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Flowcharts are the ideal diagrams for visually representing business processes. For example, if Use Products:
you need to show the flow of a custom-order process through various departments within your
ConceptDraw PRO
organization, you can use a flowchart. This paper provides a visual representation of basic
flowchart symbols and their proposed use in communicating the structure of a well-developed
web site, as well as their correlation in developing on-line instructional projects. A typical flowchart Flowchart Diagram Software
from older Computer Science textbooks may have the following kinds of symbols: Technical Diagramming Tool
Start and end symbols, represented as lozenges, ovals or rounded rectangles, usually containing
Business Diagramming Tool
the word "Start" or "End", or another phrase signaling the start or end of a process, such as
"submit enquiry" or "receive product". Professional Business Graphics Tool
Arrows, showing what's called "flow of control" in computer science. An arrow coming from one
symbol and ending at another symbol signifies flow passes to the symbol the arrow points to. Export to vector graphics files
Processing steps, represented as rectangles. Examples: "Add 1 to X"; "replace identified part"; Export to Adobe Acrobat® PDF
"save changes" or similar.
Input/Output, represented as a parallelogram. Examples: Get X from the user; display X. Export to MS PowerPoint®
Conditional (or decision), represented as a diamond (rhombus). These typically contain a
Import/Export Microsoft Visio™
Yes/No question or True/False test. This symbol is unique in that it has two arrows coming out of
it, usually from the bottom point and right point, one corresponding to Yes or True, and one
corresponding to No or False. The arrows should always be labeled. More than two arrows can Use Solutions:
be used, but this is normally a clear indicator that a complex decision is being taken, in which
case it may need to be broken-down further, or replaced with the "pre-defined process" symbol. Flowcharts
A number of other symbols that have less universal currency, such as:
Design Flow Chart Diagrams
A Document represented as a rectangle with a wavy base;
Represents an algorithm or process
A Manual input represented by a rectangle, with the top irregularly sloping up from left to right.
An example would be to signify data-entry from a form; Illustrates a solution to a given problem

A Manual operation represented by a trapezoid with the longest parallel side upmost, to Represented process operations
represent an operation or adjustment to process that can only be made manually. Used in analyzing
A Data File represented by a cylinder Used in designing

Used in documenting
Flowcharts may contain other symbols, such as connectors, usually represented as circles, to
represent converging paths in the flow chart. Circles will have more than one arrow coming into Used in managing a process
them but only one going out. Some flow charts may just have an arrow point to another arrow
Used in program in various fields
instead. These are useful to represent an iterative process (in Computer Science this is called a
loop). A loop may, for example, consist of a connector where control first enters, processing
steps, a conditional with one arrow exiting the loop, and one going back to the connector. Off-
page connectors are often used to signify a connection to a (part of a) process held on another Cross-Functional Flowcharts
sheet or screen.
Analyzing complex processes
A flowchart is described as "cross-functional" when the page is divided into different "lanes"
describing the control of different organizational chart units. A symbol appearing in a particular Designing complex processes
"lane" is within the control of that organizational unit. This technique allows the analyst to locate
Documenting complex processes
the responsibility for performing an action or making a decision correctly, allowing the relationship
between different organizational units with responsibility over a single process. Managing complex processes

Representing process operations

Download Flowchart Software with All Flowchart Symbols and Meaning
Showing the steps

Represented Process operations

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Standard Flowchart Symbols and Their Usage | Basic Flowchart Symbols and Meaning Page 2 of 7

Basic Flowchart Symbols and Meaning

Helping to visualize a process

Helping to understand a process

Basic Flowchart Business Process Cross Functional

Modeling Notation Horizontal
Workflow Diagrams

Show pictorial overview of a business,

technical or functional process step-by-step

Model business process to develop,

implement, reuse, analyze, solve problems and
Hidhlight Flowchart List and process Work Flow Diagram
improve
With more than 10000 symbols, flowcharting couldn't be easier! Try it FREE.
Simplify process collaboration by showing
workflow in chain of people and business units
Standard Flowchart Symbols and Meaning
Visualize control and information flow,
Flowcharts use special shapes to represent different types of actions or steps in a process. Lines
business process automation, business
and arrows show the sequence of these steps, and the relationships between them.
process re-engineering, accounting,
management, and HR tasks

Document business processes in 6 Sigma or

ISO 9000

Easy to Create

Basic Flowchart

Audit Flow Diagram

Process Flowchart

Cross Functional Flowchart

Value-Added Flow Chart

Data Flow Diagram

Workflow Diagram

IDEF0 Flowcharts

Organizational Chart
Pic.1. Standard Flowchart Symbols
Mind Map
Workflow Shapes Business Diagram
Workflow relationships are where work is done by different departments in a fixed sequence. This
Business Process
means that one department needs to finish its job before work can continue in another
department. The development and maintenance of these work flow relationships is very important Marketing Chart and Diagram
for managers because they are dependant on the preceding areas for his or her own work, and
Matrix Diagram
responsible to managers and workers at different stages further down the chain.
Relationship Diagram

