BPMN Error Event vs Escalation Event – Key Differences with Real Examples
In BPMN, Error Events and Escalation Events are often confused because both are used to react to exceptional situations.
However, they serve very different purposes and using the wrong one can lead to incorrect process behavior in production.
This article explains:
What Error Events are
What Escalation Events are
Key differences
Real business examples
Best practices (based on Camunda 7 projects)
1️⃣ BPMN Error Event – For Technical or Business Failures
🔹 What is an Error Event?
An Error Event represents a failure that stops the normal flow of execution.
When an Error Event is thrown:
The current transaction is rolled back
Normal process flow is interrupted
Control is transferred to the nearest matching Error Boundary Event
🧩 Real Example: Payment Failure
Scenario
Customer submits payment
Payment gateway fails
Process must stop and go to an error handling path
Implementation
BPMN Behavior
Transaction is rolled back
Error boundary event catches the error
Compensation or error handling starts
✅ Use Error Event when:
A technical failure occurs
Business rules are violated
The process cannot continue normally
2️⃣ BPMN Escalation Event – For Business Notifications
🔹 What is an Escalation Event?
An Escalation Event signals a business situation that requires attention, but does not rollback the transaction.
When an Escalation Event is thrown:
Process continues
Data is committed
Another flow is triggered for awareness or action
🧩 Real Example: SLA Breach Alert
Scenario
Support ticket is still open after SLA time
Manager must be notified
Ticket processing should continue
Implementation
BPMN Behavior
Main flow continues
Escalation boundary event triggers notification
✅ Use Escalation Event when:
You want to notify, not fail
No rollback is required
Process must continue normally
3️⃣ Key Differences (Quick Comparison)
| Aspect | Error Event | Escalation Event |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Failure handling | Business notification |
| Transaction rollback | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Stops main flow | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Typical usage | Payment failure, validation error | SLA breach, approval reminder |
| Boundary event type | Error Boundary Event | Escalation Boundary Event |
4️⃣ Common Mistakes in Real Projects
❌ Using Error Event for Notifications
This causes:
Unexpected rollbacks
Lost data
Process instability
❌ Using Escalation Event for Failures
This causes:
Process continues in invalid state
Data inconsistency
Hidden business errors
5️⃣ When to Use Which (Rule of Thumb)
✅ Use Error Event if:
Something fails
You need rollback
Process must stop
✅ Use Escalation Event if:
Something requires attention
No rollback is needed
Process must continue
6️⃣ Camunda-Specific Best Practices
✅ Use BpmnError only for true failures
✅ Never use Error Events just for routing logic
✅ Use Escalation Events for SLA, alerts, approvals
✅ Clearly document escalation codes
✅ Test rollback behavior carefully
7️⃣ Interview Question (Bonus)
Q: Does an Escalation Event rollback the transaction?
A: ❌ No, it does not.
Q: Can an Error Event be ignored?
A: ❌ No, it always interrupts the flow.
8️⃣ Need Expert Review?
Misusing Error or Escalation Events often leads to:
Data loss
Incorrect compensation
Hard-to-debug production issues
A quick BPMN design review can prevent costly failures.
💼 Professional Support Available
If you are facing issues with BPMN Error Events, Escalation Events, or incorrect exception handling in production, I provide paid consulting, BPMN reviews, production debugging, and focused trainings.
📧 Contact: ishikhanirankari@gmail.com | info@realtechnologiesindia.com
🌐 Website: IT Trainings | Digital metal podium
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