Understanding event types

IBM BPM, V8.0.1, All platforms > Create processes in IBM Process Designer > Modeling processes > Modeling events
Understanding event types

Learn about the types of events available in IBM BPM and when to use each type.
You can include the following types of events in your IBM BPM Business Process Definitions (BPDs):

Start event

Use to model the start of a process, a linked process, a subprocess or an event subprocess. A Start event is automatically included each time you create a business process definition (BPD). A BPD can include multiple Start events (one Start event with an implementation of None and multiple Start events with an implementation of Message) if you need to be able to start the process more than one way.

Intermediate event

Intermediate events can be attached to activities within your BPDs or they can be included in the process flow, connected with sequence flows.

End event

Use to model the end of a process. An End event is automatically included each time you create a BPD.

The following tables describe the implementation options for each of the preceding event types.

Implementation options for Start events
Option Description
None Use the None implementation option if you want to enable process participants to start a process manually from IBM Process Portal. (For an example of such a process, see Create a business process definition (BPD).) Or, you can use this implementation option when you intend to use a process as a linked process from another higher level process.
Message Use the Message implementation option if you want an incoming message to kick off a process (see Use start message events ) or an event subprocess (see Modeling event subprocesses).
Ad Hoc Use the Ad Hoc implementation option when you need to include ad hoc actions that can be run at any time during process execution.
For example, you can include an ad hoc event to enable users to cancel a customer order at any time during the ordering process. See Use ad hoc events for more information.

.
For information about implementation options for Start events in a subprocess or event subprocess, see Subprocess types.

Implementation options for Intermediate events
Option Description
Message Use the Message implementation option to model a message event that is received or sent. The Message implementation option is available for events included in the process flow and events attached to an activity. When attached to an activity, the event receives only messages. See Use intermediate message events to receive messages and Use intermediate message events and message end events to send messages for more information.
Timer Use the Timer implementation option to model escalation paths or delays in your BPDs. Using a timer event, you can specify a time interval after or before an activity is performed. The Timer implementation option is available for events included in the process flow and events attached to an activity. See Modeling timer events for more information.
Tracking Use the Tracking implementation option to indicate a point in a process at which you want IBM BPM to capture the runtime data for reporting purposes. The Tracking implementation option is available only for events included in the process flow.
Error Use the Error implementation option to catch errors and to handle errors with login in the process flow. The Error implementation option is available only for events attached to an activity. For an example of how to use intermediate error events, see Handling error events.

Implementation options for End events
Option Description
None Use the None implementation option when you want to indicate the end of activities on a particular path.
Error Use the Error implementation option when you want to throw an error to parent processes or to error event subprocesses. See Handling error events for more information.
Terminate Use the Terminate implementation option when you want to close running tasks associated with a process and cancel outstanding timers. You can designate that you want to terminate the entire process instance, or you can designate that you want to terminate the process that contains the event and its subprocesses. If an entire process instance is terminated, the process shows a status of Terminated in the Inspector.
Message Use the Message implementation option when you want to send a message.
For example, you might want to send a message at the conclusion of each process instance that is received by a start message event in another process or processes so that the completion of one process starts another related process or processes. See Use message end events for more information.

Modeling events

Option	Description
None	Use the None implementation option if you want to enable process participants to start a process manually from IBM Process Portal. (For an example of such a process, see Create a business process definition (BPD).) Or, you can use this implementation option when you intend to use a process as a linked process from another higher level process.
Message	Use the Message implementation option if you want an incoming message to kick off a process (see Use start message events ) or an event subprocess (see Modeling event subprocesses).
Ad Hoc	Use the Ad Hoc implementation option when you need to include ad hoc actions that can be run at any time during process execution. For example, you can include an ad hoc event to enable users to cancel a customer order at any time during the ordering process. See Use ad hoc events for more information.

Option	Description
Message	Use the Message implementation option to model a message event that is received or sent. The Message implementation option is available for events included in the process flow and events attached to an activity. When attached to an activity, the event receives only messages. See Use intermediate message events to receive messages and Use intermediate message events and message end events to send messages for more information.
Timer	Use the Timer implementation option to model escalation paths or delays in your BPDs. Using a timer event, you can specify a time interval after or before an activity is performed. The Timer implementation option is available for events included in the process flow and events attached to an activity. See Modeling timer events for more information.
Tracking	Use the Tracking implementation option to indicate a point in a process at which you want IBM BPM to capture the runtime data for reporting purposes. The Tracking implementation option is available only for events included in the process flow.
Error	Use the Error implementation option to catch errors and to handle errors with login in the process flow. The Error implementation option is available only for events attached to an activity. For an example of how to use intermediate error events, see Handling error events.

Option	Description
None	Use the None implementation option when you want to indicate the end of activities on a particular path.
Error	Use the Error implementation option when you want to throw an error to parent processes or to error event subprocesses. See Handling error events for more information.
Terminate	Use the Terminate implementation option when you want to close running tasks associated with a process and cancel outstanding timers. You can designate that you want to terminate the entire process instance, or you can designate that you want to terminate the process that contains the event and its subprocesses. If an entire process instance is terminated, the process shows a status of Terminated in the Inspector.
Message	Use the Message implementation option when you want to send a message. For example, you might want to send a message at the conclusion of each process instance that is received by a start message event in another process or processes so that the completion of one process starts another related process or processes. See Use message end events for more information.