Flowchart
What is a Flowchart
A flowchart is a type of diagram that visually represents an algorithm, workflow, or process. Flowcharts can depict processes of any complexity and length. In practice, flowcharts are most commonly used to illustrate business processes and represent the logic of computer programs. They are also used in education and business scenarios where it is necessary to describe a process in a clear and intuitive format.
A flowchart is made up of different object blocks which represent various states of a process. Some objects may represent actions, while others represent various exchanges of a process, depending on its current state.
Example 1. Flowchart — Selection Sorting Method
Key Flowchart Symbols
The flowchart commonly uses the following objects:
- Rectangle or box is the most often used symbol, it represents an activity or a step;
- Rounded box or oval usually contains the word "Start" or "End";
- Diamond is used to represent the decision point, it usually involves the branching yes/no;
- Circle is used to represent the point of connection the flowchart to another process;
- Parallelogram represents the Input/Output.
Object blocks are usually connected by arrows to demonstrate the process flow. One object may be connected to multiple objects from various directions.
If an object presents several actions for different decisions or conditions within the process, the outgoing arrows are labeled with comments. The most common are the Yes/No blocks, although other types of conditional blocks are used to illustrate complex decisions.
Certain processes within a business include operations that run in a loop. In this case, an object block must contain a loop end condition.
Benefits of Flowchart
The Flowchart has a wide set of benefits:
- gives a clear documentation of a process;
- offers a common understanding of processes;
- helps to build a process visual representation for analysis, discussion, and communication;
- allows to identify the scope of the process;
- assists to trace and analyze the process steps;
- helps to standardize and find areas for monitoring, improvement, and increased efficiency in a process;
- allows to find and detach the not essential steps of the process;
- helps in understanding the logic of complex problems;
- offers guidance for managers overseeing operations;
- facilitates communication between programmers and business people;
- helps programmers to write programs of any complexity and on any high-level language;
- helps in the debugging flow chart process and provides efficient program maintenance;
- helps to understand and explain to other people the logic of the complex problems and their solution;
- assists in improving teamwork effectiveness.
Applications of Flowcharts
Flowcharts are widespread and include a multitude of types that are popular and widely used for designing, documenting, managing, and analyzing complex processes and programs in various fields, such as science, business, engineering, architecture, manufacturing, administration, and many others.
Flowcharts are dedicated to representing algorithms, processes, and workflows of any complexity in a clear and intuitive format. They are commonly used in software development as a visual tool to illustrate algorithms and logic of computer programs, in business to illustrate business scenarios, in education, and so on.
Example 2. Flowchart in ConceptDraw DIAGRAM app for drawing Flowchart (MacOS™ and Windows™)
The Best Flowchart Software
To design professional-looking Flowchart Diagrams we recommend using the professional diagram flow maker — ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software extended with a set of Flowchart maker solutions from the Diagrams, Finance and Accounting, Marketing, and Business Processes areas of ConceptDraw Solution Park.
ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is a powerful flowchart software thanks to the Flowcharts Solution from the Diagrams area of ConceptDraw Solution Park and its set of useful tools which will help to make it easier to depict your business processes, flowchart processes, and create professional Flowchart Diagrams of any complexity.
Flowchart Library
Flowcharts Rapid Draw Library (Shapes)
Flowcharts Rapid Draw Library (Swimlanes)The Flowcharts solution provides the extensive Flowchart and Flowcharts Rapid Draw libraries of ready-made flowchart symbols and blocks. For drawing the Flowchart special object blocks are used. Among them rectangle or box used to represent an activity or step, rounded box or oval to depict Start / End, diamond to represent the decision point (involves the branching yes/no), circle to depict the point of connection, parallelogram to represent the Input / Output, and some others.
Samples and Templates
The Flowcharts solution also offers the ready-to-use template which can be filled in a few minutes, and numerous collection of predesigned samples and examples of flowchart diagrams of various types, such as process flowchart, business process flow chart, data flow chart, org flow chart, program flow chart, technical flow chart, flowchart procedure, online flowchart, and many other types. All samples and templates included in Flowcharts solution are available for viewing and editing from ConceptDraw STORE.
This sample was created in ConceptDraw DIAGRAM flowcharting software using the best tool for Flowchart diagram — Flowcharts solution from the Diagrams area of ConceptDraw Solution Park. It shows the detailed flowchart for the process of website login and registration. An experienced user spent 15 minutes creating this sample.
Example 3. Flowchart — Website Login and Registration Process
How to Create a Flowchart Using Flowchart Software
Creating a Flowchart using flowchart software is the most efficient way. Choose a powerful and user-friendly flowchart creator ConceptDraw DIAGRAM and follow a step-by-step guide to create Flowchart:
- create a Blank Diagram or choose a ready template;
- use the predesigned flowchart symbols from the Flowcharts solution libraries, drag and drop and position them in the proper order to represent different steps or elements of a process, and resize shapes, if needed;
- use arrows to show the flow between shapes;
- click on each shape to add descriptive text explaining the action, decision, or step it represents.
- customize your Flowchart with colors, fonts, and styles of the lines and arrows;
- review and refine the resulting Flowchart, check it for flow consistency, make sure the steps are connected logically and follow the intended process;
- save the Flowchart;
- export in other formats, if required;
- share it with colleagues or stakeholders to get feedback and improve, if needed.
Conclusion
ConceptDraw DIAGRAM flowchart program is rich in libraries of ready-to-use predesigned vector flowchart objects, templates, samples, and examples, which make it the best way to show a process flow and design a Flow diagram of any type and style. In addition, the ConceptDraw documents with Flowchart Diagrams are vector graphic documents, available for reviewing, modifying, and converting to different popular formats: image, HTML, PDF file, MS PowerPoint Presentation, Adobe Flash, or MS Visio XML.
The Flowcharts solution is available for all ConceptDraw DIAGRAM users. Use the Flowcharts solution for ConceptDraw DIAGRAM software to make Flowchart of any complexity quick and easy.
