BPMN Timer Event

in BPMN on Bpmn, Bpmn 2.0, Timer event
BPMN Timer Event

The BPMN Timer Event article provides a detailed explanation of the timer event element, including the BPMN notation, an example diagram and guidelines.

The BPMN Timer Event article focus on the definition and usage of the timer event element as documented in the BPMN 2.0 specification. The example process diagram illustrates the correct use of the timer event annotation. The BPMN Guidelines section contains a detailed set of rules that apply to the timer event and explains how the element may or may not be used within the different BPMN diagrams.

What is a Timer Event?

“Timer triggers are implicitly thrown. When they are activated they wait for a time based condition respectively to trigger the catch Event. A specific time-date or a specific cycle (e.g., every Monday at 9am) can be set that will trigger the Event. Timer attributes (timeDate, timeCycle or a timeDuration) are mutually exclusive and only one of the three attributes may be set.” ~ BPMN Specification

BPMN Notation

The BPMN specification defines the Timer Event element using the following description and notation:

Catching EventsThrowing Events
Start EventIntermediate EventEnd Event
StandardEvent Sub-Process
Interrupting		Event Sub-Process
Non-Interrupting		CatchingBoundary
Interrupting		Boundary Non-
Interrupting		ThrowingStandard
Timer Event

BPMN Notation: Timer Event

BPMN Event Types

The following table contains a list of the different Timer Event types, their descriptions and the BPMN notations:

ElementDescriptionNotation
Timer Start EventA Timer Date, Timer Cycle or Timer Duration can trigger this event. Whenever the Event occurs, a new process instance is started.
Timer Event Sub-Process Event (Interrupting)A Timer Date, Timer Cycle or Timer Duration can trigger this event. Whenever the Event occurs, execution of the enclosing Sub-Process is cancelled and the Event Sub-Process continues execution.
Timer Event Sub-process Event (Non-Interrupting)A Timer Date, Timer Cycle or Timer Duration can trigger this event. Whenever the Event occurs, execution of the enclosing Sub-Process continues in parallel to the Event Sub-Process.
Timer Intermediate Catch EventA Timer Date, Timer Cycle or Timer Duration can trigger this event. Whenever the Event occurs, the timer event allows the process to continue.
Timer Boundary Event (Interrupting)A Timer Date, Timer Cycle or Timer Duration can trigger this event. Whenever the event occurs, the associated Activity is terminated. A downstream token is then generated, which activates the next element of the Process.
Timer Boundary Event (Non-Interrupting)A Timer Date, Timer Cycle or Timer Duration can trigger this event. Whenever the Event occurs, the associated Activity continues to be active. As a token is generated for the Sequence Flow from the boundary Event in parallel to the continuing execution of the Activity.

BPMN Event Types: Timer Events

BPMN Diagram

The following is an example of a BPMN Timer Event within a diagram:

BPMN Timer Event Example of BPMN Timer Event

BPMN Standards & Guidelines

The difference between standard and guideline is that a standard is a level of quality or attainment while a guideline is a non-specific rule or principle that provides direction to action or behaviour. A standard are high in authority and needs to be adhered to versus a guideline is low in authority and guide one in setting standards or determining a course of action.

BPMN Standards

The BPMN Standards section contains a list of rules that are applicable to the BPMN Timer Event as per the official rules of the BPMN Specification.

  • Timer attributes (timeDate, timeCycle or a timeDuration) are mutually exclusive and only one of the three attributes MAY be set.

BPMN Guidelines

The BPMN guidelines section contains a list of optional rules that can be used as a guide.

  • A Timer Start Event should have a Text Annotation with text “[Timer Date / Timer Cycle / Timer Duration] - [Value]”.

Finally

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Reference