Basic Flowchart Symbols and Meaning

The vector stencils library "Workflow diagrams" contains 54 symbol icons of workflow diagrams.
Use these clipart to represent information flow, automation of business processes, business process re-engineering, accounting, management, and human resources tasks in industry, business, and manufacturing.
"The term workflow is more commonly used in particular industries, such as printing and professional domains, where it may have particular specialized meanings.
(1) Processes: A process is a more general notion than workflow and can apply to physical or biological processes, for instance; whereas a workflow is typically a process or collection of processes described in the context of work, such as all processes occurring in a machine shop.
(2) Planning and scheduling: A plan is a description of the logically necessary, partially ordered set of activities required to accomplish a specific goal given certain starting conditions. A plan, when augmented with a schedule and resource allocation calculations, completely defines a particular instance of systematic processing in pursuit of a goal. A workflow may be viewed as an (often optimal or near-optimal) realization of the mechanisms required to execute the same plan repeatedly.
(3) Flow control is a control concept applied to workflows, to distinguish from static control of buffers of material or orders, to mean a more dynamic control of flow speed and flow volumes in motion and in process. Such orientation to dynamic aspects is the basic foundation to prepare for more advanced job shop controls, such as just-in-time or just-in-sequence.
(4) In-transit visibility is a monitoring concept that applies to transported material as well as to work in process or work in progress, i.e., workflows." [Workflow. Wikipedia]
The example "Workflow diagram - Business" was drawn using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the Workflow Diagrams solution from the Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

"Value Stream Map (VSM)
1. A tool used to improve a process by identifying added value and eliminating waste.
2. A process map that follows the value creation process.
A. “strap yourself to the product (or service) and see where you go”
3. A process map with data added.
A. Times: processing, wait, cycle.
B. Quality: number of rejects.
C. Inventory.
D. Resources.
1) Number of people.
2) Space.
3) Distance traveled.
E. Whatever else is useful for analyzing the process." [ocw.mit.edu/ courses/ aeronautics-and-astronautics/ 16-660j-introduction-to-lean-six-sigma-methods-january-iap-2012/ lecture-notes/ MIT16_ 660JIAP12_ 1-6.pdf]
This sample VSM flowchart shows the value stream in a manufacturing, production control and shipping processes.
This value stream mapping diagram example was created using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the Value Stream Mapping solution from the Quality area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.