How to Make a Flowchart: A Complete Beginner Guide for 2025

Creating a flowchart doesn't require design skills or expensive software. Whether you're documenting a business process, explaining a technical workflow, or planning a project, this guide walks you through everything you need to know to make effective flowcharts.

What is a flowchart?

A flowchart is a visual diagram that shows the steps in a process and how they connect. Each step is represented by a shape, and arrows show the flow from one step to the next. Flowcharts make complex processes easy to understand at a glance.

Flowcharts are used everywhere:

Business: Document approval workflows, customer service processes, employee onboarding
Software development: Map user flows, API logic, deployment pipelines
Education: Explain algorithms, scientific processes, decision trees
Personal: Plan projects, organize decisions, visualize goals

Basic flowchart symbols and their meanings

Before creating your flowchart, understand the standard symbols:

Oval (Terminator)

Ovals mark the start and end of a process. Every flowchart should have exactly one start and at least one end point.

( Start )  →  ...  →  ( End )

Rectangle (Process)

Rectangles represent actions or steps. Most of your flowchart will consist of these.

┌─────────────────┐
│  Process Step   │
└─────────────────┘

Diamond (Decision)

Diamonds indicate decision points where the flow branches based on a yes/no question or condition.

       ◇
      / \
    Yes   No

Parallelogram (Input/Output)

Parallelograms show data entering or leaving the system—user input, file reads, printed output.

Arrow (Flow line)

Arrows connect shapes and show the direction of the process. Always use arrows, not plain lines, so the direction is clear.

Step-by-step: Creating your first flowchart

1. Define the process boundaries

Before drawing anything, answer these questions:

What triggers the process? (A customer submits a request, a file is uploaded, a meeting is scheduled)
What's the end result? (Request approved, file processed, meeting confirmed)
Who is involved? (Customer, support agent, manager, system)

Write down the start and end points. Everything in between is what you'll diagram.

2. List all the steps

Write out every step in the process, in order. Don't worry about formatting yet—just get them down:

Customer submits support ticket
System assigns ticket number
Agent reviews ticket
Agent determines if more info needed
If yes, agent requests info from customer
Customer provides additional info
Agent resolves issue
Agent closes ticket
System sends satisfaction survey

3. Identify decision points

Look for steps that involve choices or conditions:

Step 4: "Determines if more info needed" is a decision (Yes/No)
You might have more: "Is issue resolved?" before closing

Mark these as decision points. They'll become diamonds in your flowchart.

4. Draw the flowchart

Now connect everything:

Start with an oval labeled "Customer submits ticket"
Add rectangles for each action step
Add diamonds for decision points
Connect with arrows showing the flow direction
End with an oval labeled "Survey sent" or "Process complete"

5. Review and simplify

Look at your flowchart and ask:

Can someone unfamiliar with the process follow it? If not, add clarifying labels.
Are there unnecessary steps? Remove anything that doesn't add value.
Do all paths lead to an end point? Every branch should eventually terminate.
Is the layout clean? Avoid crossing arrows when possible.

Common flowchart mistakes to avoid

Too much detail

A flowchart should show the process at a glance. If you're including every micro-step, you've gone too far. "User clicks submit button, system validates form, system checks database, system returns confirmation" can often just be "System processes submission."

Missing decision outcomes

Every diamond needs at least two paths coming out of it (typically Yes and No). If a decision only has one outcome, it's not really a decision—it's just a step.

Ambiguous labels

"Process data" tells you nothing. "Validate customer email format" is specific and useful. Be precise in your step labels.

No clear start or end

Readers should immediately see where the process begins and ends. Use the oval/terminator shape consistently for this.

Crossing flow lines

When arrows cross, the flowchart becomes hard to follow. Rearrange your layout to minimize crossings. If unavoidable, use a small bridge/hop symbol where lines cross.

