Link event

1. Overview

Link Event — BPMN-modelling element that provides the ability to interconnect two parts of a business process, and works like a portal.

link event 01

The Link Event is a separate case. This element does not influence the contents of a business process, but simplifies the creation of BPMN-diagrams and allows for the modelling of two interconnnected links as an alternative to sequence flow.

Link Event are- most useful when you need to:

  • spread the process diagram through several pages with links for reader navigation.

  • model complex process diagrams with numerous sequence flows. Links allow you to avoid long "spaghetti"-diagrams.

Link Events can be used exclusively as intermediate events.
:Link Event is only used within a single business process. It can’t interconnect a parent process with a subprocess, or different business processes.

Check the official documentation for more info on Link Events in Camunda.

There are 2 types of Link Events:

  1. Link Intermediate Throw Event — is a source point (point A) of one business process section to be interconnected with another section.

  2. Link Intermediate Catch Event — is a target point (point B) of a business process section that is being interconnected with another section.

    Link Intermediate Throw Event and Link Intermediate Catch Event elements allow us to interconnect two parts of a business process — source and target into a single flow.

    Link Events modelling prerequisites

    To model Link Events you need to define enter and exit points of the business process section.

To model and configure a Link Intermediate Throw Event, take the following steps:

Open Camunda Modeler application and create a new BPMN diagram by clicking BPMN diagram, or use a scheme with a pre-made business process.

+ Diagram window will appear.

+ bp 1

  1. Add Link Intermediate Throw Event element to the enter point of a business process section:

  • From the left panel, drag Create Intermediate/Boundary Event to the modelling canvas.

    link event 1

  • Select the event and define its type by clicking the key icon (Change type), and selecting Link Intermediate Throw Event from the menu.

    link event 2

  1. Click the Link element and navigate to the configuration panel.

  2. In the General tab, enter element name into Name field (for example, Link-A), then enter link name into Link Name field (for example, Link-A-B).

    link event 3

As a result, Link Intermediate Throw Event is modelled and configured.

To model and configure a Link Intermediate Catch Event, take the following steps:

Open Camunda Modeler application and create a new BPMN diagram by clicking BPMN diagram, or use a scheme with a pre-made business process.

+ Diagram window will appear.

+ bp 1

  1. Add Link Intermediate Catch Event element to the enter point of a business process section:

  • From the left panel, drag Create Intermediate/Boundary Event to the modelling canvas.

    link event 1

  • Select the event and define its type by clicking the key icon (Change type), and selecting Link Intermediate Catch Event from the menu.

    link event 4

  1. Click the Link element and navigate to the configuration panel.

  2. In the General tab, enter element name into Name field (for example, Link-b), then enter link name into Link Name field (for example, Link-A-B).

    AUTION: Link Name value in the Link Intermediate Catch Event must be the same as Link Name field value in Link Intermediate Throw Event.

    link event 5

As a result, Link Intermediate Catch Event is modelled and configured.