BPMN elements
Elements are the building blocks you use to create processes.
There are five main element categories in a diagram. Every element represents a unique aspect of a business process.
You find information on specific elements in the BPMN Element Reference.
| Category | Element Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Flow Elements | activities, events, gateways | Define process behavior |
| Connecting Elements | sequence flows, message flows, associations, data associations | Connect flow elements to form a flow |
| Swimlanes | pools, lanes | Assign participants (organizational units, people or systems) to activities |
| Data Elements | data objects data inputs, data outputs, data stores | The data required, produced, stored or collected in a process |
| Artifacts | text annotations | Provide additional information about a process |
Element attributes
Every element has a set of attributes that you can edit.
Some attributes are essential if you want to run a BPMN model in Process Manager. Attribute descriptions are important if you want a comprehensive process report.
You edit attributes in the Attributes panel.
Every element has an Attributes tab. Depending on the element, the Attributes panel can have additional Attribute tabs. For example, a User Task has an Attributes tab and a Conditions, Input, Output, Resource and Property tab.
Open the Attributes panel
- Select the element in the diagram, and in the Configuration panel, click Attributes.