Frequently Asked Questions

LucidFlow is an AI-powered platform that takes any document: meeting transcript, PDF, Word file, spreadsheet, and turns it into a complete process intelligence workflow. First, it generates an interactive BPMN process map. Then it analyzes costs, durations, and bottlenecks. Finally, it co-builds an AI transformation plan with specific tool recommendations and ROI projections for each change.

LucidFlow is built for business analysts, process consultants, and SMB operations teams who need to document, analyze, and transform business processes, without days of manual diagramming or enterprise-level tooling budgets.

Upload any document (PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, images, or text files). LucidFlow's AI analyzes the content, identifies actors, tasks, decisions, and flows, then automatically generates a complete BPMN diagram you can edit, optimize, and export.

Yes. Every new account gets a Free plan with 1 lifetime process and the full AI analysis on screen: BPMN map, cost dashboard, transformation plan, tool recommendations. It is free forever, not a trial. No credit card required. Exports and sharing require a paid plan.

You can explore a demo BPMN diagram on our demo page to see the interactive viewer in action. To generate your own diagrams from documents, you need to create a free account.

Most tools stop at the drawing. LucidFlow turns any document into a complete process intelligence loop: an editable BPMN, a financial map of where time and money are spent per task, and a step-by-step AI transformation plan with concrete tool recommendations. It replaces manual diagramming, spreadsheet-based process costing, and consulting-style studies with a single automated flow.

Yes. All data is transmitted over HTTPS with TLS encryption. Database access is protected by Row Level Security (RLS) policies. Payments are processed by Stripe (PCI DSS compliant). You can delete your data at any time from your account settings.

LucidFlow's interface is available in English, French, and Spanish. The AI can analyze documents in any language and generate BPMN diagrams with labels in the language of the source document.

Yes. LucidFlow is a web application that works on any modern browser, including mobile devices and tablets. The interface is fully responsive, though the BPMN editor is best experienced on a desktop or tablet screen.

Free plan users get standard email support. Pro plan users get priority support with faster response times. Enterprise customers receive dedicated support with a guaranteed SLA.

An AI transformation plan is a step-by-step roadmap that tells you which tasks in your process to eliminate, simplify, standardize, integrate, or replace with AI. For each recommendation, LucidFlow provides a specific tool suggestion (with alternatives), an estimated ROI, an implementation timeline, and a before/after BPMN so you can see exactly what the transformed process looks like.

Yes. Each task node in your BPMN carries cost, duration, and frequency data pre-filled by AI. LucidFlow uses this data to calculate your total process cost, monthly burn, annual projection, and potential savings from each optimization or automation. The ROI Report shows the full before/after comparison broken down by role and step.

LucidFlow and enterprise process-mining platforms (Celonis, Signavio, and similar) target different buyers. Enterprise process mining reconstructs processes from ERP event logs and is priced for Fortune 500 budgets, often $100,000+ per year with a multi-month integration project. LucidFlow generates BPMN diagrams from documents (transcripts, SOPs, PDFs), runs the cost analysis and AI transformation plan on top, and starts free with no sales call. The right pick depends on whether the truth of your process lives in connected ERP event logs or in documents and meeting notes.

BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) is an internationally recognized standard (ISO 19510) for visualizing business processes. It uses standardized symbols for tasks, gateways, events, and flows that are universally understood by business analysts, process consultants, and operations teams.

LucidFlow generates diagrams compliant with BPMN 2.0, the latest major version of the standard. This ensures your diagrams are compatible with other BPMN tools and can be exported as standard BPMN 2.0 XML.

Standard (flow) view shows all tasks in a single sequential flow. Swimlane view groups tasks by role or department into horizontal lanes, making it easy to see who is responsible for each step. LucidFlow lets you toggle between both views instantly.

LucidFlow supports core BPMN 2.0 elements: start and end events, user tasks, service tasks, manual tasks, script tasks, send/receive tasks, business rule tasks, exclusive (XOR), parallel (AND), inclusive (OR), and event-based gateways, sequence flows, and swimlanes for role-based grouping.

Process mining is a technique that uses data to discover, monitor, and improve real processes. LucidFlow applies AI-driven process mining principles to analyze your documents, extract the actual process flow, and identify bottlenecks, waste, and optimization opportunities.

Yes. LucidFlow supports importing BPMN 2.0 XML files from tools like Camunda, Bizagi, bpmn.io, and other BPMN-compliant tools. Your imported diagram becomes fully editable in LucidFlow's interactive editor.

Yes. LucidFlow exports to BPMN 2.0 XML format, which can be imported into Camunda, Bizagi, bpmn.io, and other standard-compliant BPMN tools. You can also export as PNG, SVG, PDF, or JSON.

A gateway is a BPMN element that controls how the process flow splits and merges. XOR (exclusive) gateways represent decisions where only one path is taken. AND (parallel) gateways split the flow into multiple parallel paths. OR (inclusive) gateways allow one or more paths to be taken.

BPMN diagrams flow from left to right. Circles represent events (start/end), rounded rectangles are tasks, diamonds are gateways (decisions). Arrows show the sequence flow connecting elements. LucidFlow includes a built-in legend explaining all symbols.

