Editing Flowchart (section)

== Overview ==
[[File:For loop example.svg|thumb|upright|Flow diagram a [[C (programming language)|C-style]] ''[[for loop]]'', representing the following code:
<pre>
for(i=0;i<5;i++)
  printf("*");  
</pre>

The loop will cause five asterisks to be printed.]]

Flowcharts are used to design and document simple processes or programs. Like other types of diagrams, they help visualize the process. Two of the many benefits are that flaws and [[Bottleneck (production)|bottleneck]]s may become apparent. Flowcharts typically use the following main symbols:

* A process step, usually called an ''activity'', is denoted by a rectangular box.
* A decision is usually denoted by a diamond.
 
A flowchart is described as "cross-functional" when the chart is divided into different vertical or horizontal parts, to describe the control of different organizational units. A symbol appearing in a particular part is within the control of that organizational unit. A cross-functional flowchart allows the author to correctly locate the responsibility for performing an action or making a decision, and to show the responsibility of each organizational unit for different parts of a single process.

Flowcharts represent certain aspects of processes and are usually complemented by other types of diagram. For instance, [[Kaoru Ishikawa]] defined the flowchart as one of the [[seven basic tools of quality |seven basic tools of quality control]], next to the [[histogram]], [[Pareto chart]], [[check sheet]], [[control chart]], [[Ishikawa diagram|cause-and-effect diagram]], and the [[scatter diagram]]. Similarly, in [[Unified Modeling Language|UML]], a standard concept-modeling notation used in software development, the [[activity diagram]], which is a type of flowchart, is just one of many different diagram types.

[[Nassi-Shneiderman diagram]]s and [[DRAKON|Drakon-charts]] are an alternative notation for process flow.

Common alternative names include: flow chart, process flowchart, functional flowchart, process map, process chart, functional process chart, business process model, process model, process [[flow diagram]], [[workflow|work flow]] diagram, business flow diagram. The terms "flowchart" and "flow chart" are used interchangeably.

The underlying [[Graph (discrete mathematics)|graph]] structure of a flowchart is a flow graph, which abstracts away node types, their contents and other ancillary information.