Skip to main content

Call activity

A Call Activity is a BPMN flow element that invokes a global process or a global task. It allows processes to reuse externally defined process logic, enabling modular and reusable process design.

Key characteristics​

  • Reusable subprocess invocation: Call Activities reference global processes or subprocesses that can be called from multiple places, promoting reusability.

  • Input and output parameters: Supports passing data into and out of the called process through input/output parameter mappings.

  • Process modularity: Enables breaking down complex processes into smaller, manageable subprocesses that can be called as needed.

  • Multiple instance support: Can be configured for multiple instances, allowing parallel execution of the same subprocess.

  • Error handling and compensation: Supports boundary events for handling errors or escalations from the called process and allows compensation, if compensation behavior is explicitly defined in the called process.

Usage patterns​

  • Process decomposition: Use to break down large processes into smaller, reusable subprocesses.

  • Reusable logic: Call common business logic or workflows from multiple parent processes.

  • Dynamic subprocess selection: Conditionally call different subprocesses based on process data.

  • Parallel processing: Configure multiple instances to process collections or perform parallel operations.

Graphical notation​

Call activity usage example

A rectangle with a thick border and a subprocess marker (small rectangle with a plus sign) in the bottom-center.

XML Definition​

<bpmn:callActivity id="CallActivity_1" name="Process Order" calledElement="ProcessOrderSubprocess">
  <bpmn:incoming>Flow1</bpmn:incoming>
  <bpmn:outgoing>Flow2</bpmn:outgoing>
</bpmn:callActivity>

Current Implementation​

The subprocess for call activity is started on the same partition as the process that invoked it.