IBM BPM, V8.0.1, All platforms > Get started with IBM BPM > Key concepts > BPEL processes and human tasks > Human tasks overview > Task templates
Kinds of human tasks
The task kind is derived from the task template kind that is assigned during modeling.
The kinds of human tasks are as follows:
- To-do tasks
- This is where a service component (such as a BPEL process) assigns a task to one or more people as something for them to do. A to-do task can be implemented either stand-alone or inline.
- Invocation tasks
- This is where a person can "assign" a task to a service component. In such a case, a person invokes an automated service, such as a BPEL process.
An invocation task can be implemented either stand-alone or inline. When it is inline, an invocation task allows a person to invoke the operations that a BPEL process exposes through activities, such as receive or pick activities, or event handlers.
- Collaboration tasks
- This is where a person assigns a task to one or more people. This task kind enables a person to share work with other people in a structured and controlled way.
A collaboration task is stand-alone, in that there is no interaction between it and any other component. It is self-contained and implements a stand-alone human interaction without any reference or interface to another service.
- Administration tasks
- This type of task grants a person administrative powers such as the ability to suspend, terminate, restart, force-retry, or force-complete a BPEL process. Administration tasks can be set up on either an invoke activity, or the process as a whole.
This type of task is only available within a BPEL process (inline task).
Related concepts:
State transition diagrams for to-do tasks
State transition diagrams for collaboration tasks
State transition diagrams for invocation tasks
State transition diagrams for administration tasks
Stand-alone and inline tasks