12.2.2.6 IPLs

Inter-process links (IPL) are used to link one BPMN Shape (Flow Object) to another.

IPLs originate from the Source of the link (End Events) and are connected to the Target of the link (Start Events). This can be done within the same process as a Intra-Process Link or from one Process to another as a Inter-Process Link.

*Intra-Process Links are useful to avoid clutter within a map where a BPMN Shape later in the process must loop back to somewhere in the beginning or vice-versa. It avoids having a transition that crosses the entire map from one shape to another.

Web Modelers can create IPLs on Start and End events when mapping processes in Graph Edit Mode.

Create IPLs

1. Identify the processes and shapes you will link

In this example, an IPL will be created between the End event “Invoice Sent” of the “Send Invoice to Client” process, and the Start event “Receive Payment” of the “Receive Payment” process (shown below).

2. Select the Source End event or the Target Start event

You can create the IPL from either the Source or Target event.

In this example, the Source End event will be used to create the IPL, but the same instructions apply if you select the Target Start event.

3. Edit IPL

Right click on the Source or Target event and select Edit IPL.

This will open the Edit IPL interface.

4. Search for the process

Type the name of the process in the search bar.

In this example, we are linking the source end event “Invoice Sent” to the target start event “Receive Payment” of the process “Receive Payment”.

5. Select the process

In the list of search suggestions for processes, click to select the desired process.

You will see the selected process name appear here.

6. Select the Source or Target event

Once the process is selected, the drop-down menu for “Select a Flow Object” will display all Start and End events of the selected process.

In this example, the Start event “Receive Payment” will be selected.

The Source or Target event will appear in the table under “Existing Inter-Process Links”

7. Click “Done”

Once the IPL is created, you will see the annotation appear on the relevant Start or End event. The annotation contains a hyperlink with name of the Process and Start or End event on the other end of the IPL as shown below.

If you save and close edit mode and navigate to the process on the other end of the IPL, you will see a similar annotation containing the hyperlink to the other process.

*The same event can have one or more IPLs to other processes and events. To create another IPL, repeat steps 1 to 7 above.

Remove IPLs

1. Select the Source End event or the Target Start event

Select the Source or Target event where containing the IPL you want to remove.

2. Edit IPL

Right click on the Source or Target event and select Edit IPL.

3. Remove the IPL

In the table under “Existing Inter-Process Links”, identify the flow object for the IPL you want to remove and click the “X” to remove it.

4. Click “Done”

Once the IPL is removed, it will no longer appear in the IPL annotation for both processes.