What is a process flowchart?
A process flowchart is a visual diagram that shows the main steps in a business process and how work moves from one step to the next. It helps people quickly understand the overall flow of work without needing every operational detail.
Process flowcharts are useful because they make processes easier to explain, review, and improve. Instead of describing a workflow in long text, teams can see activities, decisions, and handoffs in one view. This makes it easier to spot unclear responsibilities, bottlenecks, duplicate steps, or missing actions.
A typical process flowchart uses simple symbols: rectangles for activities (tasks), diamonds for decisions (yes/no or alternative paths), and circles for events (such as start or end points). Arrows show the sequence and direction of flow. Many organizations also use swimlanes to show who does what across roles or departments.
Because flowcharts focus on clarity, they are often used early in process mapping and improvement work—before adding more detailed instructions, rules, or system steps. They are especially helpful for onboarding, cross-functional collaboration, and discussing how a process should work in practice.
For a practical overview of methods, examples, and how process flowcharts fit into broader documentation work, read our full guide to process mapping.