5 Examples of Process Maps
Business Process Mapping is a visual representation technique used to describe the sequence of activities, tasks, and decisions within a business process. Its main goal is to provide a clear and detailed understanding of how a specific process works from start to finish. By creating these maps, organizations can identify inefficiencies, streamline workflows, improve communication, and ensure consistency across operations.
At its core, process mapping answers three critical questions:
- What is being done?
- Who is doing it?
- And, how is it being done?
It often uses standardized symbols—like circles for start/end points, rectangles for activities, diamonds for decisions, and arrows to indicate flow—to make processes easy to read and analyze. Common types of process maps include flowcharts, swimlane diagrams, value stream maps, and BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) diagrams. Among these, 👉 BPMN stands out as the most powerful and versatile option. Designed specifically for modeling business processes, BPMN offers a standardized, expressive, and easy-to-understand notation that bridges the gap between technical users and business stakeholders. Its rich set of symbols allows for detailed modeling of complex scenarios, including parallel flows, exceptions, subprocesses, and events—making it ideal for both analysis and automation in modern business environments.
The benefits of business process mapping are wide-ranging. For management, it provides a solid foundation for process improvement initiatives such as Lean, Six Sigma, or digital transformation. For employees, it helps clarify roles and expectations, reducing ambiguity and boosting productivity. For customers, streamlined processes often result in faster service delivery and improved satisfaction.
Mapping a process typically involves gathering information from stakeholders, documenting the current state ("as-is"), identifying pain points or redundancies, and designing a more efficient future state (🚀 "to-be"). Tools for mapping range from simple pen-and-paper diagrams to sophisticated software platforms like 👉 HEFLO, designed for collaboration and automation.
In summary, business process mapping is an essential tool for any organization seeking to understand, optimize, and scale its operations.
Examples of process maps and diagrams
The concepts behind business process mapping are essential, but they can take time to fully master. To help accelerate your learning and make these ideas more accessible, we’re presenting a series of practical examples. By exploring how process mapping is applied in real situations, you'll be able to connect the theory with practice more quickly and effectively.
Example of process mapping #1 - Acquisition of Goods and Services
This diagram presents a standardized, step-by-step workflow for the acquisition of goods and services within the organization. It captures the full procurement lifecycle—from the initial identification of a need by the Requester to the receipt of goods or completion of services, including possible scenarios such as rejection or cancellation. The process prioritizes transparency, adherence to internal procurement policies, proper supplier validation, and full traceability of all procurement-related activities.
Click the button below to open and edit this diagram with your free HEFLO Modeler account.
Also, you can also download a complete, professional documentation of this process map example using the link below. The document was generated by HEFLO after capturing all the tasks.
Example of process mapping #2 - Reimbursement of expenses
This diagram shows how employees get reimbursed for legitimate company expenses accurately and efficiently. The employee initiates the process manually, their Manager and Accounts Payable review and approve the claim, and Accounts Payable issues payment and notifies the employee.
Click the button below to open and edit this diagram with your free HEFLO Modeler account.
Also, you can also download a complete, professional documentation of this process map example using the link below. The document was generated by HEFLO after capturing all the tasks.
Example of process mapping #3 - ITIL Incident
This diagram outlines the ITIL Incident Management process, focused on its core objective: rapid restoration of IT services. It details the incident journey from reporting and logging to final resolution, closure, and feedback gathering. The workflow highlights key activities, decision points, and the responsibilities of roles like the Service Desk and 2nd Level Support, aiming for user satisfaction and continuous process improvement.
Click the button below to open and edit this map example with your free HEFLO Modeler account.
Also, you can also download a complete, professional documentation of this process map example using the link below. The document was generated by HEFLO after capturing all the tasks.
Example of process mapping #4 - Hiring
This process map presents a comprehensive view of the human resource hiring workflow, underscoring the strategic imperative of effective talent acquisition. It delineates each phase, clarifies the duties of key participants such as the Requester and Human Resources, and mandates clarity, operational efficiency, and a favourable candidate experience throughout.
Click the button below to open and edit the hiring map example with your free HEFLO Modeler account.
Also, you can also download a complete, professional documentation of the hiring process map using the link below. The document was generated by HEFLO after capturing all the tasks.
Example of process mapping #5 - Sales
This diagram illustrates a structured sequence of steps designed to guide potential customers from their initial interest through to a successful deal closure. The process aims to help sales teams manage opportunities more effectively, strengthen customer relationships, improve forecast accuracy, ensure process consistency, and enhance alignment across sales, marketing, and delivery teams.
Click the button below to open and edit this example of diagram with your free HEFLO Modeler account.
Also, you can also download a complete, professional documentation of this process map example using the link below. The document was generated by HEFLO after capturing all the tasks.
Free Class - Learn Process Modeling with BPMN
Enhance your business process modeling skills with our complimentary BPMN class. Learn to develop clear, effective diagrams that contribute significant value to your organization. This session offers practical insights and application examples for individuals at all levels of expertise.
👉 Ready to start? You can create your free HEFLO account to diagram and document these workflows yourself.
