What is a Send Task in BPMN?

A Send Task sends a message to an external participant or process. It combines work activity and message throwing into one element, providing compact notation for message-sending activities.

When should I use a Send Task?

Use Send Tasks when the primary purpose of an activity is to send a message-order confirmations, notifications, inter-process triggers. For receiving messages, use Receive Task instead.

How is the Send Task different from related elements?

Send Tasks send messages to specific participants. Service Tasks call services for automated work. Message Throw Events also send messages but are events, not activities. Send Tasks are more explicit about their purpose.

activitiesVariant of Task

Send Task

A Send Task sends a message to an external participant or process. It is equivalent to a Task followed by a Message Intermediate Throw Event, providing a compact notation for message sending.

What is a Send Task?

A Send Task is an activity that sends a message to an external participant. It combines the concepts of doing work and sending a message into a single element, simplifying diagrams where message sending is the primary activity.

Visual Representation

A Send Task shows a rounded rectangle containing a filled/solid envelope icon. The filled envelope indicates outgoing message (sending), as opposed to the unfilled envelope for receiving.

Key Characteristics

Message sending: Sends a message to an external participant
Fire-and-forget: Typically does not wait for response (use Receive Task for that)
Shorthand notation: Equivalent to Task + Message Throw Event
Participant targeting: Message goes to a specific pool/participant

See it in action

The system sends offer letters to candidates

Read: Fastfore →

Common mistake

Using a Send Task to call an API for data. Send Tasks are specifically for sending messages to other participants. Use a Service Task for API calls that return data.

How it connects

Receive TaskReceive Task waits for incoming messages; Send Task dispatches outgoing messages — they are natural pairs Message EndUse a Message End Event instead when sending a message is the last action in the process Message ThrowA Message Throw Event sends a message like a Send Task but as an event, not an activity Service TaskService Tasks do general automated work; Send Tasks specifically focus on outbound messaging Message FlowSend Tasks generate message flows to other pools showing inter-participant communication

Common Use Cases

Order Confirmation

Send an order confirmation message to the customer system after processing their purchase.

Inter-Process Trigger

Send a message to trigger a related process in another department or system.

Partner Notification

Notify a supplier system that inventory needs replenishment by sending a purchase request message.

Frequently Asked Questions

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