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SIPOC Diagram Template

A one-page Word SIPOC for mapping a process at a high level before you improve, document or audit it. It sets the start and end points, lists the suppliers and inputs, the process in four to seven steps, the outputs and the customers, and records what each customer requires and how you measure it.

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Who this template is for

Improvement teams scoping a kaizen event, Six Sigma project or value stream map
Quality engineers defining a process for the QMS process map
Managers explaining a process to new staff or to a customer

When to use it

At the start of an improvement project, to agree the scope before anyone collects data
When defining processes and their interactions for a quality management system
Before writing or rewriting a procedure, to agree what goes in and what comes out
When handing over a process to a new owner

Standards it supports

ISO 9001:2015 4.4.1 — Determine the processes the QMS needs, their inputs and outputs, their sequence and interaction, and the criteria, resources, responsibilities and risks for each.
ISO 9001:2015 8.2.2 — Determine the requirements for the products and services you offer, including legal requirements and those you consider necessary.
ISO 9001:2015 8.4.1 — Make sure externally provided processes, products and services conform to requirements, and set criteria for evaluating and selecting suppliers.
ISO 9001:2015 9.1.1 — Decide what needs to be monitored and measured, how, and when the results are analyzed and evaluated.

How to use this template

Name the process and its boundaries — write what the process is, the trigger that starts it and the point where it ends.
Map the process steps — list four to seven high-level steps between the start and end, each beginning with a verb.
List outputs and customers — write what the process produces and who receives each output, internal or external.
List inputs and suppliers — write what the process needs to run and who or what provides it.
Add requirements and measures — for each key output, write what the customer requires and how you measure it.

Tip: Fill the P column first, then O and C, then I and S. Starting from the process and its customers keeps the inputs list to what the process actually needs.

What's inside the template

Header

Process name, owner, start trigger, end point, date and team

Suppliers

Who or what provides each input: internal departments, vendors, systems

Inputs

Materials, information, equipment and people the process needs

Process

Four to seven high-level steps from start to end

Outputs and customers

What the process produces and who receives it

Requirements and measures

What each customer needs from each key output and how it is measured

Example: a completed template

Example SIPOC for powder coating brackets at Example Fabrication Co., a fictional metal fabricator. The suppliers, steps, requirements and counts are invented for illustration.

Header

Process	Powder coat brackets
Owner	Finishing Supervisor
Starts	Welded brackets arrive at the finishing area with a traveler
Ends	Coated brackets inspected and moved to the assembly area

SIPOC

Suppliers	Inputs	Process	Outputs	Customers
Weld cell	Welded brackets, traveler	1. Receive and hang parts	Coated brackets	Assembly cell
Powder vendor	Powder, color per order	2. Clean and pretreat	Completed traveler	Quality
Chemical vendor	Pretreatment chemicals	3. Apply powder	Inspection record	Quality
Maintenance	Oven and booth maintained	4. Cure in oven	Rejected parts for rework	Weld cell / rework
Planning	Schedule, color sequence	5. Cool, inspect and unload	Updated schedule status	Planning

Requirements and measures

Output	Customer	Requirement	Measure
Coated brackets	Assembly cell	Right color, coverage with no bare spots, coating thickness within the drawing range	First-pass yield at inspection
Coated brackets	Assembly cell	Delivered by the scheduled time	Orders on time to assembly
Inspection record	Quality	Thickness readings recorded per lot	Records complete at audit

Example measures for one week

Brackets coated / passed first time	1,200 / 1,164
Orders due to assembly / on time	40 / 37

The math in this Example

First-pass yield: 1,164 ÷ 1,200 × 100 = 97.0%
On time to assembly: 37 ÷ 40 × 100 = 92.5%
Process steps: receive, pretreat, apply, cure, inspect = 5 steps, inside the usual 4 to 7 for a high-level map

How to fill in each field

Field	What to enter	Example
Process name	A verb and an object that names what the process does.	Powder coat brackets
Start and end	The trigger that starts the process and the point where it is finished. These set the scope.	Starts when welded brackets arrive; ends when moved to assembly
Process steps	Four to seven high-level steps, each starting with a verb. Detail belongs in a flowchart or work instruction, not here.	3. Apply powder
Outputs	Everything the process produces that someone uses: product, information, records, and rejects.	Coated brackets; inspection record
Customers	Whoever receives each output, internal or external. The next process is a customer.	Assembly cell
Inputs	What the process needs to run: materials, information, equipment, and trained people.	Powder, color per order
Suppliers	Who or what provides each input. Internal departments and systems count as suppliers.	Powder vendor; Planning
Requirements	What each customer needs from each key output, in terms you can check, not “good quality”.	Coating thickness within the drawing range
Measures	How you will know each requirement is met. Use measures you already collect where you can.	First-pass yield at inspection

Common mistakes

Too much detail in the process column. Keep it to four to seven high-level steps. If you need 20, you are drawing a flowchart.
No start or end point. Write the trigger and the end point first. Without them the team will disagree about scope later.
Forgetting internal customers and suppliers. The next department is a customer and the previous one is a supplier. List them by name.
Listing only the product as an output. Include the records, information and rejects the process produces. They have customers too.
Vague requirements. Replace “good quality” and “on time” with something you can check, such as a dimension range or a delivery time.
Building it without the people who run the process. Fill it in with operators and the next process’s owner in the room. A SIPOC built at a desk misses real inputs.

Frequently asked questions

What does SIPOC stand for?

Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers. Some teams write it COPIS when they work from the customer back, which is the same diagram filled in a different order.

How many steps should a SIPOC have?

A common rule of thumb is four to seven high-level steps. The SIPOC is for scope and context; detailed steps belong in a flowchart, value stream map or work instruction.

What is the difference between a SIPOC and a process map?

A SIPOC is a one-page, high-level view of who supplies what, the main steps, and who receives what. A detailed process map or flowchart shows every step, decision and handoff inside the process.

What is the difference between a SIPOC and a turtle diagram?

A SIPOC focuses on the flow from suppliers to customers. A turtle diagram focuses on one process and adds the resources, people, methods and measures it needs, which is why auditors often use it.

Should I include requirements on a SIPOC?

Yes, for the key outputs. Writing what each customer requires, and how you measure it, turns the SIPOC from a picture into a tool for deciding what to improve.

SIPOC Diagram Template

Who this template is for

When to use it

Standards it supports

How to use this template

What's inside the template

Example: a completed template

Header

SIPOC

Requirements and measures

Example measures for one week

The math in this Example

How to fill in each field

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

See also

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