artifacts

Group

A Group visually surrounds related elements to show logical grouping without affecting process flow. It provides visual organization for documentation or highlighting purposes.

Category
artifacts
BPMN Spec
Section 10.7.1
Icon Class
bpmn-icon-group

What is a Group?

A Group is a visual artifact that surrounds elements sharing a common characteristic. It groups elements for documentation purposes without creating execution scope or affecting process flow.

Visual Representation

A Group displays as a rounded rectangle with a dashed border. It can span multiple activities, gateways, and other elements to show they belong together conceptually.

Key Characteristics

  • Visual grouping: Shows elements belong together conceptually
  • No execution impact: Does not create scope or affect process logic
  • Cross-boundary: Can span lanes, though elements stay in their lanes
  • Documentation artifact: Used for categorization and organization

Common Use Cases

Phase Indication

Group activities belonging to the same project phase (e.g., "Initiation", "Execution", "Closure").

Compliance Scope

Visually highlight activities subject to specific regulatory requirements.

Feature Grouping

Show which activities belong to a specific product feature or capability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related BPMN Elements

Try this element in Crismo

Create beautiful BPMN diagrams with our modern process modeling platform.