Mastering and documenting Core Processes is a strategic move inside the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS®). Helping my clients document their Core Processes ensures their most strategic, value-adding procedures are executed consistently. The first step is not just a decision. It is a commitment.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
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How to implement and maintain Followed by All (FBA)
Along the way, you’ll understand how proper EOS process documentation aligns everyone with your company's vision, defines roles, measures performance, and addresses issues promptly. The result? Enhanced efficiency, sharper decision-making, and a trajectory toward unparalleled business success.
Key points
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Core Processes are vital to business operations, eliminating frustration, reducing mistakes, and enabling a greater focus on innovation and problem-solving.
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Reviewing each of the main areas of your operations will help you identify the 8–14 Core Processes you’ll want Followed By All.
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Documenting your Core Processes ensures they become a living part of your business, regularly referred to and updated, to allow for successful implementation.
What Are EOS® Core Processes?
Core Processes are the backbone of your organization. In EOS, Core Processes are the handful of essential business processes that must be documented and Followed by All (FBA) to ensure consistency and scalability. They are the systematic series of steps taken to achieve a business goal. Think of Core Processes as the playbook for your business operations — from production to sales and customer service.
When assessing Core Processes, apply the Pareto principle. Roughly 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of activities. Focus on the few processes that create the most value and document those first.
With EOS, we coach you to go 20% deep into the process to achieve 80% of the results. If you’re looking for 100%, you’re looking at a project with a 0% chance of getting done.
For example, documenting these processes is not just about writing down a series of steps; it’s about creating a simple checklist that's easy to understand and anyone can follow. One to ten pages, but ideally closer to one. Less is more. Keep documentation simple and usable.
When everyone follows the same processes, this uniformity eliminates frustration, reduces mistakes, and, most importantly, frees your team to focus on innovation and problem-solving.
How to Identify Your Core Processes
Identifying your Core Processes starts with reviewing each of the main areas of your business operations. This includes examining how your product or service is made or delivered, how your sales team operates, and how customer service is handled.
You’re probably used to tools like flowcharts and process maps for visual aids. When I’m in a session with my clients, I help them draw their process on a whiteboard and list all the steps involved. As we refine the Core Process, we add the documentation directly into Ninety’s Process tool.
The key to this approach is to start with either the end in mind or truly at the beginning. Most businesses have 8–14 Core Processes: HR, Sales, Marketing, 2–3 Operating, Customer Service, Customer Success, Accounting, IT, and so on.
How to Document Core Processes
Effective documentation includes:
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Clearly defining roles, accountabilities, and responsibilities
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Establishing performance metrics
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Setting up protocols for resolving issues
The goal is to create a document that is a living part of your business, regularly referred to and updated.
How to Implement Core Processes
After documenting your Core Processes, it’s time to implement them. Implementation requires training your team, then consistently measuring, managing, and updating the process to ensure it is Followed by All.
It’s crucial to have strategies to address challenges and resistance to change. For example, some members of your team will be relieved to have the form and structure of a documented process. Others will need the changes made to their workflow as seamless as possible.
You know your team members best. Will they need short video explanations of the major steps? Is a group or one-on-one meeting better for discussing each process?
Regular training sessions and open communication channels are key to successful implementation.
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Maintaining Core Processes: Train, Measure, Manage, Update
Mike Paton and Lisa González wrote the book Process! as part of The Traction Library. It is an amazing guide for helping you with this section of the Process journey. If you have an entrepreneurial, growth-driven organization, it’s a guarantee your processes will continue to evolve.
Process is ongoing work. It must evolve as your business evolves. To that end, we need the ability and tools to cycle through the Followed by All Checklist, which has four stages:
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Train
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Measure
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Manage
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Update
Regular reviews and updates are critical for ongoing process improvement with EOS. You’ll want to ensure your documentation accurately reflects current practices and aligns with the evolving needs of the business.
Manage EOS® Core Processes in Ninety
Ninety is software that supports EOS® frameworks and implementation, helping teams run the tools consistently and turn the plan into execution. Inside Ninety’s Process tool, Core Processes are documented, shared, and updated in one place so they can truly be Followed by All.
If your Scorecard is green but the business still feels off track, explore how Ninety gives you the financial visibility, forecasting, and review rhythms you need to set better targets and keep the whole team moving toward the same outcomes. Find out more about our Scorecard now.
Frequently Asked Questions About EOS Core Processes
1. How many Core Processes should a company have?
Most businesses have 8 to 14 Core Processes across departments such as Sales, Marketing, Operations, HR, Finance, and Customer Service.
2. How detailed should Core Processes be?
Document processes 20% deep to achieve 80% of the results. Keep them simple and usable.
3. What does Followed by All (FBA) mean?
FBA means that every team member consistently follows the documented process.
4. How often should Core Processes be updated?
Review and update processes regularly, especially during quarterly and annual planning sessions.
