SmartDraw Flowchart Tutorial

Start/End
The terminator symbol marks the starting or ending point of the system. It usually contains the word "Start" or "End."

Action or Process
A box can represent a single step ("add two cups of flour"), or and entire sub-process ("make bread") within a larger process.

Document
A printed document or report.

Decision
A decision or branching point. Lines representing different decisions emerge from different points of the diamond.

Input/Output
Represents material or information entering or leaving the system, such as customer order (input) or a product (output).

Connector
Indicates that the flow continues where a matching symbol (containing the same letter) has been placed.

Flow Line
Lines indicate the sequence of steps and the direction of flow.

Delay
Indicates a delay in the process.

Merge
Indicates a step where two or more sub-lists or sub-processes become one.

Collate
Indicates a step that orders information into a standard format.

Sort
Indicates a step that organizes a list of items into a sequence or sets based on some pre-determined criteria.

Subroutine
Indicates a sequence of actions that perform a specific task embedded within a larger process. This sequence of actions could be described in more detail on a separate flowchart.

Manual Loop
Indicates a sequence of commands that will continue to repeat until stopped manually.

Loop Limit
Indicates the point at which a loop should stop.

Data storage
Indicates a step where data gets stored.

Database
Indicates a list of information with a standard structure that allows for searching and sorting.

Display
Indicates a step that displays information.

Off Page
Indicates that the process continues off page.