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The Start Integration Workflow action is available on Send Message Task, Task, and User Task nodes within BPMN processes.

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Overview

The Start Integration Workflow action allows a BPMN process to trigger an integration workflow, send input data, and receive the workflow output into process data through a Receive Message Task. This enables processes to delegate data fetching, transformations, and external system integrations to lightweight workflows without creating subprocesses.
For triggering workflows from UI Flows (without a BPMN process), see the Start Workflow action.

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How it works

When a Start Integration Workflow action is triggered:
1

Input data is sent

The input data mapped in the action configuration is sent as start variables to the workflow.
2

Workflow executes

The integration workflow runs with the provided inputs, executing its configured nodes (REST calls, data transformations, AI operations, etc.).
3

Output is captured

Workflow output data is captured in the process instance upon completion, at the location configured on the Receive Message Task’s Data Stream.
4

Process continues

The BPMN process continues to the next node after the workflow completes.
The process waits for the workflow to complete before continuing. To receive output data, you must add a Receive Message Task node after the Send Message Task that triggers the workflow. When the action runs on a User Task, the User Task’s own data stream can receive the output instead - see Receiving output.

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How do the process and the workflow communicate?

Over Kafka. You don’t add a Kafka action or pick a topic: each workflow gets its own pair of topics, named after the workflow’s ID. The Receive Message Task picks up the output from the second topic. To change the topic patterns or let Integration Designer create these topics automatically, see the Integration Designer setup guide.

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Configuration

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Selecting a workflow

The workflow search field (Search workflow by name) displays:
  • All workflows within the current app version
  • Any workflows referenced in the app (e.g., via the Library)

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Input mapping

Map process variables to workflow input parameters. By default the action uses data mappers: open Input Mapping and map each workflow input to a process data attribute selected as a source path, for example customer.id to customerId.
In a data mapper, a ${...} typed as a static value resolves only against project configuration parameters. To send process data, select it as a source path: a typed ${customer.id} reaches the workflow as literal text.
With Legacy mapping turned on, the input is a JSON template. Placeholders name process data paths from the root of the process data, with no prefix:

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Receiving output

To capture workflow output in your process:
  1. Add a Receive Message Task node after the node with the Start Integration Workflow action
  2. In its Data Stream configuration, set the source to Workflow and select the workflow
  3. Choose where the output lands: map each End node’s output with Output Mapping (the default), or turn on Legacy Mapping and set a single Key Name
  4. Subsequent nodes can access the output data at the mapped keys
When the action runs on a User Task, you can configure the same data stream in the User Task’s Integration Output instead, and the token stays on the User Task. The output lands in process data, but a screen that is already open doesn’t refresh when it arrives. To show a workflow’s result on the screen, see Start a workflow from a User Task and show the result.

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When to use

Build your first workflow

Tutorial: call a REST API from a workflow and start it from a process

Passing data between nodes

How node outputs land in process variables and how downstream nodes read them

Integration Designer

Build and configure integration workflows

UI Flows - Start Workflow

Trigger workflows from UI Flows without BPMN processes

Message Events

Learn about Send and Receive Message Task nodes

Actions Overview

Explore all available action types
Last modified on October 30, 2026