Flow Chart Symbols

Types

Sterneckert suggested that flowcharts can be modeled from the perspective of different user groups (such as managers, system analysts, and clerks) and that there are four general types:

• Document flowcharts, showing controls over a document-flow through a system
• Data flowcharts, showing controls over a data-flow in a system
• System flowcharts, showing controls at a physical or resource level
• Program flowchart, showing the controls in a program within a system

Notice that every type of flowchart focuses on some kind of control, rather than on the particular flow itself.

However, there are several of these classifications. For example, Andrew Veronis named three basic types of flowcharts: the system flowchart, the general flowchart, and the detailed flowchart. That same year Marilyn Bohl (1978) stated "in practice, two kinds of flowcharts are used in solution planning: system flowcharts and program flowcharts…". More recently Mark A. Fryman stated that there are more differences: "Decision flowcharts, logic flowcharts, systems flowcharts, product flowcharts, and process flowcharts are just a few of the different types of flowcharts that are used in business and government".

In addition, many diagram techniques exist that are similar to flowcharts but carry a different name, such as UML activity diagrams.