Basic Flowchart Symbols and Meaning

Flowcharts are the best for visually representation the business processes and the flow of a custom-order process through various departments within an organization. ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with Flowcharts solution offers the full set of predesigned basic flowchart symbols which are gathered at two libraries: Flowchart and Flowcharts Rapid Draw. Among them are: process, terminator, decision, data, document, display, manual loop, and many other specific symbols. The meaning for each symbol offered by ConceptDraw gives the presentation about their proposed use in professional Flowcharts for business and technical processes, software algorithms, well-developed structures of web sites, Workflow diagrams, Process flow diagram and correlation in developing on-line instructional projects or business process system. Use of ready flow chart symbols in diagrams is incredibly useful - you need simply drag desired from the libraries to your document and arrange them in required order. There are a few serious alternatives to Visio for Mac, one of them is ConceptDraw PRO. It is one of the main contender with the most similar features and capabilities.

Software Diagrams

Modern software development begins with designing different software diagrams and also uses a large amount of diagrams in project management and creation graphic documentation. Very popular diagrams that depict a work of applications in various cuts and notations, describe databases and prototype Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs). Software engineering specialists and software designers prefer to use special technical and business graphics tools and applications for easy creation diagrams. One of the most popular is ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software. ConceptDraw PRO offers the possibility of drawing with use of wide range of pre-drawn shapes and smart connectors, which allow to focus not on the process of drawing, but on the task's essence. It is a perfect application for design and document development, planning tasks, visualization of data, design the databases, object-oriented design, creation flowcharts of algorithms, modeling business processes, project management, automation of management and development processes, and for many other tasks.

Types of Flowcharts

A Flowchart is a graphical representation of process, algorithm, workflow or step-by-step solution of the problem. It shows the steps as boxes of various kinds and connects them by arrows in a defined order depicting a flow. There are twelve main Flowchart types: Basic Flowchart, Business Process Modeling Diagram (BPMN), Cross Functional Flowchart, Data Flow Diagram (DFD), IDEF (Integrated DEFinition) Flowchart, Event-driven Process Chain (EPC) Diagram, Influence Diagram (ID), Swimlane Flowchart, Process Flow Diagram (PFD), Specification and Description Language (SDL) Diagram, Value Stream Mapping, Workflow Diagram. Using the Flowcharts solution from the Diagrams area of ConceptDraw Solution Park you can easy and quickly design a Flowchart of any of these types. This solution offers a lot of special predesigned vector symbols for each of these widely used notations. They will make the drawing process of Flowcharts much easier than ever. Pay also attention for the included collection of ready Flowchart examples, samples and quick-start templates. This is business process improvement tools. If you are looking for MS Visio for your Mac, then you are out of luck, because it hasn't been released yet. However, you can use Visio alternatives that can successfully replace its functions. ConceptDraw PRO is an alternative to MS Visio for Mac that provides powerful features and intuitive user interface for the same.

Data Flow Diagram Software

Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) are successfully used when studying the business processes or systems that involve the transfer of data. They are a visual way to represent the data processing, to model and visualize the flow of data through a computer system and functional requirements for a designed system. They are the good business modeling tool to describe the business events and interactions, the physical systems involving the storage and transfer of data. ConceptDraw PRO supplied with Data Flow Diagrams solution from Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park is a modern and powerful data flow diagram software. This solution offers large set of predesigned DFD vector objects, grouped to three libraries: Data Flow Diagrams, Gane-Sarson Notation, and Yourdon and Coad Notation. All they and also collection of DFD samples and built-in templates make a good base for ConceptDraw PRO users, providing them all conditions for easy creation the Data Flow Diagrams and Data Flow Models of any complexity.

Diagram Flow Chart

ConceptDraw PRO is a software for producing flow charts.

