Sequence Flow
A Sequence Flow is an arrow that shows the order in which activities are performed in a process. It connects flow objects (events, activities, gateways) and defines the execution path that tokens follow from start to end.
What is a Sequence Flow?
A Sequence Flow is the connector that defines the order of execution in a BPMN process. It shows which activity comes next after another completes. When a token (representing an active process instance) finishes at one element, it travels along the sequence flow to the next element.
Visual Representation
The Sequence Flow is shown as a solid line with a filled arrowhead pointing in the direction of flow. The arrow always points from the source element to the target element, indicating the direction of process execution.
Key Characteristics
- Connects flow objects: Links events, activities, and gateways within the same pool
- Carries tokens: Process execution travels along sequence flows as tokens
- Can have conditions: When leaving gateways, sequence flows may have boolean conditions
- Default flows: One outgoing flow from a gateway can be marked as the default path
Common Use Cases
Basic Activity Ordering
Connect tasks in sequence to show that Task B starts only after Task A completes-the fundamental building block of any process.
Conditional Paths
Label sequence flows leaving a gateway with conditions like "Amount > 1000" to control which path the process takes.
Exception Handling
Route from boundary events to exception handlers-when an error occurs on a task, the sequence flow leads to the recovery path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related BPMN Elements
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