Gateways

Within Business Processes (process diagrams with the .bpm file extension), you can use the following gateways according to BPMN 2.0:

Parallel Gateways

	Parallel Gateway (Forking)	Defines a parallel gateway for logical AND branching according to BPMN 2.0.
	Parallel Gateway (Synchronizing)	Defines a synchronizing gateway for parallel sequence flows according to BPMN 2.0.

If sequence flows are modeled "parallely" with Parallel gateways, this doesn't mean they are executed simutaneously, but that they are equivalent. Within the Priority property, you can define the actual execution order of parallel sequence flows, see Sequence flow.

Properties

How to use parallel gateways

1. Drag a Parallel Gateway (Forking) element from the Palette to the process diagram via drag&drop.

2. Create a sequence flow line for each execution branch to the Parallel Gateway (Forking) element.
   All execution branches are executed independently and use the same input. 

3. If necessary, change thePriority property of a selected sequence flow line to change the execution order of the branches.

   

   In executable processes, the execution branch with the lowest Priority number will be executed first.

4. Drag a Parallel Gateway (Synchronizing) element from the Palette into the process diagram.

5. Connect the sequence flow lines of the execution branches with the Parallel Gateway (Synchronizing) element.
   In executable processes, the output documents of the last executed process component in the fork will be handed over to the next process steps.

Example: Parallel gateway (forking) with 3 parallel, priorized branches and a Parallel gateway (join)

Inclusive Gateways

	Inclusive Gateway (Forking)	Defines a data-based inclusive gateway for logical OR branching according to BPMN 2.0
	Inclusive Gateway (Synchronizing)	Defines a synchronizing gateway to join exclusive databased sequence flows

In practice, constructs with Inclusive gateways often make little sense. Thus, BPM experts recommend to avoid these elements, and to use a combination of Exclusive and Parallel gateways instead.

Properties

Label	Free text area to set a label to the branching, respectively the joining (for a clear layout or documentation purposes)
Condition	Execution condition (is set by the Condition editor automatically) for the forking; Double-click on the transition line to define conditions or click on   to open the Condition editor.

Example: Inclusive gateway (forking) with 3 exclusive branches and a synchronizing Inclusive gateway (synchronizing):

Exclusive Gateways

	Exclusive Gateway (Forking)	Defines a gateway for exclusive forkings according to BPMN 2.0
	Exclusive Gateway (Synchronizing)	Defines a synchronizing gateway for parallel sequence flows according to BPMN 2.0

Properties

Label	Free text area to set a label for the exclusive forking, respectively the synchronizing (for a clearer layout or documentation purposes)
Condition	Execution condition of the forking (is set by the Condition editor automatically); Double-click on the transition line to define conditions or click on   to open the Condition editor.

How to use exclusive gateways

1. Drag an Exclusive Gateway (Forking) element from the Palette to the process diagram via drag&drop.
2. For each execution branch, create a sequence flow line beginning from the Exclusive Gateway (Forking).
   All execution branches use the same input.
3. Double-click the Exclusive Gateway (Forking) element to define the conditions for the single execution branches.
   The Condition Editor will be opened. Here, you can define a condition for each selected sequence flow line, see Creating conditions.

4. If necessary, change the property Priority of a selected sequence flow line to change the execution order of the branches.

   

   When executed, the Business Process's execution branch with lowest Priority number will be executed first.
5. Drag an Exclusive Gateway (Synchronizing) element from the Palette into the process diagram at the point where more than one execution branches shall be joined.
6. Connect the sequence flow lines of the execution branches with the Exclusive Gateway (Synchronizing) element.
   When the Business Process is executed, the output document of the last executed process component in the fork will be handed over to the next process steps, just like in Technical Processes.

Since BPMN-compliant Business Process do not provide Variable components, context variables can only be evaluated if they were defined within a Technical Process and those Technical Processes are linked to the Business Process as activities. In the Business Process, context variables can be evaluated that were initialized within linked Technical Process, but not within the Technical Processes' subprocesses.

Example: Exclusive gateway (forking) with 3 exclusive forks and synchronizing exclusive gateways (synchronizing)