Tools for making flowcharts

AI-powered tools (fastest)

Flowova generates flowcharts from text descriptions. Describe your process in plain English, and the AI creates a structured diagram. Best for speed and when you want to focus on content rather than drawing.

Example: Type "customer returns a product, agent checks return policy, if within 30 days approve refund, otherwise offer store credit" and get a complete flowchart in seconds.

Traditional diagramming tools

Lucidchart, Visio, draw.io give you a blank canvas with shape libraries. You drag and drop elements to build flowcharts manually. More control but slower.

Whiteboard tools

Miro, FigJam, Whimsical combine flowcharts with collaborative whiteboarding. Good for brainstorming sessions where the flowchart is part of a larger discussion.

Code-based tools

Mermaid, PlantUML let you write flowcharts in text syntax that renders as diagrams. Great for developers who want version-controlled documentation.

flowchart TD
    A[Start] --> B{Decision}
    B -->|Yes| C[Action 1]
    B -->|No| D[Action 2]
    C --> E[End]
    D --> E

Flowchart design tips

Use consistent spacing

Keep equal distance between shapes. Aligned elements look professional and are easier to follow.

Flow top-to-bottom or left-to-right

Western readers expect to read flowcharts like text: top to bottom, left to right. Don't fight this expectation unless you have a specific reason.

Limit width

If your flowchart is wider than a screen or page, consider breaking it into sub-processes. A "Process Order" step can link to a separate detailed flowchart for order processing.

Use color purposefully

Color can highlight different types of steps (manual vs. automated) or different actors (customer vs. system). Don't use color just for decoration—it should convey meaning.

Add a legend if needed

If you're using custom symbols, colors, or conventions, include a legend so readers understand your notation.

Types of flowcharts

Process flowchart

The most common type. Shows sequential steps in a workflow from start to finish. Use for documenting any procedure.

Swimlane flowchart

Divides the diagram into horizontal or vertical lanes, each representing a different person, team, or system. Shows who is responsible for each step.

Decision flowchart (decision tree)

Focused on branching logic. Helps visualize choices and their outcomes. Common in troubleshooting guides and eligibility checks.

Data flow diagram

Shows how data moves through a system. Focuses on inputs, outputs, and transformations rather than process steps.

Workflow diagram

Similar to process flowcharts but often includes timing, resources, and parallel activities. Common in project management.

When to use a flowchart vs. other diagrams

Use a flowchart when:

You need to show a sequence of steps
There are decision points that branch the process
You want to document a repeatable procedure

Consider alternatives when:

Showing organizational hierarchy → use an org chart
Mapping relationships between entities → use an entity-relationship diagram
Planning project timelines → use a Gantt chart
Brainstorming ideas → use a mind map

Creating flowcharts with AI

Traditional flowchart creation is slow: open a tool, drag shapes, connect them, adjust layout, format consistently. AI flowchart generators flip this process.

With Flowova, you:

Describe your process in plain text – Write it like you'd explain to a colleague
Generate the flowchart – AI structures it with proper symbols and connections
Refine if needed – Edit the generated diagram or regenerate with adjusted description
Export – Download as PNG, SVG, or Mermaid code

This approach is particularly useful when:

You're documenting many processes quickly
The process exists in your head but not on paper
You want to iterate on process design rapidly
You're not comfortable with diagramming tools

Flowchart templates to get started

Instead of starting from scratch, begin with a template that matches your use case:

Customer Support Workflow – Route issues to the right team
Employee Onboarding – New hire workflow from offer to first day
Order Fulfillment – E-commerce order processing
Incident Response – On-call incident handling
Browse all templates – Find the right starting point

Next steps

Ready to create your first flowchart? Here are your options:

Fastest path: Open Flowova, describe your process, and generate a flowchart in seconds
Start with a template: Browse templates to find one similar to your use case
Learn more: Read our guides on flowchart symbols or AI flowchart generators

The best flowchart is one that actually gets created and used. Don't overthink it—start simple, get feedback, and refine from there.