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ERD Symbols and Meanings

Entity Relationship Diagram Symbols and Meaning - crow's foot notation
Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) is a popular software engineering tool for database modeling and illustration the logical structure of databases, which uses one of two notations - Chen's or Crow’s Foot. Crow's foot notation is effective when used in software engineering, information engineering, structured systems analysis and design. Each of these notations applies its own set of ERD symbols. Crow's foot diagrams use boxes to represent entities and lines between these boxes to show relationships. Varied shapes at the ends of lines depict the cardinality of a given relationship. Chen's ERD notation is more detailed way to represent entities and relationships. ConceptDraw PRO application enhanced with all-inclusive Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution allows design professional ER diagrams with Chen's or Crow’s Foot notation on your choice. It contains the full set of ready-to-use standardized ERD symbols and meanings helpful for quickly drawing, collection of predesigned ERD samples, examples and templates. ConceptDraw Pro is a great alternative to Visio for Mac users as it offers more features and can easily handle the most demanding professional needs.
How to Build an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)
How to Build an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)

Types of Flowcharts

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.
How to Simplify Flow Charting
How to Simplify Flow Charting

Data Flow Diagram (DFD)

Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
A Data Flow Diagram (DFD) illustrates the flow of data through an information system, visualizes how the information is handled in terms of inputs and outputs, how the data enter to system and leave it. It is effective to use a Data Flow Diagram for creation the system's overview, to show the system's scope and boundaries. There are two different types of notations for DFDs: Yourdon-Coad and Gane-Sarson, which differ in visual representations for processes, data flow, data stores, external entities, etc. Thus, for example the processes are depicted as circles in Yourdon-Coad notation and as rounded squares in Gane-Sarson notation. Gane-Sarson notation is usually used for visualization information systems and Yourdon-Coad - for system analysis and design. The Data Flow Diagrams solution included to Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park offers a lot of DFD templates, samples and examples, libraries of vector stencils for construction without efforts the DFDs according to both Gane-Sarson and Yourdon-Coad notations.
"Classic TQM Tools ...
Flow Charts Pictures, symbols or text coupled with lines, arrows on lines show direction of flow. Flowcharting enables
modeling of processes; problems/ opportunities and decision points etc. It develops a common understanding of a process by those in
volved." [whaqualitycenter.org/ Portals/ 0/ Tools%20 to%20 Use/ Classic%20 Quality%20 Tools/ Classic%20 TQM%20 Tools%20 R%20 2-12.pdf]
The vector stencils library TQM diagrams contains 58 symbols for drawing total quality management (TQM) flow charts using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software.
The example "Design elements - TQM diagram" is included in the Total Quality Management (TQM) Diagrams solution from the Quality area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.
TQM flow chart symbols
TQM flow chart symbols, work flow loop, transportation, system support, system function, system database, store, storage, storage, selectable process, refinement, procedure, organization function, operation, inspection, operation, off-page reference, multi in/out decision, multi-input, move, metric, issue, interrupt, inspection, measurement, inspection, inbound goods, force-field analysis, fish frame, cause-and-effect, fishbone, feedback arrow, fabrication, external process, external organization, external control, effect, delay, decision, connector, connected issues, cause, category, X-function, 2-part metric, two-part metric, 2-part function, two-part function,
Used Solutions
The vector stencils library "TQM diagrams" contains 58 TQM symbols. Use it in business process re-engineering, total quality management, continuous improvement, and quality solutions to draw cause-and-effect diagrams, top-down, and cross-functional process flow charts in the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the Total Quality Management (TQM) Diagrams solution from the Quality area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.
Transportation
Transportation, transportation,
Inbound Goods
Inbound Goods, inbound goods,
Storage
Storage, storage,
Procedure
Procedure, procedure,
Operation
Operation, operation,
Operation/ Inspection
Operation/ Inspection, operation, inspection,
Issue
Issue, issue,
Organization Function
Organization Function, organization function,
2-Part Function
2-Part Function, 2-part function, two-part function,
Decision 1 (TQM)
Decision 1 (TQM), decision,
Decision 2 (TQM)
Decision 2 (TQM), decision,
Multi in/out Decision (Multi-Input on right)
Multi in/out Decision (Multi-Input on right), multi in/out decision, multi-input,
Multi in/out Decision (Multi-Input on left)
Multi in/out Decision (Multi-Input on left), multi in/out decision, multi-input,
External Organization
External Organization, external organization,
External Process
External Process, external process,
Inspection/Measurement
Inspection/Measurement, inspection, measurement,
Metric
Metric, metric,
2-part metric
2-part metric, 2-part metric, two-part metric,
System Database
System Database, system database,
System Support
System Support, system support,
System Function
System Function, system function,
Delay
Delay, delay,
Connector (TQM)
Connector (TQM), connector,
Off-Page Reference
Off-Page Reference, off-page reference,
Connected Issues
Connected Issues, connected issues,
Fabrication (black)
Fabrication (black), fabrication,
Fabrication (white)
Fabrication (white), fabrication,
Move (black)
Move (black), move,
Move (white)
Move (white), move,
Store (black)
Store (black), store, storage,
Store (white)
Store (white), store, storage,
Inspection (black)
Inspection (black), inspection,
Inspection (white)
Inspection (white), inspection,
Selectable Process (All White)
Selectable Process (All White), selectable process,
Selectable Process ('Fabrication' Black)
Selectable Process ('Fabrication' Black), selectable process, fabrication,
Selectable Process ('Move' Black)
Selectable Process ('Move' Black), selectable process, move,
Selectable Process ('Store' Black)
Selectable Process ('Store' Black), selectable process, store,
Selectable Process ('Inspection' Black)
Selectable Process ('Inspection' Black), selectable process, inspection,
Work Flow Loop 1
Work Flow Loop 1, work flow loop,
Work Flow Loop 2
Work Flow Loop 2, work flow loop,
Feedback Arrow
Feedback Arrow, feedback arrow,
X-Function - Vertical
X-Function - Vertical, X-function,
X-Function - Horizontal
X-Function - Horizontal, X-function,
Force-Field Analysis
Force-Field Analysis, force-field analysis,
Cause 1
Cause 1, cause,
Cause 2
Cause 2, cause,
Cause 3
Cause 3, cause,
Category
Category, category,
Effect
Effect, effect,
Fish Frame
Fish Frame, fish frame, cause-and-effect, fishbone,
Dynamic Connector
Dynamic Connector,
Result
Result, result,
No Result
No Result, no result,
Branch: Return
Branch: Return,
Branch: No Return
Branch: No Return,
Interrupt
Interrupt, interrupt,
External Control
External Control, external control,
Refinement
Refinement, refinement,
Used Solutions