Input/output symbol (the flowchart parallelogram)
The input/output symbol, also called the data symbol, is the parallelogram in a flowchart. It marks information entering the process (a form submitted, a file received) or leaving it (a report sent, a result returned). It tells the reader that this step is about data crossing the process boundary, not about work being done inside it.
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Use the parallelogram where data crosses the edge of the process. Typical inputs: "Customer submits the order form", "Supplier sends the invoice", "Read the sensor value". Typical outputs: "Send the quote to the customer", "Publish the monthly report", "Display the error message".
Name it after the data and its direction, so the reader can see what arrives or leaves without guessing: "Receive signed contract" rather than "Contract".
Parallelogram or rectangle?
In business process flowcharts the parallelogram is optional. Many good charts use rectangles throughout and save the special shape for the one or two places where data entering or leaving is the point of the step. Overusing it, a parallelogram for every email, makes the chart harder to read, not easier.
The parallelogram earns its place when a reader needs to see where information comes from: the inputs a process waits on, or the outputs another team depends on.
- Use it for data crossing the process boundary.
- Use a rectangle for work done on data inside the process.
- Use the document symbol when the data is a specific document.
- Use it sparingly: a few per chart at most.
Input and output in ProcessFlowchart.app
The editor has separate Input and Output shapes, both drawn as parallelograms, plus a Manual input shape (a slanted top edge) for data a person types in. Set the row's Shape column and the symbol is drawn and connected for you.
Frequently asked questions
What does a parallelogram mean in a flowchart?
Input or output: data entering or leaving the process. Examples are a form being submitted, a file arriving, or a report being sent out.
Is the data symbol the same as the input/output symbol?
Yes. The parallelogram is called the data symbol, the input/output symbol or the I/O symbol. All three names mean the same shape.
Do I have to use the parallelogram for inputs?
No. In a business process flowchart a rectangle is acceptable for any step. Use the parallelogram where it helps the reader see what information enters or leaves.
What is the difference between the data symbol and the document symbol?
The parallelogram is any data entering or leaving. The document symbol (a rectangle with a wavy bottom) is a specific document that is created, sent or used.
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