EPC Diagrams

Vesna Bosilj Vuksic & Ljubica Milanovic

Faculty of Economics and Business
University of Zagreb
 Presentation Overview
• Process Modeling
• Event Process Chain (EPC) Diagrams
• Extended Event Process Chain (eEPC) Diagrams
• Assignments

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 Process Modeling
• Business processes are complex, and require people
with various skills and abilities to work in a
cooperative fashion
• Processes will not be efficient and effective unless:
• They are clearly defined
• Individuals are adequately trained in their roles
• Individuals understand how their roles fit in the
overall process
• Process Modeling tools provide a way to describe
business processes so that everyone involved in the
process can understand the process

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

Event Process Chain (EPC) Diagrams
• SAP has developed EPC representations for many
of the business processes its software supports
• the EPC modeling technique is available in the
IDS/Scheer ARIS Toolset
• ARIS: Architecture of Integrated Information System

• a "lean" modeling approach,

• a purely chronological procedural sequence of
process steps (i.e. functions) and events

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

Event Process Chain (EPC) Diagrams

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

Event Process Chain (EPC) Diagrams
• A function is a technical task, a procedure, and/or an
activity performed on an object to support one or
more company goals.
• The function is a carrier of times and costs.
• Functions represent where change occurs in the
process.
• Functions are named using Verb→Object

Verb Object
Prepare Expense report
Review Expense report
Mail Refund check

Give us your example….

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

Event Process Chain (EPC) Diagrams
• An event describes a business-relevant occurrence
at an object which either controls or influences the
continuation of a business process.
• Events represent a state or status in the process
• Since an event generally has something to do with a
"piece of data", i.e. a status description, events are
originally assigned to the data view.
• Events act as triggers for activities, but are also
based on preceding functions and therefore describe
an event.
• Events are named using Object→Past Participle
Object Past Participle
Expense Incurred
Expense report Approved
Hard copy Filed Give us your example….
Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition
 Object
Expense
Incurred

Past Participle

Event

Verb
Prepare
Expense Report

Object

Function

EPC components
Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition
Event Process Chain (EPC) Diagrams
• EPC Diagrams follow an event-function-event
structure
• EPC Diagrams must begin and end with events

• Logical branches in the chronological flow of the

process are represented by rules in the form of
logical operators (AND, OR, XOR)
• ¸Branching is done with three types of connectors:
• AND
• OR
• XOR (exclusive OR)

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 Expense
Incurred

Prepare
Expense Report

Expense Report
Completed

Mail
Expense Report

Expense Report
Received

Basic EPC layout

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 Receipt
Events trigger functions booking
request
Event

Check
Functions generate events booking
request
Function

Booking
request Event
checked

Create Offer
flight Function alternative
booking flight

Flight Alternative
booking Event flight
created offered

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition
 Process
Payment OR connector

Salesperson Sales Manager

Notified Notified

OR connector

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 Enter
Expense Report
AND connector

Expense Report Hard Copy

Recorded Filed

AND connector

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 Review
Expense Report

XOR connector

Not
Approved
Approved

XOR connector

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 Trip Week
Completed Ends

Prepare
Expense Report

OR connector with two triggering events

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 Event Trigger Function Trigger
Single Multiple Single Multiple
Event Event Event Function Function Function

AND

>

>
>

>
Function Function Function Event Event Event

Event Event Function Function Function

OR Not

>

>
>
Allowed Function Event Event Event

Event Event Function Function Function

XOR Not x x x

Allowed Function Event Event Event

Possible connector and triggering combinations

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition
 Expense
Incurred

Check
Internet
Availability

Internet Internet
Available Not Available

Must use same

Prepare Prepare connector
Online Report Paper Report
to split and
consolidate a path
Report Report
Submitted Mailed

Review
Expense Report

Splitting and consolidating process paths

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition
 Combination of connectors

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition
Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition
 Extended Event Process Chain
(eEPC) Diagrams
• integrate objects of static views in EPCs
• model the processes with additional information
• data, information and organization views

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 eEPC Diagrams

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 eEPC Diagrams
Data is processed in Receipt
booking
Receipt
booking
functions request request

Check Check
Flight data booking booking
Flight data
request request

Data Data
Booking Booking
request request
checked checked

Create Create Offer Offer

flight flight alternative
Client data Client data alternative
booking booking flight flight

Data Data
Flight Flight Alternative Alternative
booking booking flight flight
created created offered offered

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 eEPC Diagrams
Receipt
Employees are booking
request
responsible for functions
Employee

Check
Flight data booking Mrs. Miller
request

Booking
request
checked

Employee Employee

Create Offer
Mrs. Walker flight Client data alternative Mr. Green
booking flight

Flight Alternative
booking flight
created offered

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 eEPC Diagrams
Employees are assigned Receipt
booking
Organi-
to organisational units request
sational
unit

Check
Call
Flight data booking Mrs. Miller
center
request

Booking
request
checked

Organi- Organi-
sational sational
unit unit

Create Offer
Flight Flight
Mrs. Walker flight Client data alternative Mr. Green
disposition disposition
booking flight

Flight Alternative
booking flight
created offered

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

 Expense
Incurred

Unapproved
Prepare
Multi-copy Salesperson
Expense Report
Expense Report

Expense Report
Completed

Data Mail
Salesperson
Organizational
Expense Report
Elements Elements

Expense Report
Received

Unapproved
Review Sales
Multi-copy
Expense Report Manager
Expense Report

eEPC diagram
Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition
 eEPC diagram

Receipt
Booking
Service form
booking
request

Check
Call
Flight data booking Mrs. Miller
center
request

Functions
generate and
Booking
process services request
checked

Alternative
Booking
Service request
flight Service
offer

Create Offer
Flight Flight
Mrs. Walker flight Client data alternative Mr. Green
disposition disposition
booking flight

Flight Alternative
Plane
Service ticket
booking flight
created offered

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition

  Assignments
 EPC Modelling - Quiz
 EPC with Errors

 Questions ??

Thank You !

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Second Edition