Project Toolkit

SIPOC Process Worksheet

SIPOC Process Worksheet

High-level process mapping tool identifying Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, and Customers to understand process scope and boundaries.

SIPOC Process Worksheet

SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers) is a high-level process mapping tool that helps define scope and boundaries before detailed process analysis or improvement.

Purpose

SIPOC helps to:

  • Define process scope clearly
  • Identify key stakeholders
  • Understand inputs and outputs
  • Establish process boundaries
  • Align team understanding
  • Prepare for detailed analysis

SIPOC Components

flowchart LR A[Suppliers] --> B[Inputs] B --> C[Process] C --> D[Outputs] D --> E[Customers] classDef blue fill:#108BB9,stroke:none,color:#fff class A,B,C,D,E blue
Component Definition Question
Suppliers Who provides inputs Who supplies what we need?
Inputs What is needed to perform the process What do we need to start?
Process High-level steps What do we do?
Outputs What the process produces What do we deliver?
Customers Who receives the outputs Who uses our outputs?

When to Use SIPOC

Situation Purpose
Process improvement Scope the improvement effort
New process design Define boundaries upfront
Team alignment Build common understanding
Requirements gathering Identify stakeholders
Project scoping Define what’s in/out
Training Explain process context

SIPOC Template

Process Overview

Field Content
Process Name Customer Order Fulfilment
Process Owner Operations Manager
Date 20 January 2026
Version 1.0

SIPOC Diagram

Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
Customer Order request 1. Receive order Confirmed order Customer
Inventory system Stock availability 2. Check stock Stock allocation Warehouse
Credit system Credit status 3. Verify credit Credit approval Finance
Warehouse Picking list 4. Pick items Picked items Shipping
Shipping provider Shipping rates 5. Pack & ship Shipped order Customer
    6. Update system Tracking info Customer

Building a SIPOC

Step-by-Step Process

flowchart LR A[Name the
Process] --> B[Define
Process Steps] B --> C[Identify
Outputs] C --> D[Identify
Customers] D --> E[Identify
Inputs] E --> F[Identify
Suppliers] classDef blue fill:#108BB9,stroke:none,color:#fff class A,B,C,D,E,F blue
Step Activity Rationale
1 Name the process Clear scope
2 Define 4-7 process steps High-level view
3 Identify outputs What process delivers
4 Identify customers Who receives outputs
5 Identify inputs What’s needed to start
6 Identify suppliers Who provides inputs

Detailed Components

Suppliers

Type Examples Questions
Internal Other departments, teams Who provides internal materials?
External Vendors, partners Who provides external materials?
Systems IT systems, databases What systems provide data?
Customers End users What do customers provide?

Inputs

Type Examples Questions
Information Data, documents, requests What information is needed?
Materials Raw materials, components What physical items needed?
Resources People, equipment, budget What resources required?
Triggers Events, signals What starts the process?

Process Steps

Guideline Description
4-7 steps High-level, not detailed
Verb-noun format Action-oriented
Sequential In order of execution
Start/end clear Defined boundaries

Outputs

Type Examples Questions
Products Physical deliverables What tangible items produced?
Services Completed services What services delivered?
Information Reports, decisions, data What information created?
Updates Status changes, records What gets updated?

Customers

Type Examples Questions
Internal Other departments, management Who internally uses output?
External End customers, partners Who externally uses output?
Regulatory Auditors, regulators Who needs compliance output?

SIPOC Examples

Example 1: Recruitment Process

S I P O C
Hiring manager Job requirements 1. Post vacancy Job posting Candidates
HR system Job template 2. Screen applications Shortlist Hiring manager
Candidates CV, application 3. Conduct interviews Interview notes HR
Interview panel Availability 4. Make selection Offer Candidate
HR Contract template 5. Onboard New employee Department

Example 2: Incident Management

S I P O C
User Incident report 1. Log incident Incident ticket User
Monitoring Alert 2. Categorise Prioritised ticket Support
Knowledge base Solutions 3. Investigate Diagnosis Resolver
Resolver Fix details 4. Resolve Resolution User
User Confirmation 5. Close Closed ticket Management

Example 3: Invoice Processing

S I P O C
Vendor Invoice 1. Receive invoice Logged invoice AP team
System PO details 2. Match to PO Matched invoice Approver
Approver Approval 3. Get approval Approved invoice AP team
Bank Bank details 4. Process payment Payment Vendor
System Payment data 5. Record Updated records Finance

SIPOC Workshop

Workshop Agenda

Time Activity Duration
00:00 Introduction & objectives 10 min
00:10 Name the process 5 min
00:15 Define process steps 20 min
00:35 Identify outputs & customers 15 min
00:50 Break 10 min
01:00 Identify inputs & suppliers 15 min
01:15 Review & validate 15 min
01:30 Next steps 10 min

Facilitation Tips

Tip Rationale
Start with process steps Anchors discussion
Work backwards from outputs Clearer logic
Use sticky notes Easy to rearrange
Include all perspectives Complete picture
Keep it high-level Avoid detail trap

Validating SIPOC

Quality Checks

Check Question
Completeness Are all columns filled?
Alignment Do inputs map to process steps?
Boundaries Is start/end clear?
Level Is it high-level (4-7 steps)?
Accuracy Do stakeholders agree?

Common Mistakes

Mistake Prevention
Too detailed Limit to 4-7 steps
Missing suppliers Ask “who provides this?”
Unclear boundaries Define start/end explicitly
Internal focus only Include external stakeholders
No validation Review with process owner

Using SIPOC Outputs

Next Steps from SIPOC

Purpose Next Activity
Process improvement Detailed process mapping
Requirements Stakeholder interviews
Project scoping Scope definition
Risk assessment Supplier/customer analysis
Training Process documentation

Linking to Other Tools

Tool How SIPOC Helps
Process map Provides scope and boundaries
Stakeholder analysis Identifies key stakeholders
Requirements Identifies input/output needs
Risk register Highlights dependencies
RACI Maps responsibilities

SIPOC Variations

Extended SIPOC (SIPOC+R)

Add Requirements column:

S I P O C R
… … … … … Requirements

COPIS (Reverse SIPOC)

Start with customers and work backwards:

C O P I S
Customers Outputs Process Inputs Suppliers

SIPOC Checklist

Preparation

  • Process identified?
  • Key stakeholders invited?
  • Materials prepared?
  • Template ready?

During Creation

  • Process named clearly?
  • 4-7 high-level steps defined?
  • All outputs identified?
  • All customers identified?
  • All inputs identified?
  • All suppliers identified?

Validation

  • Stakeholders reviewed?
  • Process owner approved?
  • Boundaries clear?
  • Ready for next steps?
Last updated: 13 January 2026
Themes

Planning

Analysis