Process flowchart symbols and their meanings
Process flowcharts use a small set of standard shapes: a rounded rectangle for start and end, a rectangle for each action, a diamond for decisions and arrows for the direction of flow. The extended set below covers input/output, documents, connectors and a few less-common shapes you may see in older charts.
Symbol reference
| Symbol | Shape | Meaning | Usage rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terminator (start/end) | Rounded rectangle / stadium | Marks where the process begins or ends. | Use exactly one start and at least one end per chart. Label with a noun-and-verb like 'Order received' or 'Ticket closed'. |
| Process | Rectangle | A single action or task performed in the process. | One action per shape, phrased as an imperative verb ('Send email', 'Charge card'). Never combine two actions in one box. |
| Decision | Diamond | A yes/no or either/or branch. | Phrase the label as a question ('Approved?', 'In stock?'). Label the outgoing arrows with the answers. |
| Input / Output | Parallelogram | Data or material entering or leaving the process. | Use for 'Customer submits form' or 'Send invoice PDF'. Do not use it for internal steps. |
| Document | Rectangle with a wavy bottom edge | A single document produced or consumed. | Prefer this over a plain rectangle when the deliverable is a specific document that another step depends on. |
| Multiple documents | Stacked documents | A batch of documents rather than one. | Use when the count matters (e.g. 'monthly reports') and reviewers should notice it is plural. |
| Connector (on-page) | Small circle with a letter or number | Reconnects two parts of the same chart without crossing arrows. | Use sparingly. If you need more than two, the chart is probably too dense and should be split. |
| Off-page connector | Home-plate pentagon | Continues the flow on another page or sub-chart. | Label both ends with the same identifier so readers can find the continuation. |
| Predefined process | Rectangle with double vertical lines | A sub-process that is documented in its own flowchart. | Use to keep a top-level chart readable — link out to the detailed chart instead of expanding it inline. |
| Delay | Half-rounded rectangle (D-shape) | A wait period before the next step. | Use when the wait itself is meaningful (SLA, cooling period). Otherwise ignore it. |
| Manual operation | Trapezoid (wider top) | A step done by hand rather than automatically. | Useful when contrasting automated and manual steps in the same chart. |
| Data (database) | Cylinder | A datastore that is read from or written to. | Use for actual databases; do not use it for arbitrary files or spreadsheets. |
| Arrow | Line with an arrowhead | The direction the process flows between shapes. | Only one incoming arrow per shape (except merges). Never let arrows cross where a connector would fix it. |
Which symbols do I actually need?
For 90% of process flowcharts you only need four: the terminator, the process rectangle, the decision diamond and the arrow. Add input/output and document shapes when a step is clearly about data or a deliverable. Skip the rest unless your reviewers already use them.
See the decision symbol entry for the rules that make branches readable, and the flowchart glossary entry for the underlying vocabulary.
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