When modeling complex business processes, you might need to decompose them: separate recurring or isolated scenarios into separate subprocesses. The system offers several ways to launch one process from another:
- The Start Process activity. It is a separate graphic element that you place on the parent process diagram. It allows you to launch any process associated with the app, workspace, or company.
- The Start Process tab in the settings of the Task, Create App Item, Edit App Item, Approval, Send Document/App Item, Approval by Route, Document Registration, and Sign activities. This method is available starting in system version 2026.2. It allows you to launch a subprocess simultaneously with the parent process task. In child process scripts, you can directly access the associated task data via the __task system property.
- The Call Process activity. It launches processes created in the custom module.
Let's look at their similarities and differences.
Call Process activity vs Start Process system block vs Start Process tab
The Call Process activity type, the standard Start Process activity, and the Start Process tab are similar, but there is a number of differences between them. They are shown in the table below.
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Call Process
|
Start Process activity
|
Start Process tab |
Purpose |
Allows you to configure the execution of a specific business process created at the module level. Such a process cannot be started directly from BRIX interface, for example, via a process launch button added to an item page. It can only be executed using the Call Process activity type. |
Allows you to launch any business process created at the company, workspace, or app level. |
|
Use case |
Processing context variables of the parent process within the configured integration with a third-party resource via a custom module. |
Working with parent process variables in a child process as part of a parallel complex task with its own swimlanes, steps, etc. |
Passing system properties of a task from a parent to a child process, for example, to form a link to the task, etc. |
When the subprocess starts |
The subprocess is started in a separate step of the parent process. |
The subprocess is started simultaneously with the activity to which it is connected in the parent process. |
|
Where the subprocess start is configured |
A custom action created in advance in the module. Appears as a block on the Integrations tab if the module is enabled. |
A separate block on the Standard Elements tab. |
In the settings of the Task, Create App Item, Edit App Item, Approval, Send Document/App Item, Approval by Route, Document Registration, and Sign blocks. |
Asynchronous start |
No. The transition to the next step of the business process is possible only after the business process activity of the Call Process type is completed. |
Yes (optionally). The parent process can run in parallel with the child process, i.e., with the Start Process activity, without waiting for it to complete. You can also configure the parent process to continue only after the child process has finished. |
Asynchronous launch only: in parallel with the parent process. |
Associate a subprocess launch with a parent process object |
No. |
You can associate a subprocess launch to the App-type variable of the parent process. Then, the child process's events will appear in the activity stream of the associated object. |
The subprocess is automatically associated with the current task of the parent process. This allows the child process to access this task's data in scripts using the __task system property. |
Passing context variables from parent to child process |
Yes. |
||
Passing context variables from a child to a parent process |
Yes. |
Yes if the asynchronous start is disabled. |
No. |
Tracked in the Process Monitor |
Yes. |
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The history of each step is available to users |
Yes. The information is available on the History tab of the instance page. |
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Learn more about configuring these methods in the following articles:
- Call Process activity for more information on the custom module activity.
- Start Process for more information on the standard activity.
- Parallel launch of a subprocess from the current step for information on the Start Process tab.
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