Flowchart symbols explained: how to draw a clear flowchart

A flowchart turns a process into boxes and arrows so that anyone can follow it. Using the standard shapes and a few habits makes the difference between a chart people read and one they skip.

By 孤獨的時空旅人 · Updated 2026-10-16

The five shapes you need

A rounded rectangle (terminator) marks where the process starts and ends. A rectangle is a step or action, such as “Check the form”. A diamond is a decision with a yes/no or several outcomes. A parallelogram is input or output, such as “Enter your age” or “Print the receipt”. A small circle is a connector that continues the chart elsewhere. These shapes follow the ideas of the ISO 5807 flowchart standard, but for everyday work you do not need more than these five.

Rules for a clear chart

Use exactly one start. Let the flow run top to bottom or left to right. Write steps as short verb phrases of a few words. Give every decision at least two exits and label each exit (Yes, No, or the condition). Every path should end at an end shape, and arrows should cross as little as possible.

A worked example

Start → Enter your age (input) → Age 18 or older? (decision). If Yes, go to “Show the adult page”; if No, go to “Show the junior page”. Both paths continue to End. You can build exactly this in the Flowchart Maker by pressing Start / End, Input / Output, Decision and Step, and the tool links each new box to the one you had selected.

Common mistakes

Decisions with only one exit, boxes that are not connected to anything, steps that cover two actions at once, and very long sentences inside boxes. If a chart has more than about fifteen boxes, split it into two charts and link them with a connector.

Save and share

Download a PNG for slides, documents and chat, or an SVG if you want to keep editing in a vector program. In the Flowchart Maker the arrows follow when you move a box, “Tidy up” lines the boxes up from top to bottom, and nothing is uploaded.

Tools used in this guide

Flowchart MakerBuild flowcharts with steps, decisions and arrowsDrawing BoardSketch with a pen, shapes and text — save as PNG or SVGImage AnnotatorAdd arrows, boxes, text and numbers to a pictureSVG EditorDraw vector shapes, import an SVG, copy the SVG code

Frequently asked questions

Which shape do I use for a question?

A diamond (decision). Label each exit, for example Yes and No.

How many boxes is too many?

Around fifteen. Split bigger processes into several charts.

Can an AI draw the chart for me?

You can describe the process to any chatbot with the prompt in the tool’s “AI command” tab and paste its JSON answer back. The site itself does not run an AI.

Is my chart uploaded?

No. Everything stays in your browser.

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