Flowchart

What are flowcharts and how do they differ from BPMN diagrams?

Flowcharts visualize the order of activities, decisions, and events in a process. They form the basis for transparency, efficiency and governance in organizations. For many specialist areas, from finance to KRITIS to mechanical engineering, flowcharts are the first step towards making complex processes visible and understandable.

It is crucial to understand:
A BPMN diagram is always a flowchart, but a flowchart is not automatically a BPMN diagram.

Flowcharts are a generic term for any type of visual process, for example:

• simple flowcharts
• freehand diagrams
• swimlane diagrams
• text-related process sketches

BPMN diagrams in contrast, follow an internationally recognized standard with clearly defined symbols, rules and modelling conventions. This standardization makes BPMN particularly valuable for compliance-related applications.

What role do flowcharts play in process management and in GRC disciplines?

Process managers, information security officers, risk managers and QM managers use flowcharts to structure processes, clarify responsibilities and comprehensibly meet regulatory requirements.

In the GRC environment, they support the linking of risks, controls, documents, roles and systems. In heavily regulated areas such as banks (MaRisk), energy (EnWG, IT-SiG), healthcare (ISO 27001, KHZG) or mechanical engineering (ISO and CE requirements), they create the necessary traceability for audits and certifications.

How are flowcharts created in the Aeneis BPM and GRC software?

Aeneis offers two different tools to model flowcharts:

BPMN diagrams

• are created for processes
• follow the BPMN standard
• are clearly structured and compliant with standards
• are suitable for approvals, versioning, audits and reports
• form the basis for integrated GRC functionalities

These diagrams can either be graphically modeled in the WebModeller, the Aeneis modeling environment, and linked directly to the corporate model, or modeled directly in the BPM portal via a table (SmartModel), where the BPMN diagram is automatically created.

Freehand diagrams

• are used for free modeling without formal rules
• are suitable for process groups, structures and visual overviews
• are particularly helpful in early phases of analysis or for communicating complex relationships

They are also created in the WebModeller, but without the strict logic of a standard.

Aeneis thus makes it clear that flowcharts can be formalized differently depending on the objectives.

What are the benefits of flowcharts in Aeneis for regulated industries?

Since diagrams in Aeneis are not isolated graphics but integrated model objects, companies benefit from:

• clear lines of responsibility
• automated reports and evaluations
• complete historization and versioning
• linking with risks, controls, roles, documents and standard chapters
• high audit and revision security

Created flowcharts are therefore not just “images”, but an active, control-relevant component of the management system.

Why are BPMN diagrams the standardized form of the flowchart in Aeneis?

BPMN provides the clarity and consistency needed in compliance-driven processes. The symbolism is clear, machine-readable and helps those responsible to document processes precisely and reliably.

Aeneis uses BPMN as a preferred standard because BPMN diagrams:

• are resilient from a regulatory point of view
• support standard requirements directly
• can be checked and released in an audit-proof manner at any time
• establish a uniform process language in the company

The difference to freely designable flowcharts is clear: BPMN is not only visually binding, but also professionally and methodically.

How do flowcharts and BPMN diagrams work together to increase transparency, compliance and auditability?

The combination of free flowcharts for communication and BPMN for formal modeling creates both flexibility and compliance with standards.

Aeneis ensures that:

• models are fully versionable
• auditors get digital insights through print reports
• risks and controls can be linked directly to process steps
• complex organizational structures are logically represented

The result is a consistent, process-oriented management system that meets all regulatory and operational requirements in an integrated manner.

What are the best practices for modeling flowcharts in Aeneis?

Organizations with a high level of process maturity usually follow these guidelines:

• Use free flowcharts in early workshops for orientation
• Consistently use BPMN for binding process documentation
• Define and train modeling guidelines
• Systematically link responsibilities and roles
• Always release and version diagrams via workflows
• Use reports and dashboards for quality assurance

The clear separation between freely designed flowcharts and standardized BPMN diagrams ensures consistency and auditability.