Flowcharts (aka flow-charts or flow charts) are schematic representations of processes. The symbols used in flowcharts have become diluted:

ISO standard 9004.4 and 5807 are very simple and use only four symbols:

Flowchart symbol: Oval Flowchart symbol: Rectangle Flowchart symbol: Diamond Flowchart symbol: Arrow
Ovals are start/stop points. Rectangles are activities, processing, etc. Diamonds are decision points. Lines and arrows show the flow between the other symbols.

IBM Flowcharting Templates such as the green plastic IBM X20-8020 have a strong influence on flowcharting symbols. This was actually a combination of standards from ISO, USASI, and IBM. The IBM Flowcharting Templates were designed to work in conjunction with the very cute IBM X20-8020 Flowcharting Worksheets, but the templates and ideas of the templates have been used everywhere. Here is a snapshot from the manual Flowcharting Techniques, White Plains, NY: IBM, 1970 [fh-jena.de/~kleine/history/software/IBM-FlowchartingTechniques-GC20-8152-1.pdf]:

SCAN: IBM Flowcharting template

This snapshot of the envelope is also very dense in info:

SCAN: Envelope for the IBM Flowcharting template

Other common flowchart symbols include the following:

Flowchart symbol: D Flowchart symbol: Fat Arrow Flowchart symbol: Rounded Rectangle Flowchart symbol: Multidocumenet Flowchart symbol: Jog
Delay Transport Automated Activity;
Alternate Process		 Multi-Document Jog
Flowchart symbol: Unary Operator Flowchart symbol: Mary Operator Flowchart symbol: Summary Flowchart symbol: Or  
Unary Operator M-ary Operator Summing Junction Or Junction  
         
         

UML Activity Diagrams. Of the UML diagrams, the Activity Diagrams are the closest thing to traditional flowcharts. UML Activity Diagrams revert back to the simplicity of ISO flowcharts.

Flowchart symbol: UML Start Flowchart symbol: UML End Flowchart symbol: Rectangle with circles Flowchart symbol: Rounded Rectangle
Start End Activity State
(usually in State Diagrams)
Flowchart symbol: UML Branch Flowchart symbol: UML Merge Flowchart symbol: UML Fork Flowchart symbol: UML Join
Branch
(just like decision point)		 Merge Fork
(just like IBM Parallel Mode)		 Join
Flowchart symbol: Arrow Flowchart symbol: Rectangle Flowchart symbol: UML Note  
Flow Line Class
(usually in Class Diagrams)		 Note  

Microsoft Word and OpenOffice Drawing have options for rectangles, ovals, lines, dashed lines, and arrows. OpenOffice has a fair amount of options for connectors. Microsoft Word 2000 (v9) also has these symbols pre-made from the Autoshapes menu of the Drawing toolbar of Microsoft Word 2000 (v9):

Word Autoshapes: Lines Word Autoshapes: Basic Shapes Word Autoshapes: Block Arrows Word Autoshapes: Flowchart Stars and Banners Word Autoshapes: Callouts

Microsoft Visio have a lot more symbols.

Canvas by ACD Systems has the "EasyShape" symbols pre-made as well as connector options.

Flow chart symbols: Canvas

Page Modified: (Hand noted: 2007-10-29 23:36:57Z) (Auto noted: 2007-11-17 06:37:57Z)