Intermediate Event

Intro

An Intermediate Event in BPMN occurs after a process starts and before it ends. It affects flow by handling messages, delays, exceptions, or compensation without starting or terminating the process.

Key points:

• Makes process behavior explicit and easier to analyze.
• Improves error handling and resilience.
• Common use cases across EA/BPM/Data/App/Tech include message waits, timers, escalation paths, and compensation steps.
• Pitfall: misusing intermediate events as start or end events.

Examples:

• Timer event pauses an approval workflow overnight.
• Message event waits for a supplier confirmation.
• Compensation event reverses a booking after cancellation.

In practice:

Model intermediate events to capture real-world delays, handoffs, and exception paths for accurate execution logic.

Related terms: Event; BPMN; Process

FAQs:

Q: How are intermediate events drawn in BPMN?
A: As circles with a thin double border.

Q: Do they change data or only control flow?
A: They primarily affect control flow, though attached actions may update data.

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