A Sub-Process (A Nested Business Process) is an independent business process initiated during the execution of the parent process. When the sub-process is initiated, ELMA suspends the execution of the parent process until the sub-process is completed. The only exception is the external sub-process with the "Multiple Execution" marker.
An Internal Sub-Process is executed in the context of the parent process. It belongs to the parent process and therefore uses the data stored in the parent process. Though the internal sub-process is executed within the parent process, it can have its own context variables that exist only within the sub-process. You can start the internal sub-process only within its parent process.
Creating an Internal Process
To add the Internal Sub-Process activity, find it in the left toolbar of the graphic model of the parent process and place it in the process model. A window opens. Select the external sub-process from the list of available processes or create a new internal sub-process (Fig.1).
Fig. 1. Adding an Internal Sub-Process.
If you select the Select existing Internal Sub-Process option, a window is provided with the list of all sub-processes available for the process that you are modeling (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2. Selecting an Internal Sub-Process.
If you select the Create new Internal Sub-Process option, the Process Creation Wizard opens. The new process will be added to the current parent process as an internal sub-process.
Configuration of an Internal Sub-Process
Common tab
Fig. 3. Configuration of an Internal Sub-Process. Common tab.
Name — name of the internal sub-process, displayed in the graphic model, process documentation, process policies and in the header of the settings window. This name is also shown on the transition button leading to this sub-process in Web Application if the connector that represents this transition in the graphic model does not have its own name.
Process — Currently selected sub-process. The Define Process button allows you to select any of the internal sub-processes of the current parent process.
The Change Marker button allows you to execute the sub-process in a loop or as conditional operation. A new marker will appear on the sub-process activity in the graphic model, and new tabs will be added to the settings window. The loop and conditional operation settings are described on the Activity Markers page.
On this tab, you can also select the Actions after Instance Interruption (Completion). These options specify how the parent process and its sub-processes interact when a process instance is interrupted in Web Application:
Interrupt the parent process instance when a sub-process instance is interrupted.
Interrupt sub-process instances when the parent instance is interrupted
Advanced tab
On this tab (fig. 4) you can add participants from the parent process to the list of participants of the sub-process. Job position is defined by the list of job positions, user groups and/or properties.
When you check the box Specify the list of job positions that can be selected as the sub-process participants, the form for selecting positions appears:
The Add User Group button allows you to add a user group;
The Add from Property button allows you to add a variable of the "User" type, which stores information about task executors in customized swimlanes on the graphic model of the sub-process.
If the boxSpecify the list of job positions that can be selected as the sub-process participantsis unchecked, the form for selecting job position will be hidden by default.
