Camunda7: Understanding Camunda Intermediate Events: Interrupted and Uninterrupted Boundary Events

In this blog, we’ll delve into the classification of intermediate events, focusing on interrupted and uninterrupted boundary events, to help you understand their roles and applications within Camunda.

Hierarchy and Types:

What Are Intermediate Events?

Intermediate events occur between the start and end of a process and can be used to indicate various triggers or states. These events are crucial in handling process flows that require pausing, delaying, or reacting to conditions or messages during the process execution.

Boundary Events

Boundary events are a type of intermediate event attached to the boundary of an activity, such as a task or a sub-process. They monitor the occurrence of a specific event (like a timer, message, or error) while the activity is running. When the event occurs, the boundary event is triggered, and its handling process is executed.

Interrupted vs. Uninterrupted Boundary Events

Boundary events can be classified into two main types based on their impact on the activity they are attached to:

Interrupted Boundary Events (Interrupting):

• When triggered, these events immediately interrupt and terminate the activity they are attached to.
• The process flow is diverted to handle the event’s outcome, ensuring that the original activity does not complete its execution.
• Common use cases include error handling, escalation, and critical messages that require immediate attention.
• In BPMN diagrams, interrupted boundary events are depicted with a solid line border.

image: Shows Interrupted Boundary Event

Uninterrupted Boundary Events (Non-Interrupting):

• When triggered, these events do not terminate the ongoing activity.
• Instead, they initiate a parallel flow to handle the event while allowing the original activity to continue its execution.
• This type is useful for handling scenarios where additional actions are needed without stopping the main process, such as sending notifications, logging information, or performing auxiliary tasks.
• In BPMN diagrams, uninterrupted boundary events are depicted with a dashed line border.

image: Shows Non-Interrupted Boundary Event

Conclusion

Intermediate boundary events, both interrupted and uninterrupted, play a crucial role in designing flexible and responsive business processes in Camunda. Understanding their differences and appropriate use cases will help you create robust process models that can handle a variety of real-world scenarios efficiently. As you continue to explore and implement these events in your BPMN diagrams, you’ll unlock the full potential of Camunda for your workflow automation needs.

Feel free to share your thoughts or questions in the comments below, and happy modeling!