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Model your business processes using BPML: just what is BPML, and how does it work? (BPML & XML).

Article Excerpt
This article introduces the Business Process Modeling Language, a standard specification to model business processes. To illustrate the elements of BPML, I'll use a simple example that handles purchase orders.

BPML is an XML metalanguage for business process modeling. A standard published by Business Process Management Initiative (BPMI), it provides a universal way to describe business processes in organizations. Business processes modeled using BPML can be deployed and executed on any BPML-compliant Business Process Management System (BPMS).

BPML Fundamentals

Process

Process is the core concept of BPML. Key components of a process include:

* Execution of a set of activities

* Interaction with participants by exchanging messages

* Predefined rules to determine the flow of the execution

* Schedules to govern the start and completion of the execution

* Processing of data by holding the internal data that can be accessed by all its activities

I'll use a simple handlePurchaseOrder process to illustrate how to model a process using BPML. The process contains the following steps:

1. At startup the process will wait for the message "purchase order".

2. When it receives a purchase order, the process will check whether it's an existing customer, and will create a customer account if it's a new customer.

3. The process checks the inventory system to see whether there's enough inventory to fulfill the order.

4. The process sends a shipping bid to all the carriers it contracts. It sets a predefined price, and will accept the first bid that meets the price criterion.

5. The process schedules an order delivery with the selected carrier.

6. The process sends a shipping notification to the customer.

First, we need to define our process:

...

We'll keep adding elements as we go on.

Activities

In BPML there are three types of activities: simple, complex, and process....

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