Flow Chart ~ Basics

.
Below is a basic flow chart showing the 5 basic flowcharting symbols. The Rectangles, The Diamonds, The Circles, The Ovals & The Arrows.

.

This diagram is typical of most flow charts you will find in process documentation. Using these basic symbols is a simple but effective way to provide a graphical snapshot of a process. The following is an overview of the symbols:
.
~ The rectangles indicate Process steps.
.

~ The diamonds indicate Decisions, or branches in the process.

.

~ The circles indicate Connectors which act as jump nodes from one part of the process to another.

.

~ The ovals (aka Terminators) indicate the process boundaries, showing where the process starts and stops.
.

~ The arrows (aka Flow Lines) indicate the process flow direction.

.