Events
Explore BPMN events, their types, symbols, and how they trigger, modify, or complete business processes.
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BPMN Artifacts
What Artifacts Are
In BPMN 2.0, artifacts are elements that provide additional context and information to a process model. They do not directly affect the flow of the process but make the process more understandable and complete. Artifacts annotate processes, represent data, and group activities. You can add artifacts to your own model — start a free trial to try them on a process you know.
Data Objects
Data objects represent data created, modified, or used during process execution. They can be inputs, outputs, or intermediate data used by tasks.
- Example: A “Customer Order” data object can be associated with a “Submit Order” task, representing that this task involves handling customer order data.
- Use Case: Use data objects to show what kind of data is being used or produced in the process, such as forms, reports, or files.
Groups
Groups visually organize tasks or elements for documentation and analysis. They do not affect the sequence flow but are helpful for highlighting related tasks in a process.
- Example: Grouping several tasks that belong to a specific phase of a project, like “Approval Tasks” or “Customer Interaction Tasks.”
- Use Case: Use groups to organize and classify tasks for clarity, especially in complex processes with many elements.
Text Annotation
Text annotations let modelers add comments or notes to clarify process steps.
- Example: A text annotation explaining that a particular task is manual and not tracked by the system.
- Use Case: Use text annotations to explain complex tasks, describe conditions, or provide supplementary information without affecting the process flow.
Data Stores
Data stores represent persistent data storage. They show how multiple tasks or processes save and retrieve data.
- Example: A data store called “Customer Database” that multiple tasks access to retrieve or store customer information.
- Use Case: Use data stores when showing data that is stored outside of the process, such as databases or external systems, and how different tasks interact with that stored data.
Key Points
- Data Objects: Represent the data involved in a task or process, providing more context about the inputs and outputs.
- Groups: Visually organize related tasks or elements without affecting process flow.
- Text Annotations: Add clarifying information or notes to improve the readability and understanding of the process.
- Data Stores: Show persistent storage locations and how tasks access or update them.
Examples of Use
- In an invoicing process, a data object labeled “Invoice” might be associated with a “Generate Invoice” task to show that this task produces an invoice document.
- A group can be used to highlight all tasks related to “Customer Onboarding” in a larger business process.
- Text annotations might explain a decision gateway, clarifying what each condition represents.
- A data store labeled “Customer Database” might be connected to tasks like “Retrieve Customer Information” or “Update Customer Profile,” showing where the data is stored.
Artifacts add important context and information to BPMN diagrams without affecting the flow or sequence, which improves clarity, especially in complex processes.
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Related topics
- Activities: the main activity types.
- BPMN Building Blocks: element reference.
Related Documentation
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