You may wish to use these naming conventions to make your BPMN diagrams clear.
Guidelines
- Strive for clarity and consistency.
- Be concise. (Details can be captured in text annotations, supplementary workflows, and procedures).
- Avoid articles and pronouns.
- Capitalize the first word of event and activity labels.
Tasks
Use the following convention when labeling tasks:
Imperative verb + (adjective) + noun
![](https://ermy855s4xt.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/create_new_account_task.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1)
Example of a task label (imperative verb + adjective + noun)
Here are several examples of task names:
- Analyze financial statements
- Create new account
- Review customer feedback
- Approve purchase request
- Process payment refund
- Update contact information
Events
Default
The following naming convention is used for most event types, such as none type, message, signal, escalation, and error events:
Noun + past participle verb
![](https://ermy855s4xt.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/several-event-types-1024x188.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1)
Event types that use the noun + past participle verb labeling convention
For most verbs, the past participle is formed by adding -ed or -d to the end of the root form of the verb. For example, the past participle of resolve is resolved. Here are more examples:
- Invoice received
- Payment processed
- Order shipped
- Application approved
- Request rejected
- Issue resolved
Timer
Specify the time, date, or schedule that triggers a timer event.
![](https://ermy855s4xt.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/timer-events.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1)
Examples of timer event labels
- Include time units (e.g., “Pause for 1 hour” rather than “Pause”).
- Avoid abbreviations (e.g., “Pause for 1 hour” rather than “Pause for 1 hr”).