A Comprehensive Guide to Flowchart with 50+ Examples

Flowcharts are used in analyzing, designing, documenting or managing a process or program in various fields. This diagrammatic representation illustrates a solution to a given problem. Like other types of diagrams, they help visualize what is going on and thereby help the viewer to understand a process, and perhaps also find flaws, bottlenecks, and other less-obvious features within it. A flowchart represents an algorithm or process, showing the steps as boxes of various kinds, and their order by connecting them with arrows.

Evolution of Flowchart

Flowcharts used to be a popular means for describing computer algorithms and are still used for this purpose. Modern techniques such as UML activity diagrams can be considered to be extensions of the flowchart.

In the 1970s the popularity of flowcharts as an own method decreased when interactive computer terminals and third-generation programming languages became the common tools of the trade, since algorithms can be expressed much more concisely as source code in such a language, and also because designing algorithms using flowcharts was more likely to result in spaghetti code because of the need for “goto” statements to describe arbitrary jumps in control flow.

Flowchart Notation

Different flow chart symbols have different meanings. The most common flow chart symbols are:

  • Terminator: Elongated circles, which signify the start or end of a process.
  • Process: A rectangular flow chart shape indicating a normal process flow step (instructions or actions).
  • Decision: A diamond flow chart shape indication a branch in the process flow.decisions that must be made
  • Connector: A small, labeled, circular flow chart shape used to indicate a jump in the process flow. (Shown as the circle with the letter “A”, below.)
  • Data: A parallelogram that indicates data input or output (I/O) for a process.
  • Document: Used to indicate a document or report (see image in sample flow chart below).
Flowchart Notation

Flowchart Example: Should I Bring an Umbrella?

This example show how a person decides whether he/she should bring an umbrella when living home. This simple diagram demonstrates the uses decisions and processes.

Visual Paradigm Online offers an online platform for users creating flowchart and others. Start making your flowchart by clicking Create Blank or Use This Diagram.

Visual Paradigm Online offers an online platform for users creating flowchart and others. Start making your flowchart by clicking Create Blank or Use This Diagram.

Flowchart Example: Should I Bring an Umbrella

(click and Edit Example)

Flowchart Example: Medical Services

This flowchart shows the flow of a patient when entering a clinic using processes, decisions and loops.

Flowchart Example: Medical Services

(click and Edit Example)

Flowchart Example: Linking Flowcharts

Business flowcharts can be used to show a business process or workflow. To reduce complexity, a big flowchart can be split into multiple pages or diagrams. Different flowcharts can be linked with On-page and Off-page reference. This is a flowchart example that shows you the use of such symbol in connecting with another flowchart.

(click and Edit Example)

(click and Edit Example)

50+ Flowchart Examples and Templates

  • Free Flowchart examples and templates editable in an online Flowchart software:
  • Visual Paradigm Online — Use the templates as a starting point to create your own Flowchart.

Cooking an Egg

Snow Storm Solution

Vending Machine

Stored Value Smart Card

Healthcare Programme for People Over 40 Years Old

Vacuum Robot

Pneumatic Door

Found Food in Fridge

Should I Cycle to School Today?

Travel Plan

Alarm Clock

Crossing Traffic

Simple Grading System

Product Lanuch Event Planning

Criminal Process

Student Admission Process

Car Rental Service

Simple Mathematics Algorithm

Fire Evacuation Plan

Solid Waste Processing

Customer Service

Boarding Plane

Cheque Deposit

Simple Coffee Machine

Way to Commute

Online Shopping Process

Secondary Education

Riding a Train

Firmware Update

Emergency Hotline

[Starting Franchise

Heater Control

Computer Diagnosis

Supply Request

Traffic Control

Cancer Therapy Process

Airplane Passenger Routine

Requesting Taxi

Credit Card Payment Process

Accident Evaluation

Taxi Driver Workflow

University Application Process

Post Operation Recovery

Transfer Patient

Login Process

Should I Bring an Umbrella?

Organ Donation

Medical Services

What Schools Am I Qualified to Apply?

Hiring Process

Make a Toast

Calculate Profit and Loss

Hand Washing

Online Order System

Linking Flowcharts (Part II)

Linking Flowcharts (Part I)

Census with a Article Updated in Wikipedia

Ordering Food

A Daily Timetable of a School Boy

Selection Sort

Input Hour Pay

Withdraw Cash

Computer Maintenance

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.