Developing Entity Relationship Diagrams
Entity Relationship diagrams are the powerful tool for clear and visual modeling the relationships between database entities. When developing Entity Relationship Diagrams are used a set of common block objects and lines to describe the structure of a database.
Use the ConceptDraw DIAGRAM software extended with Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution from the Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park for designing ER diagrams, which offers the predesigned commonly used Entity relationship symbols and ER objects. Thanks to them you can make the ERDs easy understandable for all your colleagues.

Sample 1. Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD), crow's foot notation
How to Build an Entity Relationship Diagram
When you need to visually represent the structure of relational database, Entity relationship diagram (ERD) is the best type of diagram for that case.
Most entity-relationship diagrams can be built with objects from Flowchart solution or ERD Solution which contains inbuilt templates. Follow these steps to create your own custom ERD diagram.
Don't be frightened if it looks complex, ConceptDraw DIAGRAM makes it easy to create an ERD, and hundreds of other diagrams, in minutes.
- Start drawing with Entity object from Crow's foot ERD object.
Note: This object contains several levels:
1 - object itself
2 - lines in the object
3 - separate cell. - It is possible to set different setting to each level.
- To switch from level to level, click on object with separate clicks when it's selected.
- Add text.
- Change object's color.
- Copy Teachers table.
- Add new rows via drop-down menu.
Note: Adding and removing is always performed from a bottom row. - New added row will have same preferences as bottom one.
- Paste copied table as many times as you need.
- Filling the table.
Note: To fill a separate cell, select it clicking with 3 separate clicks. - Delete excess rows via drop-down menu for each table.
- Use M:1 (many-to-one) connector from ERD Crow’s Foot Notation library.
- Connect needed rows of tables.
- If you want to change connectors' type, select all connectors with held Shift button and click on Smart connector icon at ribbon.
- To change connectors' elbow position, pull the yellow control dot.
- Select tables from left and set the same distribution.
- You may block the horizontal moving for object, so figure might be moved only vertically.
- Use M:M (many-to-many) connector from ERD Crow’s Foot Notation library.
- Set the needed connection.
Note: When connector's end reaches connection point, it changes its appearance. - Edit connector's path manually with yellow control dots.
- Select all with command+A.
- Inspectors - Line - remove object lines (stroke).
- Export your document to one of graphic formats.
- Set the format and quality.
- Your file is ready!
The Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution from ConceptDraw Solution Park extends ConceptDraw DIAGRAM ector graphics and diagramming software with the ability to describe successfully a database using the Entity-Relationship model and easy create ERD.
Video. How to Build an Entity Relationship Diagram (2min 05sec)
Use ConceptDraw DIAGRAM enhanced with Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution to draw you own ER diagrams using Chen's or Crow's Foot notations.
TEN RELATED HOW TO's:
Interior Design. Piping Plan — Design Elements →
When moving to a new apartment it is always pleasure to develop an interior design project. Nevertheless, another important part that should not be forgotten is the piping plan, because wrong piping system might ruin all the renovation. So, to avoid such problems, a stress analysis is performed. Plumbing and piping plans should be created for any premises. They are used to trace location of pipes, fixtures and valves in the house. This diagram presents a set of certified piping plan symbols for drawing plumbing and piping floor plans, diagrams and other technical drawings. Applying standard symbols when creating a piping plan is very important for creating a valid piping plan included into the building documentation pack. It is essential for any professional to be able to read and properly interpreted any piping plan.
Workflow Examples →
ConceptDraw DIAGRAM extended with Workflow Diagrams solution from the Business Processes area is a powerful workflow diagram software which offers you a variety of workflow examples.
Education Infographics →
The Education Infographics are popular and effectively applied in the educational process. Now you don't need to be an artist to design colorful pictorial education infographics thanks to the unique drawing tools of Education Infographics Solution for ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software.
Software and Database Design with ConceptDraw DIAGRAM →
Using diagrams, you can visualize the flow of the information or build a detailed data structure. There's no need to have a degree in software and database design with ConceptDraw DIAGRAM , because this software has all the tools needed in developing models and diagrams. Project planning, designing and prototyping was never so easy. This UML diagrams can be used to visualize a model of the data base development process. A UML diagram shows a graphical view of a structure of software system: components and relationships. Using Unified Modeling Language helps to depict logical and physical elements of a data base, visually represent requirements and sub-systems. UML diagrams allows developers to organize and predict critical issues, as well as collaborate data base information.
Diagram Flow Chart →
ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is a software for producing flow charts. The software delivers built-in object libraries with vector stencils that allows you to use RapidDraw technology. By clicking on direction arrows one can add a new object to flowchart. Users can start drawing their own flowchart diagrams in fast and simple way.
Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) with ConceptDraw DIAGRAM →
Big and complex projects sometimes need some simplification of plans and schedules. That's why Program Evaluation and Review Technique was invented and first implemented in 1958. You can create PERT diagrams effortlessly with ConceptDraw DIAGRAM and share them with your colleagues. Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) is a method that is used to assess and analyze projects. PERT is a valuable tool for the project management practice. PERT gives an assessment and analysis of the time needed to the project completion. A PERT chart is a visual tool that delivers a graphical view of a project timeline. It is used to display the sequences and dependences of project tasks necessary to complete a project. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM delivers the possibility to build a PERT along with other diagrams applied to assist management process by using its Seven Management and Planning Tools solution.
Basic Flowchart Symbols and Meaning →
While creating flowcharts and process flow diagrams, you should use special objects to define different statements, so anyone aware of flowcharts can get your scheme right. There is a short and an extended list of basic flowchart symbols and their meaning. Basic flowchart symbols include terminator objects, rectangles for describing steps of a process, diamonds representing appearing conditions and questions and parallelograms to show incoming data. This diagram gives a general review of the standard symbols that are used when creating flowcharts and process flow diagrams. The practice of using a set of standard flowchart symbols was admitted in order to make flowcharts and other process flow diagrams created by any person properly understandable by other people. The flowchart symbols depict different kinds of actions and phases in a process. The sequence of the actions, and the relationships between them are shown by special lines and arrows. There are a large number of flowchart symbols. Which of them can be used in the particular diagram depends on its type. For instance, some symbols used in data flow diagrams usually are not used in the process flowcharts. Business process system use exactly these flowchart symbols.
Chemical Engineering →
ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is a powerful diagramming and vector drawing software. Extended with Chemical and Process Engineering Solution from the Industrial Engineering Area of ConceptDraw Solution Park, it became the best Chemical Engineering software.
Database Flowchart Symbols →
Data base diagrams describes inter-related data and tables. It describes roles and relationships, internal and external dependencies, data exchange conventions and structures of knowledge domain. ConceptDraw Software provides number of data-base chart libraries including major 49 vector symbols. Use these DFD flowchart symbol libraries to design data-base structure and models, use it to design data base process-oriented models, or simple data-oriented models. The are special drawing tools for making data flowcharts, data process diagrams, structured analysis diagrams, and information flow diagrams.
Entity Relationship Diagram Software →
Entity Relationship Diagram (aka ERD, ER Diagram, E-R Diagram) is a well-tried software engineering tool for illustrating the logical structure of databases. Professional ERD drawing is an essential software engineering method for database modeling. Use powerful tools of ConceptDraw DIAGRAM Entity Relationship Diagram Software extended with Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) Solution.