Process Flowchart

The main reason of using Process Flowchart or PFD is to show relations between major parts of the system. Process Flowcharts are used in process engineering and chemical industry where there is a requirement of depicting relationships between major components only and not include minor parts. Process Flowcharts for single unit or multiple units differ in their structure and implementation. ConceptDraw PRO is Professional business process mapping software for making Process flowcharts, Process flow diagram, Workflow diagram, flowcharts and technical illustrations for business documents and also comprehensive visio for mac application. Easier define and document basic work and data flows, financial, production and quality management processes to increase efficiency of your business with ConcepDraw PRO. Business process mapping software with Flowchart Maker ConceptDraw PRO includes extensive drawing tools, rich examples and templates, process flowchart symbols and shape libraries, smart connectors that allow you create the flowcharts of complex processes, process flow diagrams, procedures and information exchange. Process Flowchart Solution is project management workflow tools which is part ConceptDraw Project marketing project management software. Drawing charts, diagrams, and network layouts has long been the monopoly of Microsoft Visio, making Mac users to struggle when needing such visio alternative like visio for mac, it requires only to view features, make a minor edit to, or print a diagram or chart. Thankfully to MS Visio alternative like ConceptDraw PRO software, this is cross-platform charting and business process management tool, now visio alternative for making sort of visio diagram is not a problem anymore however many people still name it business process visio tools.

Flowchart design. Flowchart symbols, shapes, stencils and icons

A flowchart is a type of diagram which represents an algorithm, process or workflow, displays the steps as boxes of various kinds and depicts their order by connecting them with arrows. Any business graphic document will be more colorful and understandable if will use professional-looking and visual diagrams and flowcharts. Flowchart design gives versatile presenting and explaining of the process. ConceptDraw PRO flowchart software enhanced with Flowcharts solution helps effectively make Flowchart Design. Use of predesigned flowchart symbols and bright color palette offers a fresh view and favorably distinguishes the flowcharts designed in ConceptDraw PRO from the black and white flowcharts on a paper. Preferably to use no more than three or four colors and apply identical for the same shape types. The best flowchart design can be achieved by starting with Flowchart template, or any of suitable ready examples or samples offered in ConceptDraw STORE, open one of them and enter the proper text into each Flowchart shape. Each symbol of the flowchart has a definition that can't be changed. This means that all flowcharts shapes can be grouped in according to their meaning. Users with ConceptDraw PRO flowchart software can style groups of symbols with close definitions by color sets chosen from complementary palette. Almost all workflows can be depicted as a flowchart. Colored diagrams are more light for perception of the certain information, this is part of flowchart design. Bright colors need to be used in the key points of Decision symbols, to focus attention on their importance for whole process flow.

Data Flow Diagram Model

Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is a technique of graphical structural analysis, describing the sources external to the system, recipients of data, also logical functions, data flows and data stores that are accessed. The DFD's goal is to show how each process converts its inputs into the outputs and to identify relationships between these processes, at this make the system's description clear and understandable at every level of detail. Historically happened that for describing Data Flow Diagrams are used two notations - Yourdon and Gane-Sarson that differ each from other by graphical representation of symbols. The DFD model, like most other structural models is a hierarchical model. Each process can be subjected to decomposition on the structural components, the relationships between which in the same notation can be shown on a separate diagram. Typically, several DFD models are built when modeling the system. ConceptDraw PRO software enhanced with Data Flow Diagrams solution ideally suits for creation DFD models and professional drawing Data Flow Diagrams.

Data Flow Diagram

Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is the part of the Structured Systems Analysis and Design Methodology (SSADM), which is intended for information systems projection and analysis. Data Flow Diagrams allow graphically represent the data flows in information system and analyze the data processing during the structural projection. This type of diagrams lets visually show a work of information system and results of this work, it is often used in connection with human processes and can be displayed as Workflow diagram. Data Flow Diagram visualizes processes and functions, external entities, data depositories, and data flows connecting these elements and indicating direction and data character. Each of these elements used for DFD has its own graphical notation. There are two notations to draw DFDs - Yourdon & Coad and Gane & Sarson. ConceptDraw PRO extended with Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) solution from Software Developmant area is ideal for designing professional looking DFDs, which can be then easily exported in various formats.

How to Create a Social Media DFD Flowchart

The use of social media in modern conditions helps the companies to be more effective in timely messaging - actively and rapidly response to a customer posts in social media, to find quickly the appropriate response to social media mentions, to save greatly the budget. Many companies even use the social media as a lead tool for promotion. But how to create a Social Media DFD Flowchart, Social Media Response Flowchart or Action Mind Map fast and easy? ConceptDraw PRO vector graphical software and Social Media Response solution included to ConceptDraw Solution Park assist greatly in their creation. This solution improves the quality of content in social media and helps to build an active customer community. The samples and examples included to Social Media Response solution are helpful for social media teams in developing a social media strategy, in refining and organizing the response process, in creation training materials by trainers and consultants for education the social media groups on how to accomplish the most effectiveness in their daily work.

