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What You’ll Create

A core process is your team’s specific implementation of a master process. It’s where you document how your business actually operates. For example, the master process “Environmental Scanning” might become your core process called “Competitive Market Analysis Process” with your company’s unique steps and documentation.
Core processes are Level 3 in the four-level framework. This is where you’ll spend most of your time in the system.

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Before You Start

Make sure you know:
  • Which master process your core process belongs to (e.g., Strategic Planning Layer, Core Value Chain, Enabling Processes)
  • What you’re documenting - Have a clear understanding of the process you want to create
  • Who’s involved - Know which team members will work on this process
Start with a process you know well. Your first core process should be something you’re familiar with, not something complicated or unfamiliar.

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Creating Your First Core Process

1

Navigate to Process Framework

From the main dashboard, click on Process Framework in the left sidebar, then click Business Processes.You’ll see the library of all master processes organized by category (Strategic Planning Layer, Core Value Chain, Enabling Processes).
2

Find the Right Master Process

Browse through the categories to find the master process that best fits what you’re trying to document.Examples:
  • For market analysis: Look in “Strategic Planning Layer” → “Environmental Scanning”
  • For sales: Look in “Core Value Chain” → “Lead to Sale”
  • For HR: Look in “Enabling Processes” → “Hire to Retire”
Click on the master process card to open it.
3

Click '+ New Core Process'

Inside the master process view, you’ll see a button labeled ”+ New Core Process” in the top right.Click this button to open the creation form.
4

Name Your Core Process

In the Core Process Name field, give your core process a clear, descriptive name that explains what it covers.Good names:
  • “Remote Team Onboarding Process”
  • “B2B Lead Qualification Process”
  • “Monthly Financial Close Process”
  • “Competitive Market Analysis”
Poor names:
  • “Process 1”
  • “HR Stuff”
  • “Sales”
Keep names clear and specific. Anyone on your team should immediately know what the process covers.
5

Add a Description (Optional)

In the Description field, write a brief explanation (2-4 sentences) covering:
  • What this process does
  • When it’s used
  • Who it’s for
Example: “This process covers how we recruit, interview, and onboard new remote employees. It applies to all full-time hires across all departments. The process starts when a position is approved and ends when the new hire completes their first week.”
The description is optional but highly recommended. It helps others understand your process without having to dig into the details.
6

Set Version Number

The Version field is pre-filled with “1.0” for your first core process version.You can keep this default value for your initial creation. As you update and improve the process over time, you can increment the version number (e.g., 1.1, 2.0) to track changes.
Version numbers help you track the evolution of your process documentation over time.
7

Create Your Core Process

Click the blue “Create Core Process” button to create your core process.You’ll be taken to your new core process view where you can start adding activities and documentation.

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What Happens Next?

After creating your core process, you’ll have an empty canvas ready to build on. Your next steps are:
  1. Add Blueprints to organize your Guides into phases
  2. Add Guides - the individual actionable steps in your process
  3. Assign RACI roles to clarify responsibilities
  4. Create documentation like SOPs, guides, and blueprints
  5. Add KPIs to track performance
Don’t worry about making everything perfect right away. You can edit, reorganize, and improve your core process at any time.

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Naming Best Practices

Your core process name is important because it’s how you and your team will find and reference it.

Be Specific

“Customer Support Ticket Resolution” is better than “Support Process”

Include Context

“Enterprise Sales Process” vs. “SMB Sales Process” makes the scope clear

Avoid Jargon

Use terms everyone understands, not insider acronyms or code words

Think Searchable

Use words people will search for when looking for this process

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Description Best Practices

A good description helps others understand your process without having to dig into the details.

What to Include

  • Purpose: What does this process accomplish?
  • Scope: What’s included and what’s not?
  • Trigger: When does this process start?
  • Outcome: What’s the end result?
  • Listing every single activity (that’s what the activities section is for)
  • Technical jargon that only experts understand
  • Vague statements like “This is our HR process”
  • Unnecessary history or context

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Description Examples

  • Good Example
  • Poor Example
  • Better Example
Process: Remote Employee OnboardingDescription: “This process guides the onboarding of all new remote full-time employees from offer acceptance through their first 30 days. It includes IT setup, benefits enrollment, initial training, and check-ins with managers. The process ensures consistent onboarding experiences regardless of department or location.”✅ Clear purpose, scope, and outcome

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Creating Too Many Core ProcessesStart small. It’s better to have a few well-documented core processes than dozens of incomplete ones. Focus on your most important processes first.
Choosing the Wrong Master ProcessTake time to find the right master process. If you pick the wrong one, your core process will be harder to organize and find later. When in doubt, look at the master process description.
Being Too Generic“Sales Process” doesn’t tell anyone much. “Enterprise B2B Sales Process” or “E-commerce Checkout Process” is much clearer. Be specific about what you’re documenting.
Documenting Aspirations Instead of RealityDocument how you ACTUALLY work, not how you wish you worked. You can improve the process later, but start with reality.

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Tips for Success

Start Simple

Create the core process first, then build it out gradually. Don’t try to do everything at once.

Get Input Early

Share your new core process with team members who’ll use it. Get their feedback before you build it out.

Use Templates

If your master process has templates or examples, use them as a starting point.

Document As You Go

As you work through real instances of the process, update your documentation with what you learn.

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Your First Core Process Checklist

Before moving on to adding activities, make sure your core process has:
  • A clear, specific name
  • A description that explains purpose, scope, and outcomes (optional but recommended)
  • The correct master process selection
  • An appropriate version number (default 1.0 is fine to start)
Remember: Your core process is never truly “finished.” Business processes evolve, and your documentation should too. Start with a solid foundation and improve it over time.

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Next Steps

Adding Blueprints

Learn how to organize your Guides with Blueprints

Adding Guides

Start adding the individual steps to your process

Four-Level Framework

Review how core processes fit into the framework