Chapter 4 Building Business Process Diagrams

Specifying implementation types

You can add additional detail to your processes by specifying the type of implementation required for their execution. Note that only decomposed processes can have their implementation specified with ebXML and BPEL languages.

To specify an implementation type:

1. Open the property sheet of a process and click the Implementation tab.
2. Select an implementation type. The following list details the available implementation types, and specifies where appropriate, the required implementation object:
   
   
   • <None> [no object] - default. No implementation defined, or the implementation consists of a textual description in the implementation box.
   • Loop [expression text] – creates a sub-diagram, which details the actions to perform inside the loop.
   • Reuse process [process] – (only available for Analysis, ebXML, and BPMN) uses another process for its implementation.
   • Execute operation [operation] – (only available for orchestration languages) implements a process by a service operation in order to design the reception and emission of messages.
   • Generate Event [event] – (only available for orchestration languages and BPMN) specifies the generation of events. Can be used to raise an exception.
   • Assign [data transformation] – (only available for orchestration languages) uses data transformations to allow the copy of data from one variable to another.
3. If the implementation type requires an implementation object, an additional tab will be displayed or a field directly below the Implementation Type list, allowing you to specify a process, event, expression, operation, or data transformation upon which the implementation acts. You can use the tools to the right of the list to create an object, browse the available objects, or view the properties of the currently selected object.
4. Click OK to save your changes and return to the diagram.

When a process is implemented, its symbol in the diagram displays a small icon corresponding to the implementation type as follows:

Implementation type	Symbol	Description
Loop		—
Reuse process		—
Execute operation		Receive message: the process provides service to partners.
		Send message: the process invokes services provided by partners.
Generate Event		Timer event
		Fault event
		Compensation event
Assign		—

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