BPMN Training Part 6: Parallel Gateway

Related subfolder of the training project: "C06"

Chapter Overview

In this training chapter you get familiar with the BPMN Parallel Gateway.

A parallel gateway splits the process flow into two or more sequence flows, which are executed simultaneously. A joining parallel gateway waits for all incoming sequence flows to terminate before continue with one single output flow.

Sample BPMN Process Model

Tutorial Model: Automation/Business Process/Training/BPMN/Chapter/C06/ParallelGateway

Process Explanation:

The process is started in the lane of group "System" by a start event.
The sequence flow of the start event triggers the parallel gateway which splits the flow into two flows
a sequence flow that triggers the call activity "Enter and Verify first Data".
a sequence flow that triggers the call activity "Enter and Verify first Data".
The joining parallel gateway is in a wait state until both user tasks are completed.
Then the outgoing sequence flow of the joining parallel gateway triggers the end event.

Remark: Each call activity links to the global process "StartEndEvent_UserTask" which is explained in Chapter 2

Exercise

In this exercise you should remodel the process above and execute the process in the xAPPnow User Portal.

Exercise 1: Create the Business Process Model

Remark: Add your user name as a prefix to the model name to easily filter your personal process in the runtime environment (User Portal, Camunda).

Step 1: Right click at model tree folder "Automation/Business Process/Training/BPMN/Exercise/C06" to open context menu "Create Model"
Step 2: Enter model name "Username_ParallelGateway" and keep option "Model Type: Process" in dialog "Create Business Process Model"
Step 3: Click button "Search" to open dialog "Select Template"

Step 5: Select template "TMPL_SystemLane" in dialog "Select Template" with double click or click button "Select"

Exercise 2: Complete the Process Model

Complete the process model like the model above.

Step 1: Open the context menu of the start event and click at the parallel gateway to add it to the "System" lane

Step 2: Open the context menu of the parallel gateway and drag the call activity to the upper middle of the "System" lane
Step 3: Enter the label "Enter and Verify first Data" for the call activity

Step 4: Open the context menu of the parallel gateway and drag a second call activity "Enter and Verify second Data" to the lower middle of the "System" lane
Step 5: Select both call activities and configure a color using the context menu
Step 6: Open the context menu of call activity "Enter and Verify first Data" and drag a parallel gateway to join the splitted flows into the middle of the "System" lane

Step 7: Connect the outgoing flow of call activity "Enter and Verify second Data" also to the joining parallel gateway

Step 8: Open the context menu of the second parallel gateway and drag a third call activity "Enter and Verify thrird Data"
Step 9: Add an end event to terminate the process
Step 10: Link all three call activities with the previously created global process of excercise chapter 2 "Username_StartEndEvent_UserTask"

Exercise 3: Publish the Process Model

The process model has to be published into Camunda process engine. The process will be started online directly.

Step 1: Click button "Publish" in the toolbar to open the dialog "Publish Model"
Step 2: Enter username and password
Step 3: Publish the process with option "Start Process"

Exercise 4: Test the Process in User Portal

Step 1: Login into User Portal with user "john", who belongs to the group "TeamA". The task list contains 2 tasks "Enter Data" as we have two parallel call activities running.
Step 2: Execute the first task "Enter Data"
Step 3: Login into User Portal with user "jane", who belongs to the group "TeamB". The task list contains one user task "Verify Data"
Step 4: Login into User Portal with user "john", who belongs to the group "TeamA". Execute the second task "Enter Data" with different input data than with first task
Step 5: Login into User Portal with user "jane", who belongs to the group "TeamB". The task list now contains also the second user task "Verify Data"
Step 6: Execute this tasks to trigger the joining parallel gateway and the third call activity
Step 7: Login into User Portal with user "john", who belongs to the group "TeamA". Execute the third task "Enter Data" with different input data than with second task
Step 8: Login into User Portal with user "jane", who belongs to the group "TeamB". The task list now contains also the third user task "Verify Data"
Step 9: Execute this last task to trigger the end event which completes the process