Event-driven process chain (EPC)

An event-driven process chain 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 status of a commercially relevant information object is graphically described by means of an event. Functions are used for the graphic representation of activities.

Linking events and functions in series and connecting these objects with directed connections graphically represents the control flow of the process. Since an event can trigger several functions and since a function can have several events, the process path can branch. AND, OR, or EXCLUSIVE OR rules are inserted at branches of 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 actually executed in the past (so-called process instances).