Cross Functional Flowchart
and more Excel flow chart templates for business process mapping
The Functional Flowchart
aka Swim Lane, Down-Across, or Deployment Flowchart
Most business process engineering starts with a flow chart template that has a swim lane for each person, department, or functional team that is involved with the process - showing an intuitive graphic depiction of who is doing what, when, where, and for how long.
Similar to a value stream map, the Time Sum Line at the bottom of the Systems2win cross functional flow chart auto-calculates cycle time (hours or minutes spent actually working) & lead time (days or weeks sitting in someone's in basket) for the entire process, and for each swim lane - so you know how many hours are needed for each Department to staff your re-designed process.
Flowchart examples
The above animation shows how you can use Excel Scenarios to depict and analyze different scenarios on a single flowchart (in this case a typical process vs. a rush order)
Things to notice:
- The background color changes to highlight the processes that have a Path code matching the currently-selected Path code
- The same process can have a different Path code in each scenario
- All of the Lean metrics are calculated based on only those processes included within the currently-selected Path
- The error-checking cell turns purple when the Path code does match the Path code for the Imported Comparison Data - thereby alerting you that if you want to view valid comparisons, you would need to also include the comparison data for the X Path code within your scenario data
Purposes of a Cross Functional Flow Chart
also known as Metrics Based Process Map
- You start by drawing a simple flowchart - to graphically depict any business process that crosses functional workgroups
- When you're ready, you can optionally enter data to auto-calculate
Lean metrics - to identify and eliminate waste
See our free online training for Lean Time definitions
Paths and Scenarios
On the same flowchart, you can use Excel Scenarios to illustrate (and calculate) different paths through which the thing being processed might flow.
In the animated picture above, we illustrate two different scenarios:
- The Typical Path
- A Rush Order
Notice that the background color changes to indicate which processes are (and are not) included within the currently-selected Path, and that any or all of the Lean metrics data for each process can be different in each Path scenario.
By using Path scenarios, you can depict and analyze multiple possible process flows - without wasting your time re-drawing a similar or identical flowchart for each scenario.
Bottom Line Lean Metrics
that auto-calculate if and when you enter your data
- Lead Time - the time it takes to complete the process - from start to finish
- Process Time - time that work is being done by a human being (not just an unattended machine)
- Value Add Time - work that is value add from your end customer's perspective
- Value % of Time and Activity Ratio - often embarrassingly small numbers
that dramatically illustrate how much room there is for improvement - Total Steps - a "step" happens whenever the thing being processed is (our could be) handed off or delayed
- Value Add Steps - steps that do something that is value add from your customer's perspective
- Cycle Time - Process Time divided by number of workers
- Total Cycle Time - how often another thing being processed comes out the end of the pipeline
- Rolled First Pass Yield - product of % Complete and Accurate for each sub-process
- Takt Time - how often another thing being processed needs to come out the end of the pipeline to meet customer demand
- Work Time Available - with all the power of Excel to take into consideration all factors affecting your unique work schedule
- Pitch - the pace at which work is released and moves through the value stream
- Capacity - how many of these things can we produce?
- Staffing - how many full time employee equivalents are required?
See our free on-line Lean Glossary
Value Add Metrics
If a process has a Value Add code of "V", then it will always be included within Value Add metrics.
If the process has any other (user-defined) Value Add code, then it will also be included in Value Add metrics if (and only if) the Value Add code matches the Value Add Include code that you have currently selected.
This allows you the flexibility to do value add analysis both the traditional way - and to invent creative ways to analyze productivity in ways that are more useful than traditional value add analysis.
For example, for many back office processes, every process step is technically "non-value-add" from the customer's perspective, which isn't very useful or motivating for the people charged with improving the process
Metrics per Swim Lane
to answer each Vice President's question: "How will these proposed changes affect my people?"
- Process Time - "For every unit processed - how much time will be required from someone in this department or functional area?"
- Queue Time - "How long do things sit in piles waiting for someone in this department or functional area to get around to working on them?"
- % Complete and Accurate - "What percent of deliverables come out of this department without need for downstream correction, addition, clarification, or rework?"
User Defined Fields
New as of August 2010 -
The cross functional flowchart now has 3 new user-defined fields,
and one of them is a numeric field that can use all the power of Excel to calculate anything important to you.
| Unit of Measure Conversions
At any time, click a button to switch Lead Time Unit of Measure between:
Choose Cycle Time Unit of Measure:
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Bookmark = ImportOld
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Side-by-Side State Comparisons With the click of a button, Import Old State Comparison Data Things to notice:
This Systems2win Cross Functional Flowchart is designed to make it truly easy for you to:
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Bookmark = Training
Flow Chart Training
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Make sure your sound is on
Video: Units of Measure
How to document Process Steps
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Additional training relevant to this template The Sample and Help worksheets of every template always contain training relevant to THAT template
Also see the other lean templates, flowcharts, and process engineering templates |
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Bookmark = Reading
Suggested Reading and Resources
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This swim lane cross functional flowchart template comes as part of the |