Different Types of Flow Chart Shapes and What They Mean

Flowchart shapes

Flowcharts utilize a variety of shapes to represent different elements and actions within a process. Here are some common flowchart shapes along with their meanings:

1. Terminal -

The Terminal/Start/End Symbol in a flowchart is typically represented using an oval shape. This shape indicates the beginning or end of a process.

1. Process -

The rectangle represents a step or task in the overall process. The content inside the rectangle describes the action or process that occurs at this point in the flowchart. You can have multiple rectangles connected to represent a sequence of steps or actions in the flow of the process.

1. Input/Output -

The input/output symbol is typically represented using a parallelogram shape. This shape indicates where data enters or exits the system.

1. Decision -

The diamond shape is used to house the decision or condition. The flowchart lines entering the decision represent the different possible paths based on true or false conditions.

1. Manual Input -

The manual input symbol within the flowchart sequence represents manually entering data.

1. Database -

The cylinder shape signifies a data storage element in the flow chart. This symbol is used to indicate points in the process where data is stored or retrieved from a database.

1. Delay -

The Delay symbol in the flowchart signifies the duration of the delay within the process.

1. Display -

The Display symbol represents the point in the flowchart where the result or information is presented or displayed. This can be any form of visual or textual output to the user or another system.

1. Or -

The Or symbol is used to represent a decision point where the flow can take different paths based on conditions. The paths might lead to different processes (A, B) or a default process (C) based on the conditions specified.

1. Circle -

The circle serves as a connector where lines connect or intersect. They help maintain the flow of the chart and clarify the connections between different parts of the process.

1. Document -

The document symbol is often represented by a rectangle with a wavy bottom or a rectangle with a folded corner. It indicates the points in the flowchart where documents are created, used, or referenced.

1. Arrows -

Arrows connect different symbols to illustrate the sequence of steps and the relationships between them.