The SAP® reference model is represented using EPCs. These EPCs illustrate the business processes at different levels of detail. In the EPCs with the highest level of detail, which the SAP® terminology refers to as processes, procedures of processing transactions in the SAP® system are modeled. These processes can be assigned both roles and transactions.

In ARIS, this is done in the function allocation diagram where the EPC containing the modeled process must be assigned to the corresponding function definition. Thus, the function allocation diagram shows which roles are necessary to run the transactions. However, since there are no direct relationships between roles and transactions, no decision can be made as to which transaction a role is responsible for if there are multiple roles. For this reason, the assignment of roles to transactions takes place in the role assignment diagram (RAD). One role is displayed per column. Transactions are placed in columns, which creates implicit relationships.

The information can be used during R/3 implementation to create the necessary user profiles and authorization concepts for operating the SAP® system.