Is it possible to define who can start a process? Swimlanes?

[pouria]

Hi,

I'm new to BPMN, & my current assumption of BPMN is that only certain users should be able to start certain processes, i.e. define which groups can start which processes; and also have a way - at runtime - to query processes by users or groups (, just as we can do with "user tasks").

Does this capability exist in BPMN2 or does activiti support this? If not, what is the standard way to limit the startup of certain processes to certain users?

Maybe the use of "swimlanes" is the solution? (and does activiti support swimlanes?)

[heymjo]

this might help http://forums.activiti.org/en/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1593

[pouria]

Thanks, now I know activiti doesn't support this.

I might as well add a new table to the database to link groups to process keys, and use that to query at runtime, who can start what. (Bad idea? :? )

But I still wonder whether this is possible in the BPMN (spec) generally. Also does anyone know whether jBPM or any other BPMN system supports this?

[trademak]

Hi,

Sure, if you need this functionality you could add a new table with a reference to a group or user.
This kind of stuff is not handled by the spec.

Best regards,

[ronald_van_kuij]

(Bad idea? :? )

No 😉 Like Tijs said… specs do not cover this

[anuppc]

BPMN 2.0 Spec defines swimlanes when one is modeling a Collaboration (between various business entities/resources). The only thing is that the modeler decides what each lane represents in his collaboration diagram, it could be Roles, Departments, Business Partners etc.. Hope to see activiti supporting the swimlane concept. Visually a swimlane immediately provides details on who are the involved actors rather than looking deeper into each activity's Assignee declarations.