The EPC model type

An event-driven process chain (EPC) is a model type used to graphically describe the chronological sequence of a performance delivery process. The event-driven process chain is based on the following assumptions:

The state of a commercially relevant information object is described graphically using an event. Functions are used for the graphic representation of activities.

Linking events and functions in series and connecting these objects with directed connections represents the control flow of the process graphically. As an event can trigger several functions and, in turn, a function can have several events as its result, AND, OR or EXCLUSIVE OR connections (rules) are branches in the process path. They illustrate the logical relationship that exists between the sequenced objects.

Organizational units can be assigned to a function. An organizational unit describes the group of processors in the company which executes the function in question. Organizational units are linked to the relevant function using connections.

EPCs are used in PPM to represent processes, so-called process instances actually executed in the past.