Flowchart Knowledge Base

How to design flowchart

How to draw flowchart

Flowchart Solutions

Flowchart Examples

Visio-like software
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Free 21 Trial for Mac and PC Flowchart Symbols and Meaniing

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Basic Flowchart Symbols and Meaning

Flow Diagram Software

Flowchart component

See also Videos:

How to Simplify Flow Charting — Cross-

functional Flowchart

How to Draw a Bubble Chart

How to draw a Cross-Functional Flowchart

How to Draw an Organization Chart

See also Samples:

Flowcharts

Orgcharts
Pic.2. Workflow Shapes
Business Charts — Area, Line and Scatter

Audit Flowchart Shapes Marketing — Charts & Diagrams

The following shapes is similar with the basic flowchart symbols but are specially used in the audit Quality and Manufacturing Charts
flowchart.
Business Process Diagrams — Flow Charts

Marketing — Flowcharts & Process Diagrams

Business Diagrams — Concept Maps

Business processes — Flow charts

Finance and Accounting

Marketing — Social Media

Business Diagrams

Pic.3. Audit Flowchart Shapes

The Flowchart Symbols and Their Usage

Process represents a step in your process.

Predefined process indicate a set of steps that combine to create a sub-process that is defined
elsewhere, often on another page of the same drawing.

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Basic Flowchart Symbols and Meaning

Decision indicates a point where the outcome of a decision dictates the next step. There can be
multiple outcomes, but often there are just two - yes and no.

Terminal point indicates the starting and ending points of a process.

Data Shape Indicates that information is coming into the process from outside, or leaving the
process.

Delay shape Represents a waiting period where no activity is done. In Process Mapping, delays
are often important as they may result in adding to the cost of the product or simply delaying its
production.

Database shape Use this shape for a step that results in information being stored.

Step represents a single step within a process, and usually contains the name of a specific
action.

Page symbols refer to individual web pages, which may or may not contain multiple elements.

File symbols represent those data elements that exist independently of navigational properties
outside of that page, e.g., audio sounds, movie clips, or a portable document file (PDF).

A decision point indicates a sequence in the process at which the end user chooses an option,
i.e., a "yes-no", or "true-false" response, and then branches to different parts of the flowchart.

Arrows and connecting lines diagram the logical progression through the course, subject to the
choices made at decision or action points within the process.

The input/action symbol represents a user response that directs the course flow from that point
onwards, i.e., an online test, or questionnaire form.

Represents the choice made by the user from mutually exclusive options, e.g., a student choosing
among different lesson plans.

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Basic Flowchart Symbols and Meaning

Conditional selector is similar to the conditional branch except that the user has the option to
choose from a number of paths that will fulfill the requested conditions, e.g., the results of a
search engine request.

Pages that share one or more common aspects, and are functionally identical may be simplified
as a rounded corner rectangle, such as an on-line test or feedback form.

Annotations provide helpful comments or explanations, e.g. denoting the location where an
undeveloped new page/process will fit into the navigational flow structure, or notes for specific
team members for further development.

Flow references and flow areas are symbols for reusable sequences, such as logging in with a
specific user id and password to enter the course or to initiate an on-line quiz. The flow reference
symbol acts as a placeholder for the flow area sequence in the chart in every situation in which it
is repeated.

Flow area is used as a flow area, it documents sections that share similar components/repeated
steps within that flow, and requires the use of the following two symbols: entry and exit points.

Exit point concludes the subroutine, such as when the proper user id and password are verified,
and documents where the user re-enters the master flowchart.

Entry point documents the place within the master flowchart where the process deviates into a
subroutine.

Reference is used as a connecting point when the flowchart necessitates using more than one
page, or refers to a complicated subroutine that would be impossible to contain on the main
flowchart page.

On-page reference Indicates that the next or previous step is somewhere else on the flowchart. It
is particularly useful for large flowcharts.

Off-page reference Use the a set of hyperlinks between two pages of a flowchart or between a
sub-process shape and a separate flowchart page that shows the steps in that sub-process.

Flowchart Shapes The designers can click this multi-shape to set to any of the following shapes:
Data, Document, Decision, or Process. Any text you type onto the shape, or information you add
to its Shape Data, remains with the shape.

Document Represents a step that results in a document.

Flowcharts visualize a process or algorithm of program as step/operation blocks of various

shapes connected with arrowed lines showing the process flow direction. They are often used to
visualize business and technical processes as well as software algorithms.

This sample created in ConceptDraw PRO using the Flowcharts Solution.

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Basic Flowchart Symbols and Meaning

Pic.4. A Process Flow Chart for an Emergency Medical Responder

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Professional business graphics tool for Excellent tool for Mind Mapping, The full complement of features needed to successfully
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