--- title: "BPMN notation" slug: "bpmn-notation" tags: ["bpmn", "platform", "events", "business process model", "BPM", "event stream ", "webhook"] updated: 2024-11-13T12:43:25Z published: 2024-11-13T12:43:25Z canonical: "docs.newstore.com/bpmn-notation" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.newstore.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # BPMN notation Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN 2.0) is a standard for modeling processes. See the [full specifications](https://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/2.0/PDF). The BPMN standard relies on symbols that we use to describe the NewStore processes in [Business process models](/v1/docs/business-process-models#bpmns). The following sections introduce the common elements of BPMN that are used in the NewStore documentation. ## Activities An activity represents some work that happens as part of a process. An activity can include sub-processes. | Element | Notation | | --- | --- | | Activity | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/6528dbea-10c6-4c97-a125-01cf481a6450.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | Collapsed sub-process | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/a2f5c566-124a-4d2f-bf23-558e49a2d192.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | Expanded sub-process | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/e85b969b-d832-459e-95c8-cbb6f6b8fe38.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | ## Events Events happen before, during, or at the end of a process. An event can have a cause (trigger) or an impact (result). The events that trigger a process are called *catching events*, and the events that are a result of a process are called *throwing event*. There are three types of events based on when they occur: *Start*, *Intermediate*, and *End*. Intermediate events are placed on the edge of an [activity](/v1/docs/bpmn-notation#activities). A type of intermediate event called *non-interrupting* can happen during an activity but does not interrupt it, and is represented by a dashed-line circle. ### Events based on flow sequence | Element | Notation | | --- | --- | | Start | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/0c6f3af6-e582-4dce-8856-683f031ca1d5.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | Intermediate | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/715743ce-4da0-4a20-b51d-36012a53f697.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | End | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/812d5479-2fa6-411d-9dc8-e81eeadad262.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | ### Events based on type | Event Type | Catching | Throwing | Non-Interrupting | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Message | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/4fb04972-9194-42f3-ae9e-ba01e4de8d89.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/56f5b186-5b9e-4402-bb2d-3235d24225f6.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/91346162-897d-456a-ab8b-9be954ae16bf.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | Timer | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/1e64dff6-3235-43c5-aab6-846be76e4149.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | | | Error | | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/1cf69b4c-7135-4ac7-9630-263c4d5f3c45.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | ## Gateways Gateways control the convergence or divergence of the flow of a process. NewStore uses three types of gateways for process modeling: | Element | Notation | | --- | --- | | Exclusive (XOR) | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/ea0acfda-8130-4031-a0d4-84b726dff267.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | Inclusive (OR) | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/e915d588-799c-4bed-b60f-6e0e54f374b7.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | Parallel | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/587895ab-e428-4e77-b037-8e85c9646ba5.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | ## Sequence flows Sequence flows represent the order in which activities are performed. An exception flow occurs based on an intermediate error event attached to the boundary of an activity. | Element | Notation | | --- | --- | | Sequence Flow | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/e12f95ed-404c-4c36-8671-6e608bece84f.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | Exception Flow | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/37e7a8e8-3631-4d06-b434-ea54c084c1d3.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | ## Message flows Message flows are used to determine the flow of a message between two participants that are prepared to send and receive them. | Element | Notation | | --- | --- | | Message Flow | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/0353008c-33b4-44d6-aef6-9001921ea202.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | ## Multiple instances A set of three vertical lines displayed at the bottom-center of the activity determines the execution of parallel instances of the activity. | Element | Notation | | --- | --- | | Parallel Instances | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/04bce205-cc7e-49b6-bd59-ccad30b88092.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | ## Swimlanes Swimlanes are containers that represent participants of a process. A pool is a type of swimlane that represents a participant in a collaboration of processes. A lane is a sub-partition of processes that happen in a pool. NewStore uses pools to show the interaction of the NewStore platform with other software such as ERP or WMS. | Element | Notation | | --- | --- | | Pools | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/dc432e82-4cf0-4a85-bf01-639477f7aa92.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | | Lanes | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/c9bb7008-00c4-4bab-9a14-790650e3c5f8.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-14T02%3A25%3A00Z&se=2026-11-14T03%3A25%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=EJofEJH3SZsSY01vKACGY4Rf5%2Blbk85oix1qtU%2FlfcY%3D) | **Related links** - [Business process models](/v1/docs/business-process-models#bpmns).