Yes. LucidFlow includes a built-in BPMN compliance analyzer that checks your diagram against BPMN 2.0 rules: missing start/end events, disconnected nodes, gateway mismatches, and more. Available on the Pro plan and above.

LucidFlow offers Free (1 lifetime process, full AI analysis on screen), Starter at $19/month (3 processes, every export unlocked), Pro at $39/month (8 processes, priority support), Enterprise at $129/month (unlimited processes, dedicated CSM, SLA), and Pay-as-you-go at $10 one-time. Annual billing saves approximately 17% on subscriptions.

Yes. You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel at any time from your account settings. Upgrades take effect immediately. Downgrades apply at the end of your current billing cycle.

We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) through Stripe, our PCI-compliant payment processor. Enterprise customers can pay by invoice.

The Free plan includes 1 process with all features unlocked: AI optimization, transformation, all export formats, and collaboration. It is free forever with no time limit.

Pro gives you 8 processes per month (vs 1 lifetime on Free), plus priority support and all deliverables (exports, sharing, ROI report). The on-screen AI analysis is the same on every plan: the difference is how many processes you can work on and whether you can take the output outside the app.

Yes. Annual plans save approximately 17%. Starter is $15/month billed annually ($180/year). Pro is $32/month billed annually ($384/year). Enterprise is $107/month billed annually ($1,284/year).

Yes. Data transmitted over HTTPS/TLS, database with Row Level Security, payments via Stripe (PCI DSS). Deletion available at any time.

Most diagrams are generated in under 5 minutes. Upload your document, answer optional clarifying questions, and LucidFlow's AI delivers a complete, editable BPMN diagram ready to optimize and export.

Yes. Enterprise includes unlimited history retention, priority support, and custom onboarding. Contact us to discuss SLA options and integration needs tailored to your organization.

We offer special pricing for non-profit organizations and educational institutions. Contact our sales team with details about your organization to learn about available discounts.

LucidFlow accepts PDF, Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), PowerPoint (.pptx), images (PNG, JPG), plain text (.txt), Markdown (.md), and CSV files. You can upload multiple files at once by drag and drop.

You can export diagrams as PNG (raster image), SVG (vector image), PDF (high-resolution document), JSON (data format), and BPMN 2.0 XML (standard interchange format). Export availability depends on your plan.

An API for programmatic access is planned for a future release. Enterprise customers can contact us to discuss early access to API capabilities and custom integrations.

LucidFlow works on all modern browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. We recommend using the latest version for the best experience. Internet Explorer is not supported.

Yes. Shareable links are available on Free, Pro, and Enterprise plans, no tier gate. Each link carries a permission (view or edit) that you choose at creation, and anyone with the link can access your BPMN diagram without needing a LucidFlow account. Links can optionally be password-protected and can be revoked at any time.

On the upload page, click the BPMN import option and select your .bpmn file. LucidFlow parses the XML and renders the diagram in the interactive editor, where you can modify and optimize it.

Individual files can be up to 10 MB. For PDF files, there is a page limit that varies by plan. If you need to process larger documents, consider splitting them or contacting support.

LucidFlow is a cloud-based web application and requires an internet connection. However, you can export your diagrams for offline viewing in PNG, SVG, or PDF format.

Currently, diagrams are tied to individual accounts. You can share read-only links with team members. Real-time collaboration features are on our product roadmap.

Your data is stored securely in Supabase (PostgreSQL database with Row Level Security). Uploaded files are stored in Supabase Storage. All data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest. You can delete your data at any time.

LucidFlow uses advanced AI (powered by Google Gemini) to analyze your document's content. It identifies process steps, actors, decisions, and flows, then structures them into a BPMN 2.0 compliant diagram with proper notation and layout.

Yes. LucidFlow applies Lean Six Sigma principles and value stream analysis to identify bottlenecks, classify waste (Muda), flag tasks for automation, and propose an optimized version you can compare side by side with the original.

Value stream analysis examines each step in your process to determine if it adds value, is necessary but non-value-adding, or is pure waste. LucidFlow's AI classifies each task and recommends improvements to streamline your workflow.

Yes. LucidFlow includes an AI chat feature where you can request specific changes like adding validation steps, reassigning tasks to different roles, splitting parallel activities, or removing unnecessary steps. The AI modifies the diagram in real-time.

The AI generates high-quality BPMN diagrams, but may ask clarifying questions if the source document is ambiguous. You can review and edit every element. The interactive editor gives you full control over the final result.

LucidFlow uses the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) framework from Lean Six Sigma, combined with value stream mapping and Muda waste classification to identify and eliminate process inefficiencies.

Yes. You can lock individual tasks or steps to prevent the AI from modifying them during optimization. This is useful for compliance-critical steps or regulatory requirements that must remain unchanged.

The Process Efficiency Score is a 0-100 metric that evaluates your process across four dimensions: automation ratio, complexity, role handoffs, and robustness (error handling). Higher scores indicate more efficient processes.

Yes. LucidFlow can detect multiple perspectives in your documents: current state (as-is), target state (to-be), improvement ideas (wishlist), and pain points. These are surfaced as optimization hints to guide the AI.

No. Your documents are processed for diagram generation only and are not used to train AI models. Document data is stored securely and can be deleted at any time. See our privacy policy for full details.