gr0">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="310" y="315" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="310" y="410" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="390" y="410" />
        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
          <omgdc:Bounds x="283" y="360" width="85" height="27" />
        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_0lb8qxs_di" bpmnElement="Flow_0lb8qxs">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="490" y="410" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="410" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="315" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1yo36j4_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1yo36j4">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="500" y="180" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="180" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="570" y="265" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="Flow_1fiufcu_di" bpmnElement="Flow_1fiufcu">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="335" y="290" />
        <omgdi:waypoint x="545" y="290" />
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
    </bpmndi:BPMNPlane>
  </bpmndi:BPMNDiagram>
</definitions>
</bpmnio>

===== See also =====

  * [[en:term:analog_process]]
  * [[en:term:digital_process]]

===== Author(s) =====

 --- //[[user:bell|Anatoly Belaychuk]] 2024-03-24 18:32//