Flowchart Rules

Explaining the flow of a project, a software application or a business process may require more than words or a list of steps. Using a drawing or diagram to explain the path or process can aid in understanding. This type of drawing is referred to as a flowchart. Flowcharts can be drawn for any sequence of events that culminate in a solution. Typically a flowchart should be part of the initial stages of designing or developing a process. But flowcharts can be drawn at any stage to verify or explain the process.

Flowchart Rules

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to flowcharts and no flowchart police or governmental regulations that are enforced. But there are some basic guidelines that will ensure that your flow chart is recognizable and readable. Use universally agreed-upon symbols, particularly if you are communicating with others outside an organization or culture.

The Structure Of Flowcharts

Flowcharts have a beginning, a middle and an end. A single flowchart may fit into a series of flowcharts. For example, a manufacturing process may have a flowchart for receiving and preparing ingredients for a food product. It may then have a second flowchart for the actual making of the product, a third flowchart that describes the packaging process and a fourth to outline the shipping process. A flowchart should show a single process. Multiple outcomes from a process may require further flowcharts. Flowcharts can be matched just like maps are matched with a symbol marking the place where they link or a reference to the title of the next flowchart.

Flowchart Symbols

To minimize confusion and to easily identify parts of a process, use a standard set of symbols on your flowcharts. The American National Standards Institute has developed symbols for many types of industries. Included in those symbols are representations for storage activity, transportation activity, inspection activity, documentation activity and production activity. Symbols can also be designated or designed by a business to represent work flow by department. For example, a symbol indicating Human Resources or the Legal Department might be needed to indicate a hand-off of information.

Examples of Symbol Meanings

Each symbol is describing a step in the sequence of events being drawn. Here is a simple set of symbols and their typical meanings: Lines and arrows in a flowchart indicate the direction of the process or flow. Circles and ovals are often used as the starting point of a flowchart, the ending point and to designate control points. Diamonds are used to mark a point of decision. Squares and rectangles indicate a process that needs to occur. Parallelograms show where input or output happens.

Creating A Flowchart

Begin a flowchart with a simple one-line description of the process being diagrammed. For example, "How To Process an Invoice" or "How To Make Tomato Sauce." Identifying what you are drawing will focus the purpose of the flowchart. Label each symbol used in a simple manner. For example, "Purchase Ingredients" may be a first step in making tomato sauce. This would be indicated by drawing a circle and entering the words "Purchase Ingredients" inside the symbol.

Extending the Flowchart

A line extended from the starting circle and ending in an arrow directs the reader to the next symbol. When reaching the end of the process the final symbol should match the beginning symbol and be noted as the end of the process. All symbols (except the first and last symbols) must be linked by entry and exiting arrows. There are no dead ends in flowcharts. Extra information, such as a list of ingredients, may accompany the flowchart or be noted below the diagram.

Types of Flowcharts

Flowcharts are typically used to communicate to a multidisciplinary group--meaning people with a variety of disciplines, education, knowledge and positions. Often a single process may require a mechanical engineer, an electrical engineer and a technology engineer or someone from accounting, sales and administration. Choosing the correct set of symbols and providing a legend or explanatory list for the symbols being used is appropriate. Making sure everyone is working with the same set of information is the whole purpose of a flowchart.