Best BPMN Practices https://bpmnbox.org/ 2026-04-18T09:49:16+00:00 https://bpmnbox.org/ https://bpmnbox.org/_media/wiki/logo.png text/html 2025-04-01T08:24:55+00:00 Anatoly Belaychuk (bell@undisclosed.example.com) https://bpmnbox.org/en/rule/use-default-flow-only-in-executable-models?rev=1743495895&do=diff Use default flow only in executable models 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: Non-executable model: 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 condition… text/html 2025-01-08T17:08:15+00:00 Anatoly Belaychuk (bell@undisclosed.example.com) https://bpmnbox.org/en/rule/veto?rev=1736356095&do=diff Use a subprocess with a terminate or error error event to model veto power subprocess terminate_event error_event ✔ How to See also * Error event may be used to model business exceptions Author(s) --- Anatoly Belaychuk 2025-01-08 20:03 text/html 2024-11-27T14:47:59+00:00 Anatoly Belaychuk (bell@undisclosed.example.com) https://bpmnbox.org/en/rule/attached_timer?rev=1732718879&do=diff Don't use timer event to depict expected activity duration event timer_event attached_event Use text annotation and/or task properties to show expected activity duration. Use attached timer to show what should be done if the activity lasts longer than allowed. ✔ How to ✘ How NOT to text/html 2024-11-27T13:42:38+00:00 Anatoly Belaychuk (bell@undisclosed.example.com) https://bpmnbox.org/en/rule/start_and_end_of_process?rev=1732714958&do=diff Make process start and end explicit event start_event end_event Always depict start and end events. ✔ How to ✘ How NOT to Notes According to BPMN spec start and end events aren't obligatory - an activity without incoming sequence flows is treated as implicit process start, activity without outgoing sequence flows is implicit end. However it's better to avoid such diagrams because they may be misunderstood. text/html 2024-11-27T12:48:27+00:00 Anatoly Belaychuk (bell@undisclosed.example.com) https://bpmnbox.org/en/rule/structured_diagram?rev=1732711707&do=diff Follow structured modeling rules subprocess gateway loop Leverage structured blocks and subprocesses. ✔ How to Sequence: Selection, parallel, conditionally parallel: Cycles - explicit, loop, multi-instance: Subprocess, call activity: ✘ How NOT to Process will hang out at the parallel merge: text/html 2024-11-02T10:54:52+00:00 Anatoly Belaychuk (bell@undisclosed.example.com) https://bpmnbox.org/en/rule/different_rhytms?rev=1730544892&do=diff Activities performed in different rhytms belong to different processes process collaboration If one activity is performed once per month and another every time a client's order received then there are two different processes. ✔ How to ✘ How NOT to Notes From performers' (organizational, functional) point of view, they update the price list first, then develop the sales plan and finally fulfill the deal. Yet BPMN diagram should be treated literally so if we depict the process this way (se… text/html 2024-11-02T10:36:21+00:00 Anatoly Belaychuk (bell@undisclosed.example.com) https://bpmnbox.org/en/rule/control_branch?rev=1730543781&do=diff A subprocess and a control branch may be used as an alternative to the attached event subprocess event attached_event terminate_event Use a subprocess containing the control branch to implement versatile event processing logic. ✔ How to Let's assume that we need to obtain payment from the client, watch the payment due date and talk with the customer in case of delay. Use the following technique: text/html 2024-09-26T10:54:58+00:00 Anatoly Belaychuk (bell@undisclosed.example.com) https://bpmnbox.org/en/rule/explicit_parallel_merge?rev=1727348098&do=diff Make parallel merge explicit parallel_gateway sequence_flow terminate_event Use parallel gateway to merge parallel flows. ✔ How to ✘ How NOT to Task with two incoming flows will be executed twice. Probably this wasn't your intention. Executing this model by BPMS would lead to misreporting - doubled number of end events. text/html 2024-01-25T16:09:28+00:00 Anatoly Belaychuk (bell@undisclosed.example.com) https://bpmnbox.org/?image=en%3Arule%3Ahugebpmn.png&ns=en%3Arule&rev=1706198968&tab_details=history&media_do=diff&do=media <img src="https://bpmnbox.org/_media/en/rule/hugebpmn.png?w=500&amp;h=500&amp;tok=4e51bd" alt="hugebpmn.png" loading="lazy" width="500" height="500" />