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The core flowchart symbols
Start with a small vocabulary. A chart that uses every symbol available can be harder to follow than one that clearly labels a few important steps.
| Symbol | Usual appearance | Meaning | Example label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terminator | Rounded rectangle or capsule | Beginning or end of the flow | Start; Application approved; End |
| Process | Rectangle | An action, task, or operation | Review application |
| Decision | Diamond | A question or condition that routes the flow | Is the form complete? |
| Flowline | Line with an arrowhead | Sequence and direction | Arrow from one step to the next |
| Data (input/output) | Parallelogram | Information or materials entering or leaving a process | Enter email address; Send invoice |
Terminator: start and end
The rounded terminator marks where a process begins or finishes. Put a concise event or condition inside it, such as “Start,” “Receive order,” “Payment complete,” or “End.” A single flow can have more than one terminator when different conditions lead to different exits.
Process: an action
Use a rectangle for work performed by a person, system, or machine. Label it with a short verb phrase: “Validate address,” “Calculate tax,” or “Archive record.” Avoid turning a rectangle into a paragraph; move detailed instructions to a subprocess diagram or accompanying documentation.
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Decision: a branching question
The diamond asks a question or tests a condition. Outgoing arrows should be labeled with the possible outcomes, commonly “Yes” and “No,” but a decision can have more than two results. For example, “Shipping method?” might branch to “Standard,” “Express,” and “Pickup.” Write the question so each branch is unambiguous.
Flowline: direction and order
Arrows connect symbols and show what happens next. Keep the main path in a consistent direction—often top to bottom or left to right. Avoid crossing lines; when a crossing is unavoidable, reroute the line or use a connector. An arrow without a clear destination leaves the reader guessing whether it is a branch, a continuation, or a return loop.
Data or input/output: information crossing the boundary
The parallelogram represents data or materials entering or leaving a process. “Upload receipt,” “Read sensor value,” and “Print report” are typical labels. Do not use it for every action involving data: if the important fact is that a system transforms the data, use a process rectangle and reserve the parallelogram for the input or output itself.
Symbols that add detail when you need it
Predefined process or subprocess
A rectangle with double vertical edges means a group of steps defined elsewhere. It keeps a high-level chart readable while pointing to a more detailed flow. Label it with the called process, such as “Run fraud-check routine.” Include a separate diagram or documented procedure that shows what happens inside.
Document
A rectangle with a wavy lower edge indicates a step that produces a document. Use “Generate invoice” or “Create approval letter” when the output is a human-readable document. If several documents are produced, a multiple-document variant can distinguish that result, provided your diagram’s legend explains it.
On-page connector
A small circle links two separated portions of the same page. Put the same identifier—such as A or 1—inside the matching connectors. Connectors are useful when a long return line would cross the main flow, but too many can hide the sequence.
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Off-page connector
A page-like reference shape signals that the flow continues on another page or in a separate subprocess chart. Include the destination page, diagram name, or section identifier so the reader can find the continuation.
Specialized symbols
Flowchart libraries also include internal storage, preparation, manual input, manual operation, and other shapes. Microsoft’s shape inventory documents these options, but they are worthwhile only when the distinction affects a decision or handoff. A legend is preferable to forcing readers to memorize an unfamiliar shape.
What does a diamond mean in a flowchart?
A diamond means a decision point: the flow evaluates a question or condition and then follows one of the labeled outgoing paths. It does not inherently mean “two choices.” Two branches are common because “Yes” and “No” are easy to read, but three or more outcomes are valid. For example:
- Question: “Account status?”
- Branches: “Active,” “Suspended,” and “Closed.”
- Next steps: Each arrow leads to the appropriate process or terminator.
Place the question inside the diamond, not the result. “Is payment authorized?” is clearer than “Authorized,” because the outgoing labels then have an obvious relationship to the test.
Process versus decision: a quick test
| If the shape describes… | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Work that happens | Rectangle (process) | Verify identity |
| A question whose answer changes the route | Diamond (decision) | Does the ID match? |
| Information entering or leaving | Parallelogram (input/output) | Enter verification code |
| A produced document | Document shape | Issue certificate |
| A reusable group of steps | Predefined process | Run eligibility check |
If a rectangle contains a sentence beginning with “if,” it may actually be two symbols: a process before the test and a diamond for the test itself. Splitting them makes the branch and its return path visible.
How to choose the right level of detail
Use the minimum vocabulary first
Microsoft Support says most flowcharts use only three or four shapes unless there is a clear business reason to use more. A start/end, process, decision, and arrows are enough for many procedures. Add input/output or document symbols when readers need to distinguish those artifacts from ordinary actions.
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Keep one purpose per diagram
A customer-facing overview might show “Submit order,” “Check stock,” and “Ship order.” An engineering runbook may need subprocesses, data stores, error branches, and connectors. Combining both audiences in one chart produces tiny labels and tangled lines. Create a top-level flow and link detailed subprocess diagrams instead.
