Message Flow Element

Overview

In a Process model, Message Flow elements represent messaging between elements of (or within) one Pool element to elements of (or within) another Pool element. Message Flow elements cannot connect to Process model elements within the same Pool element. Message Flow elements are not to be confused with Sequence Flow elements.

Use Message Flow elements to represent collaboration and transfer of Request data from one Pool to another. Since each Pool element in a Process uses its own Request and Request data, use Message Flow elements to exchange data and information between separate Pool elements and/or elements within those Pool elements.

These messages indicate the transfer of Request data between separate Process model elements. Use a Text Annotation element to add descriptive information about the nature of the data transfer.

Flow indicators display when you click an element in the Process model.

Message Flow indicator (highlighted) on a selected Process model element

Incoming and Outgoing Message Flow

From the context of a Process model element associated with a Message Flow element, that Message Flow element can be "incoming" or "outgoing." Consider the following Process model example to demonstrate their differences.

Message Flow element is outgoing for Task 1, but incoming for Task 2

Below are the differences between incoming and outgoing Message Flow elements:

• Incoming: An incoming Message Flow element comes from its connecting element. In the Process model example above, the Message Flow element is incoming to the "Task 2" element.

• Outgoing: An outgoing Message Flow element goes to the connecting element. In the Process model example above, the Message Flow element is outgoing from the "Task 1" element. The outgoing Message Flow element must originate from a separate Pool element than from where it connects.

Restrictions on Message Flow Elements

Message Flow elements are not used in two general categories of Process model objects

• BPMN 2.0 specification elements that do not use outgoing Message Flow elements

• Non-BPMN 2.0 specification Process model objects

BPMN 2.0 Specification Elements That Do Not use Outgoing Message Flow Elements

The following elements from the BPMN 2.0 specification do not use outgoing Message Flow elements:

• Events

  • Start Event element

  • ​Start Timer Event element

  • Signal Start Event element

  • Message Start Event element

  • Conditional Start Event element

  • Intermediate Timer Event element

  • Intermediate Signal Catch Event element

  • Intermediate Message Catch Event element

  • Intermediate Conditional Catch Event element

  • End Event element

  • Message End Event element

  • Error End Event element

  • Signal End Event element

  • Terminate End Event element

  • Boundary Timer Event element

  • Boundary Error Event element

  • Boundary Signal Event element

  • Boundary Message Event element

• Tasks

  • Form Task element

  • Manual Task element

  • Script Task element

  • Sub Process element

• Gateways

  • Exclusive Gateway element

  • Inclusive Gateway element

  • Parallel Gateway element

  • Event-Based Gateway element

• Annotations and Associations

  • Text Annotation element

  • Association element

  • Data Object element

  • Data Store element

  • Data Association Flow element

• Flow Indicators

  • Sequence Flow element

Non-BPMN 2.0 Specification Process Model Objects

Furthermore, all Process model objects not part of the BPMN 2.0 specification do not use Message Flow elements. This includes the following:

• CDATA External Integrations

• Connectors

• PM Blocks

• Customize the Appearance of a Process Model Object.

• Delete Process Model Objects.

Connect the Message Flow Element Between Elements in Separate Pool Elements

Connect two Process model objects with a Message Flow element to message between elements of (or within) one Pool element to elements of (or within) another Pool element. Message Flow elements cannot connect to Process model elements within the same Pool element. Ensure that the two objects to connect use Message Flow elements as described in the Overview.

Follow these steps to set the Message Flow element between elements in separate Pool elements:

1. Ensure that the Process model has at least two (2) Pool elements from which to establish Message Flow between them.

2. From one Pool element, select the Process model element to which to establish messaging via the Message Flow element. Available options display to the right of the selected element. Process model element types that do not support the Message Flow element do not have the Message Flow indicator as highlighted below.  

   

3. Click the Flow icon.

4. Do one of the following:

   • Click the second Pool element to indicate messaging between the two elements.  

     

   • Click an element inside the second Pool element to indicate messaging between the two elements.  

     

Reconnect a Message Flow Element from One Process Model Object to Another That Are in Separate Pool Elements

Optionally, reconnect a Message Flow element from one Process model object to another that are in separate Pool elements. In doing so, select to which Process model object messaging routes for that Message Flow element. A Message Flow element cannot be reconnected from the outgoing Process model object. Ensure that the two objects to connect use Message Flow elements as described in the Overview.

Follow these steps to reconnect a Message Flow element from one Process model object to another that are in separate Pool elements:

1. Select the Message Flow element to reconnect to another Process model object.

2. Click the Message Flow element's arrow.

3. Click the other Process model object to which to set the message routing. The target Process model must be in a separate Pool element or a separate Pool element. The target Process model object may already have at least one other Message Flow element incoming to it.

Adjust How a Message Flow Element Bends Using Anchors

Use anchors in a Message Flow element to adjust how that Message Flow element bends between its connecting elements. Adjust where a Message Flow element bends by placing, then dragging round anchors.

Message Flow anchors adjust how that element bends

Adjust Where a Message Flow Element Bends

Follow these steps to adjust where a Sequence Flow element bends:

1. Connect a Message Flow element from one element to another.

2. Select the Message Flow element so that available options display above the selected element. Message Flow elements that have immediately been connected require two clicks of the Message Flow element for anchors to display.

