EPC Diagram Shapes

EPC diagrams (Event-Driven Process Chain diagrams) are a type of flowcharts used to visualize, analyze, and optimize (re-design) business processes.

The shapes used in EPC diagrams vary greatly, however there are some very specific ones which define the event-driven process diagrams. See the list below for more details:

Event Shape

The hexagon event shape is the starting shape (and usually the last shape) in every EPC diagram and describes exactly what its name claims - an event.

Function Shape

The Function shape illustrates the transformation from an initial state to a resulting state within the even driven chain diagram.

Information Material Shape

The information Material shape stands for information, materials, or resource object from the real world that can be input data serving as the basis for a function, or output data produces by a function.

Organizational Unit Shape

The Organization Unit shape determine which person or organization within the structure of an enterprise is responsible for a specific function.

AND Operator

The AND Operator corresponds to activating all paths in the control flow concurrently.

OR Operator

The OR Operator corresponds to activate one or more paths among control flows.

XOR Operator

The XOR operator has 2 stages and we can call them opening and closing stage. When the XOR operator is opening (i.e. processes or events follow after it) it tells the viewer that only one of the outgoing paths can be executed. When the XOR operator is closing (i.e. one of more paths within the diagram lead to it) the viewer should know that:

If all paths are false the operator cannot activate the following process;
If all paths are true the operator cannot activate the following process;
If one is true and the other one false then the following process is activated.

Either way, the XOR operator cannot be a final (nor a starting) point of a diagram and it must be followed (or preceded) by either a process or an event.

Process Path Shape

The Process Path shape shows the connection from or to other processes.

EPC Diagram Shapes Description