Flowchart

 Flowchart introduction

A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents an algorithm or process.

There are 6 basic symbols commonly used in Flowchart.

Basic symbols used in Flowchart 

1	Terminal		Indicates the starting or ending of the algorithm.
2	Input/Output		Use for Input/Output (I/O) operation
3	Process		Indicates any type of internal operations like initialization, calculation etc.
4	Decision		Use for asking questions that can have either TRUE or FALSE (YES or NO) as an answer.
5	Connector		Connectors are used to connect breaks in the flowchart. If a flowchart takes more than one page, then to connect the flowchart between pages we use the connector.
6	Control Flow		Show direction of flow.

Using a flowchart has a variety of benefits:

• It helps to clarify complex processes.
• It identifies steps that do not add value to the internal or external customer, including delays; needless storage and transportation; unnecessary work, duplication, and added expense; breakdowns in communication.
• It helps team members gain a shared understanding of the process and use this knowledge to collect data, identify problems, focus discussions, and identify resources.
• It serves as a basis for designing new processes.