i think i may have found the issue with why my sub process has now variable instances. it seems that the variables need to be 'explicit' copied into the new process definition. The following snippet now correctly sets the variable in the new sub process. | | <process-state name='Sub Process'> | <variable name='itp.id' access='read' mapped-name='itp.id' /> | <sub-process name='sub'/>" | | http://docs.jboss.com/jbpm/v3.2/userguide/html_single/#graphorientedprogr... it describes this exact process. anonymous wrote : | 10.8. Process composition | In general, When a subprocess is started, all variables with read access are read from the super process and fed into the newly created sub process before the signal is given to leave the start state. When the sub process instances is finished, all the variables with write access will be copied from the sub process to the super process. The mapped-name attribute of the variable element allows you to specify the variable name that should be used in the sub process. | However i dont want to 'explicitly' copy all my variables over to the new process. I am hoping there is an 'implicit' copy that i have not found yet. I have not seen this functionality in any of the unit tests i have been viewing, so any help is appreciated. -lp View the original post : http://www.jboss.org/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=4243641#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.org/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...