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ERD Symbols and Meanings

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)

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.
How to Build a Flowchart
How to Build a Flowchart

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.
How To Create a Process Flow Chart (business process modelling techniques)
How To Create a Process Flow Chart (business process modelling techniques)

Workflow Diagram Symbols

Workflow Diagram is an acknowledged method of drawing the processes and business processes, which uses the concerted set of symbols for depicting different kinds of steps or relations. Often it is named the Process Flow Diagram, but the real Process Flow Diagram uses different visual notations and different flowchart symbols. The professionally designed Workflow diagram also may be used for the same purpose as a Critical process flow diagram. Nevertheless, there are many cases when you may need to make your Workflow Diagram more bright and graphic. ConceptDraw PRO diagramming software extended with Workflow Diagrams solution from Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park possesses the powerful properties of software for Workflow diagram design. It delivers rich set of business process workflow diagram symbols, which help users to accurately diagram the workflow scenarios and to design great-looking and attractive Workflow Diagrams and Process Flow Diagrams better-suited for presentations, websites, reports, and other documents.

SSADM Diagram

The vector stencils library SSADM from the solution Systems engineering contains specific symbols of SSADM diagrams for ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software. The Systems engineering solution is contained in Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park. The example below illustrates the waterfall model used in SSADM. This model involves 5 stages of developing a product such as requirements specification and its' analysis, design, coding and testing.

Workflow Diagram Examples

ConceptDraw PRO software extended with the Workflow Diagram solution provides a complete set of samples, templates and features help you to draw diagrams faster. A workflow diagram software you use for drawing workflow diagrams and business process flow diagrams should provide a wide set of examples allows you get closer with workflow diagrams, learn symbols meaning, find appropriate layout and design, and then start drawing your own workflow diagram masterfully. Workflow diagrams used for orchestrating organizational processes between company departments and humans, so critical process diagrams used to train many people to interact must be clear and professional to convey an idea from a view. Thats a reason we created a lot workflow symbols and workflow icons collected them into special Workflow Diagram solution in ConceptDraw Solution Park.

Network Diagram Software LAN Network Diagrams & Diagrams for LAN Physical Office Network Diagrams

Physical LAN Diagrams illustrate the communication schemes of Local Area Networks, the physical network connection of computers and networks arrangement on the small areas - at homes, offices, and other buildings. ConceptDraw PRO is a perfect network diagramming software with samples and examples of WAN and LAN Diagrams, templates and collection of network components libraries. Computer Network Diagrams Solution for ConceptDraw PRO Mac and Windows is ideal for IT professionals, network engineers and network designers who need to visualize network architecture, to document LANs physical structure and arrangement, to draw Local Area Network (LAN) diagrams and schematics, WAN diagrams, physical office network diagrams and topologies, wiring drawings, etc. You can design all them easy using the predesigned vector objects of computers and computer network devices, hardware devices, peripheral devices, external digital devices, internet and logical symbols, and many other stencils from the Computer Network Diagrams libraries. ConceptDraw PRO offers a powerful and easy-to-use solution for those who looking for a Visio alternative for Mac. It is a world-class diagramming platform with dynamic presentation power.
How to Draw a Computer Network
How to Draw a Computer Network

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

event-driven process chain diagram, EPC diagram, process chain flowchart Event-driven Process Chain Diagrams

event-driven process chain diagram, EPC diagram, process chain flowchart
Event-driven Process Chain (EPC) Diagram is a type of flowchart widely used for modeling in business engineering and reengineering, business process improvement, and analysis. EPC method was developed within the Architecture of Integrated Information Systems (ARIS) framework.
HelpDesk

How to Create a Timeline Diagram in ConceptDraw PRO

A Timeline is a chart which displays a project plan schedule in chronological order. A Timeline is used in project management to depict project milestones and visualize project phases, and show project progress. The graphic form of a timeline makes it easy to understand critical project milestones, such as the progress of a project schedule. Timelines are particularly useful for project scheduling or project management when accompanied with a Gantt chart. It captures the main of what the project will accomplish and how it will be done. making a project timeline is one of the most important skills a project manager needs have. Making comprehensive, accurate timelines allows you getting every project off in the best way. ConceptDraw PRO allows you to draw a timeline charts using special library.

ConceptDraw PRO 9 Comparison with Omnigraffle Professional and MS Visio

ConceptDraw PRO comparison with Omnigraffle Professional and MS Visio shows you the significant benefits of ConceptDraw PRO, which offers varied useful drawing tools, the capability of creation multi-page documents, wide export / import capabilities in graphic formats, integration with Visio and Microsoft Office applications, availability of built-in scripting language and ConceptDraw Solution Park with numerous solutions, vector objects libraries, templates and samples. Business today is conducted with incredible rate and dynamic presentations become very popular. Sometimes while conducting the business, may happen that you can't describe some situation, state, or process with only words. In these cases it is convenient to include graphics and diagrams associated with the text. This guarantees successful communication with other stakeholders and team members, and faultless understanding the information by them. The combination of words and graphics is ideal combination, it improves the clarity and removes any doubt. ConceptDraw PRO helps you easy create any kinds of diagrams and dynamic presentations too.

value stream map, VSM Value Stream Mapping

value stream map, VSM
Value stream mapping solution extends ConceptDraw PRO software with templates, samples and vector stencils for drawing the Value Stream Maps (VSM) in lean manufacturing practice.

cross-functional flowchart template, flowchart, example business process flow Cross-Functional Flowcharts

cross-functional flowchart template, flowchart, example business process flow
Cross-functional flowcharts are powerful and useful tool for visualizing and analyzing complex business processes which requires involvement of multiple people, teams or even departments. They let clearly represent a sequence of the process steps, the order of operations, relationships between processes and responsible functional units (such as departments or positions).