3. Do one of the following:

   • Drag an existing round anchorto place where to bend that Message Flow element.

   • Click, and then drag, on a straight line of the Message Flow element to add a round anchor, then place where to add a bend in that Message Flow element.

   • Click an existing round anchor to delete it, thereby removing that bend in that Message Flow element.
     

Settings

The Message Flow element has the following panels that contain settings:

• Configuration panel

  • Edit the element name

• Documentation panel

  • Edit the element's description displayed in Process documentation

• Advanced panel

  • Edit the node's identifier value

Configuration Panel Settings

Edit the Element Name

An element name is a human-readable reference for a Process element.

Follow these steps to enter or edit the name for a Message Flow element:

1. Select the Message Flow element from the Process model in which to edit its name.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. The Name setting displays. This is a required setting.

   

3. In the Name setting, enter or edit the selected element's name and then press Enter.

Documentation Panel Settings

Edit the Element's Description Displayed in Process Documentation

Describe the element's purpose and how it functions in the Process. This description does not affect Requests for the Process, but may be useful for Process model maintenance such as how the element is configured. Edit information by using the What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) rich text editor.

A Process's entered documentation displays by selecting the View Documentation icon for that Process.

Follow these steps to edit the description for an element:

1. Select the element from the Process model in which to edit its description.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.

3. Expand the Documentation panel if it is not presently expanded. The Description setting displays.
   

4. In the Description setting, edit the information to display when viewing documentation for this element and then press Enter. Alternatively, use the What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) rich text editor to stylize your text by clicking the More icon.
   

   Follow these guidelines to use the WYSIWYG rich text editor to stylize your text:

   • Undo changes: Click on theicon to undo the last action.

   • Redo changes: Click on theicon to redo the last undone action.

   • Insert/Edit Link: Click on theicon to convert the selected text into a hyperlink. Follow these steps to create a hyperlink:

     1. Select the required text from the Rich Text control.

     2. Click on theicon. The Insert/Edit Link screen displays.
        

     3. In the URL setting, enter the destination URL.

     4. In the Text to display setting, edit or enter the text displayed in the Rich Text control.

     5. In the Title setting, enter the text to display when a user hovers over the displayed text.

     6. From Open link in… drop-down menu, select one of these options:

        • New window: Select this option to open the destination page in a new browser window.

        • Current window: Select this option to open the destination page in the current browser window.

   • Insert/Edit Image: Click on the Insert/Edit Image iconto insert an image. Follow these guidelines:

     1. Click on the Insert/Edit Image icon.

     2. The Insert/Edit Image screen displays:
        

     3. In the Source setting, enter a URL for the image.

     4. In the Alternative Description setting, enter the text to display if the source URL of the image is not accessible.

     5. In the Width setting, enter the maximum width for the image.

     6. In the Height setting, enter the maximum height for the image.

     7. Toggle the Constrain Proportions iconto maintain the width-height ratio of the image to its original proportion.

     8. Click Save.

   • Insert Page Break for PDF: Click on the Insert Page Break for PDF iconto insert a page break when a PDF document is created for this documentation if your browser supports this feature.

   • Format text: Follow these guidelines to format text:

     • Headings: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Headings and then select a heading size.

     • Bold: Do one of the following:

       • From the editor toolbar, select theicon.

       • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Bold.

     • Italics: Do one of the following:

       • From the editor toolbar, select theicon.

       • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Italic.

     • Underline: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Underline.

     • Strikethrough: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Strikethrough.

     • Superscript: From the Paragraph/ Formats menu, select Inline and then Superscript.

     • Subscript: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Subscript.

     • Code: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Code.

     • Paragraph: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Paragraph.

     • Blockquote: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Blockquote.

     • Division: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Div.

     • Preformatted:  From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Pre.

     • Change text color: Use the Text Color drop-down to change text color. Click on theicon. The color palette displays. Do one of the following:

       • Select one of the color swatches from the color palette. The selected text changes to that color.

         • Click theicon to select a custom color from the Color Picker.

         • Click theicon to reset the text to its default color.

     • Align text: Follow these guidelines to align text:

       • Left align: Do one of the following:

         • From the editor toolbar, use theicon to left-align text.

         • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Left.

       • Center align: Do one of the following:

         • From the editor toolbar, use theicon to center-align text.

         • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Center.

       • Right align: Do one of the following:

         • From the editor toolbar, use theicon to right-align text.

         • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Right.

       • Justify: Do one of the following:

         • From the editor toolbar, use theicon to justify text.

         • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Justify.

     • Insert a bullet list: Use theicon to format text as a bulleted list.

     • Insert a numbered list:  Use theicon to format text as a numbered list.

     • Indent text: Click on theicon to increase text indenting.

     • Outdent text: Click on theicon to decrease text indenting.

Advanced Panel Settings

Edit the Node's Identifier Value

Process Modeler automatically assigns a unique value to each Process node added to a Process model. However, a node's identifier value can be changed if it is unique to all other nodes in the Process model, including the Process model's identifier value.

All identifier values for all nodes in the Process model must be unique.

Follow these steps to edit the identifier value for a Message Flow element:

1. Select the Message Flow element from the Process model in which to edit its name.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.

3. Expand the Advanced panel if it is not presently expanded. The Node Identifier setting displays.
   

4. In the Node Identifier setting, edit the Message Flow element's identifier to a unique value from all nodes in the Process model and then press Enter.