Message Flow Element
Indicate messaging in your Process model by setting Message Flows elements between elements in separate Pool elements.
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.
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.
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
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
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
elementManual 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:
Permissions Required
Your user account or group membership must have the following permissions to configure Message Flow elements in the Process model unless your user account has the Make this user a Super Admin setting selected:
Processes: Edit Processes
Processes: View Processes
See the Process permissions or ask your Administrator for assistance.
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:
Ensure that the Process model has at least two (2) Pool elements from which to establish Message Flow between them.
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.
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:
Select the Message Flow element to reconnect to another Process model object.
Click the Message Flow element's arrow.
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
Adjust Where a Message Flow Element Bends
Follow these steps to adjust where a Sequence Flow element bends:
Connect a Message Flow element from one element to another.
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.
Do one of the following:
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.
Change a Message Flow Element's Appearance
See Customize the Appearance of a Process Model Object.
Delete a Message Flow Element
See Delete Process Model Objects.
Settings
The Message Flow element has the following panels that contain settings:
Configuration panel
Documentation panel (available when the Documentation package is installed)
Advanced panel
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:
Select the Message Flow element from the Process model in which to edit its name.
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
If the Documentation package is installed, 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.
Package Required
The Documentation package must be installed to view or edit the documentation for a Process element. Use the Documentation package to view documentation for Processes that includes an image of the Process map and entered description of its elements and connectors.
Follow these steps to edit the description for an element:
Select the element from the Process model in which to edit its description.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.
Follow these guidelines to use the WYSIWYG rich text editor to stylize your text:
Select the required text from the Rich Text control.
In the URL setting, enter the destination URL.
In the Text to display setting, edit or enter the text displayed in the Rich Text control.
In the Title setting, enter the text to display when a user hovers over the displayed text.
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.
In the Source setting, enter a URL for the image.
In the Alternative Description setting, enter the text to display if the source URL of the image is not accessible.
In the Width setting, enter the maximum width for the image.
In the Height setting, enter the maximum height for the image.
Click Save.
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 Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Bold.
Italics: Do one of the following:
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.
Select one of the color swatches from the color palette. The selected text changes to that color.
Align text: Follow these guidelines to align text:
Left align: Do one of the following:
From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Left.
Center align: Do one of the following:
From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Center.
Right align: Do one of the following:
From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Right.
Justify: Do one of the following:
From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Justify.
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:
Select the Message Flow element from the Process model in which to edit its name.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.
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.
Related Topics
Process Modeling Element DescriptionsView Active and Inactive ProcessesCreate a New ProcessSequence Flow ElementLast updated