Write labels for scanning
- Use verb-plus-object wording for processes: “Approve refund.”
- Use a complete question for decisions: “Is the refund within 30 days?”
- Label every decision arrow, including exception paths.
- Keep capitalization and tense consistent.
- Put definitions of nonstandard symbols in a visible legend.
Are flowchart symbols standardized?
There are established conventions, but no single universal code controls every diagram. Microsoft Support’s “Create a basic flowchart in Visio” states: “However, there is no standard, universal meaning for the shapes – any shape can carry whatever meaning is agreed on by the people who will create and read the flowcharts.” That is why a shape key, clear labels, and consistent use matter more than strict adherence to a large symbol catalog.
There is historical standardization. IBM traces flowcharting to Frank and Lillian Gilbreth’s 1921 presentation to ASME and says ASME released a standardized set of common symbols in 1947. The U.S. National Bureau of Standards publication Flowchart Symbols and Their Usage in Information Processing was issued as Federal Information Processing Standards publication 24 on September 1, 1970, according to the GovInfo catalog. Those histories explain why conventions recur; they do not make every modern diagram use an identical notation.
How to make a clear flowchart
- Define the boundary. Write the event that starts the process and the condition that ends it. Decide whether people, systems, or both are in scope.
- List actions and decisions. Put each action on a separate line. Mark questions that can change the route.
- Arrange the happy path. Lay out the normal sequence from top to bottom or left to right before adding exceptions.
- Choose symbols. Apply terminators, rectangles, diamonds, arrows, and only the additional shapes that communicate a real distinction.
- Connect and label. Add arrowheads, label every decision branch, and use on-page or off-page connectors for long continuations.
- Review edge cases. Trace each branch to an outcome. Look for decisions with an unlabeled path, loops with no exit, or actions that can never be reached.
- Test with a reader. Ask someone unfamiliar with the process to follow one normal case and one exception. Revise labels where they hesitate.
Creating one in Microsoft Visio
Microsoft’s basic-flowchart guidance covers inserting shapes and connecting them. In Visio, choose File > New > Flowchart > Basic Flowchart, drag shapes from the Basic Flowchart Shapes stencil, and connect them with connector arrows. Select a connector to change its direction or route. Add a small text box or a dedicated legend for any shape whose meaning differs from the conventional use. See Microsoft’s instructions at Create a basic flowchart in Visio.
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Using a diamond for every step
A diamond is for a condition that changes the route, not for an ordinary action. Replace “Check inventory” in a diamond with a rectangle, followed by a diamond labeled “Is stock available?”
Leaving branches unlabeled
Arrows leaving a decision should state their outcome. “Yes/No,” status names, thresholds, or error types let a reader follow the chart without guessing.
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Overloading one page
When labels become unreadable, move a coherent group into a predefined process and provide a linked detail chart. Do not shrink everything until the chart technically fits but cannot be read.
Confusing a document with data
Use a document symbol when the artifact’s document form matters. Use the parallelogram for an input or output stream such as a value, file, or material. If both matter, show the process that creates the document and label the output explicitly.
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Color can emphasize approval, failure, or ownership, but it should not carry the only meaning. Use shape, text, and arrow labels so the chart remains understandable when printed or viewed by someone with color-vision differences.
Assuming every chart follows the same convention
If your organization assigns a different meaning to a shape, publish the key beside the diagram. Familiar symbols reduce learning time, but an explicit local rule removes ambiguity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Reading a flowchart systematically
- Find the terminator labeled as the entry point.
- Follow arrowheads rather than page position.
- At each diamond, read the question and then the label on the selected branch.
- Note parallelograms and document shapes as information or artifacts crossing the process.
- When you reach a connector, jump to the matching identifier and continue.
- Stop at the applicable terminator, or record the loop if the flow returns to an earlier step.
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Further reading and historical context
For the underlying shape inventory, see Microsoft Learn’s [MS-ODRAW] Microsoft Office Drawing Binary File Format. IBM’s overview, What Is a Flowchart?, provides the historical account of early flowcharting and ASME’s 1947 symbols.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a flowchart have more than one start or end symbol?
Yes. Use multiple terminators when separate entry conditions or exit outcomes are part of the process, and label each one precisely.
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Should arrows point into or out of a decision diamond?
The incoming arrow identifies the condition being tested; outgoing arrows leave the diamond and carry labels for the possible outcomes.
When should I use a connector instead of a long arrow?
Use an on-page connector when a line would cross other paths or make the route hard to trace. Use an off-page connector when the continuation is on another page or diagram.
Do I need a legend for a basic flowchart?
Not usually when you use familiar conventions consistently. Add one whenever a symbol has a local or specialized meaning.
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