Types of Flowchart - Overview

When designing a process or an instruction in clear and understandable way, you should consider creating a flowchart. You can avoid spending a lot of time understanding complex concepts as they get clear with different diagrams. The flowcharts are very popular diagram type, they are useful at different fields from the description business processes to the presentation of cooking recipes. Basic Flowchart, Business Process Modeling Diagram, Process Flowchart, Cross Functional Flowchart, Procedure Flowchart, Data Flow Diagram, IDEF Flowchart, SDL Diagram, Workflow Diagram, Document Flowchart, Program Flowchart, Value Stream Map, System Flowchart, Highlight Flowchart, Sales Flowchart are the main types flowchart. The ConceptDraw PRO is one of the professional applications which has great advantages and using which you can create different types of Flowcharts easy and fast. Try to draw an illustrative and comprehensible diagram in ConceptDraw PRO describing the processes instead of writing complex long text and make sure how it is convenient. Visio is expensive, and if you use it in a team environment, these costs are compounded. ConceptDraw PRO is an affordable alternative to Visio and luckily, it comes with a team plan. ConceptDraw PRO can import and export Visio files, so Mac users can collaborate with PC users stuck on Microsoft's software.

Design Data Flow. DFD Library

Data flow diagram or DFD is a type of diagrams used for graphical representation the "flow" of data through an information system, for effective modeling its process aspects and for visualization the data processing. They are one of the best tools for clearly making an overview of the system that will be developed, for depiction in details what kinds of information will be inputted to the system and outputted from it, where they will be stored, and other details. ConceptDraw PRO software with Data Flow Diagrams solution from Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park is powerful in a field of designing the DFDs. Three libraries containing 49 vector DFD shapes and symbols are offered by Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) solution. Use them to design data flow diagrams, information flow diagrams, data flowcharts, data process diagrams, structured analysis diagrams, to create the data-oriented models or process-oriented models, and so on. Pay also attention for the included collection of DFD samples, examples and built-in templates at ConceptDraw STORE.

Example of DFD for Online Store (Data Flow Diagram) DFD Example

Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is a methodology of graphical structural analysis and information systems design, which describes the sources external in respect to the system, recipients of data, logical functions, data flows and data stores that are accessed. DFDs allow to identify relationships between various system's components and are effectively used in business analysis and information systems analysis. They are useful for system’s high-level details modeling, to show how the input data are transformed to output results via the sequence of functional transformations. For description of DFD diagrams are uses two notations — Yourdon and Gane-Sarson, which differ in syntax. Online Store DFD example illustrates the Data Flow Diagram for online store, the interactions between Customers, Visitors, Sellers, depicts User databases and the flows of Website Information. ConceptDraw PRO enhanced with Data Flow Diagrams solution lets you to draw clear and simple example of DFD for Online Store using special libraries of predesigned DFD symbols.

Flow chart Example. Warehouse Flowchart

Warehouse Flowcharts are various diagrams that describe the warehousing and inventory management processes on the warehouses. Typical purposes of Warehouse Flowcharts are evaluating warehouse performance, measuring efficiency of customer service and organizational performance. This type of Workflow diagrams can be used for identifying any disconnection between business activities and business objectives. They are effectively used by warehouse-related people and organizations, manufacturers, wholesalers, exporters, importers, transporters, and others. Standard Warehousing process flow diagram and standard Workflow diagram are used for process identification for further evaluating effectiveness and profitability of overall business process. Use the ConceptDraw PRO vector graphic software extended with Flowcharts solution to design your own professional-looking Workflow diagrams and Flowcharts of any types, including the Warehouse flowchart, Process flow diagrams which depict in details all steps of Warehouse packages flow. Microsoft Visio, designed for Windows users, can’t be opened directly on Mac. But fortunately, there are several Visio alternatives for Mac which will help Mac users to work Visio files. With ConceptDraw PRO, you may open, edit and save files in Visio format.