What are business processes: analysis, structure and operation types

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1. Intro

The mechanism of Camunda BPMN Engine processes and executes processes, defined in the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), a global process modelling standard.

Building Business Process models is possible with Camunda Modeler — a desktop application for the editing of BPMN process diagrams, DMN solution tables, and forms.

Apply to Camunda for detailed information on Business processes and rules modelling and execution (see useful links).

2. Business Process analysis «AS IS»

2.1. Business Process definition

Services provided to citizens and legal entities by government bodies are based on standard Business Processes. Such processes include a number of operations associated with using, changing, or deleting data.

2.2. Business Process structure and components

A Business Process (BP) — is a sequence of actions or operations that have a specific goal: processing information to achieve a certain result. Every BP consists of:

  • Triggers: Events or conditions that start the process.

  • Tasks: Actions executed within the process.

  • Result: The expected outcome or change that appears on process end.

2.3. Business Processes and Registries

A BP result is often connected with Registries — information storage systems. Registries can contain data on different aspects of company operation: clients, transactions, resources, etc.

2.4. Error analysis and correction

To optimize Business Processes, it is important to view possible errors that may appear during the entering of processing of data. For example:

  • If a mistake has been made in an entity name, it is necessary to have a defined correction process.

  • It’s important to accept that such corrections influence some other database elements, especially if those elements are somehow connected with the data that was corrected.

3. Business Processes and typical operations in Registries

3.1. Introduction into Business Processes

Business Processes on the Registry Platform are modelled by BP modellers and developers using visual modelling and managing instruments of a low-code-subsystem via the functionality for the creation of Business Processes, forms, and interactions with other Registries/systems and components.

Business Processes consist of operation sequences. An operation is one unit of work, which can’t be broken into a lower level of BP detail. Operations correspond with the Activity entity in BPMN.

An Atomic operation — the lowest-level activity displayed in a BP. Atomic operations can be grouped into complex operations, such as subprocess, transaction, etc (depending on BPMN Modeler capabilities) for further use.

3.2. Types of Registry operations supported by the Platform

The following table lists BP modelling operations as BPMN-activities.

Table 1. BPMN components for BP modelling
# Type Description

Events

1

Start Event

Marks BP start.

2

Intermediate/Boundary Event

An event that appears during BP execution.

3

End Event

Marks BP end.

Participants

4

Pool/Participant

Represents a participant or an organizational unit.

Gateways

5

XOR Gateway

Conditional gateway for single route selection.

6

Parallel Gateway

Allows for the selection of multiple routes.

7

Inclusive Gateway

Allows for the selection of one or multiple routes.

8

Complex Gateway

For complex route selection conditions.

9

Event-Based Gateway

Route selection based on events.

Subprocesses

10

Expanded Subprocess

A group of actions that can be represented as a separate process.

11

Transaction Subprocess

A special group of actions that must be executed atomically.

12

Event Subprocess

A subprocess that starts on certain events.

Tasks

13

Send Task

Sending messages to other participant.

14

Receive Task

Expecting messages from other participant.

15

User Task

A task for execution by users.

16

Manual Task

A task without automation, executed by a human.

17

Business Rule Task

Executing a pre-defined process logic.

18

Service Task

Automatic service call task.

19

Script Task

Automatic script-based task.

20

Call Activity Task

Calls another process or subprocess.

21

Collapsed Subprocess Task

Representing a Business Process as a single element.

22

Expanded Subprocess Task

A group of actions that can be represented as a single process.

Multi-Instances

23

Parallel Multi-Instance

A task or subprocess that is executed multiple times simultaneously.

24

Sequential Multi-Instance

A task or subprocess that is executed sequentially.
You can find more details on the function of BPMN-elements used in Registry Business Processes in the following chapter: Modeling elements.
In order to expand business logic and simplify process modelling, the Platform provides the Element Templates library. More about the templates in the corresponding section Business process extensions (Element templates).

3.3. The most widely used typical operations in Registries, and usage scenarios

The following is the list of the most widely used typical operations in Registry.

3.3.1. User Task

  1. Sign document.

    For example, display a form with the ability to sign outgoing documents with a e-Signature file with proper extension from an authorized source.

  2. Signing data entered in previous forms with a e-Signature.

    For example, a form with the ability to upload a e-Signature file with proper extension from an authorized source.

  3. Enter specifying information to the data that failed checks.

    For example, highlight the data that failed checks, and let the user correct it before proceeding to the next step.

  4. Upload a digital document (file).

    For example, a form with the capability of uploading a file with allowed extensions and size from a local computer.

  5. View a digital document (file).

    For example, view an uploaded file of defined formats directly on the form.

  6. Find data in a Registry via filter (search form by parameters).

    For example, set parameter values, which the Registry data will be filtered by, and displayed in the form.

  7. View Registry data by one record.

    For example, select one record among the filtered search results, and display it in view-only mode.

  8. Task distribution between service providers.

    For example, a form for service provider with the rights to distribute tasks, where they can assign a BP task to a person that will complete it.

  9. Fill in data according to masks for each field.

    For example, fill in first name, middle name, and last name, using only English letters and special symbols, like , ', space, etc._

3.3.2. Service Task

  1. Read/receive data from your Registry.

    For example, create an integration point with Data Factory, with the setting of integration configuration parameters, and with a set of fields for reading.

  2. Read/receive data from another Registry.

    For example, create an integration point with the Secure Exchange Gateway, setting the integration configuration parameters, and the fields for reading.

  3. Write initial data into your Registry.

    For example, create an integration point with Data Factory, with the setting of integration configuration parameters, with a set of fields for reading, and corresponding values for each field.

  4. Write data version into your Registry.

    For example, create an integration point with Data Factory, with the setting of integration configuration parameters, with a set of fields for reading, corresponding values for each field, and the changed record ID.

  5. Transfer data to another Registry.

    For example, create an integration point with the Secure Exchange Gateway for publication, setting the integration configuration parameters, and the fields for reading.

  6. Create document (including saving).

    For example, create a Registry excerpt where all data from one record will be displayed, and save it to a file.

  7. Initiate other Business Process.

    For example, calling the process of data reading in another Registry, while writing data in this Registry (checking user BankID, etc).

3.3.3. Script Task

  1. Check via script.

    For example, creating a script operation of data checking with complex mechanisms, like Bank Account control digits.

  2. Task distribution between service providers.

    For example, creating a script operation for complex computation for the assignation of a BP task to a person that will complete it.

  3. Fill in data according to masks for each field.

    For example, creating a script operation for complex data entering masks.

  4. Cancelling a Business Process.

    For example, creation a business rule that cancels a BP if the user hasn’t performed any actions for X days.

  5. Changing the service provider assigned to a task.

    For example, returning the task to distribution, if the service provider hasn’t performed any actions for X days.

  1. Official Camunda documentation.

  2. Camunda Modeler BPMN.

  3. Camunda Modeler DMN.