Entity Relationship Diagram Symbols

Creating an entity-relationship (ER) model is to visually represent the structure of a business database, where data equates to entities (or objects) that are linked by defined relationships expressing dependencies and requirements. By nature it is an abstract visualization, the first step in the design process towards creating a logical and functional database.
ERD symbols used for professional ERD drawing are collected in libraries from the Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution for ConceptDraw DIAGRAM.

Entity Relationship Diagram Examples

Create an Entity-Relationship (ER) model is to visually represent the structure of a business database, where data equates to entities (or objects) that are linked by defined relationships expressing dependencies and requirements. By nature it is an abstract visualization, the first step in the design process towards creating a logical and functional database.

ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software gives the ability to describe a database using the Entity-Relationship model. Entity-Relationship Diagram(ERD) solution from the Software Development area supplies the ConceptDraw DIAGRAM with icons advocated by Chen's and Crow’s Foot notation that can be used when describing a database.

Entity-Relationship Diagram

Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) is the world-known way to show the logical structure of databases in visual manner. The best software tool for drawing Entity-Relationship Diagram is ConceptDraw DIAGRAM vector graphics software with Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution from Software Development area which gives the ability to describe a database using the Entity-Relationship model. The vector graphic diagrams produced using this solution can be successfully used in whitepapers, presentations, datasheets, posters, or any technical materials.

ER Diagram Styles

When creating ER diagrams, you can apply different color ER diagram styles and also notation styles. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM enhanced with Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) Solution gives the ability to draw visual and attractive ER Diagrams using the style icons from Crow’s Foot notation and Chen's notation professionally designed and offered by ERD Chen's Notation and ERD Crow’s Foot Notation libraries.

Visio Files and ConceptDraw

Visio Files and ConceptDraw. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is compatible with MS Visio.VDX formatted files.VDX is Visio’s open XML file format, and it can be easily imported and exported by ConceptDraw DIAGRAM.

ERD Symbols and Meanings

Crow's foot notation is used in Barker's Notation, Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM) and information engineering. Crow's foot diagrams represent entities as boxes, and relationships as lines between the boxes. Different shapes at the ends of these lines represent the cardinality of the relationship.
The Chen's ERD notation is still used and is considered to present a more detailed way of representing entities and relationships.
To create an ERD, software engineers mainly turn to dedicated drawing software, which contain the full notation resources for their specific database design - ERD symbols and meanings. CS Odessa has released an all-inclusive Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution for their powerful drawing program, ConceptDraw DIAGRAM.

Drawing ER diagrams on a Mac

Drawing ER diagrams on a Mac is smooth and easy when you have a software tool well-suited for professional ERD drawing. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM software for Mac extended with the Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution is the best tool for drawing ER diagrams on a Mac.

Software Diagram Templates

Use Software Diagram Templates from the solutions of Software Development area for ConceptDraw DIAGRAM to create your own professional looking Software Diagrams in minutes.
The Software Diagrams designed with ConceptDraw DIAGRAM are vector graphic documents and are available for reviewing, modifying, converting to a variety of formats (image, HTML, PDF file, MS PowerPoint Presentation, Adobe Flash or MS Visio XML), printing and send via e-mail in one moment.

Entity Relationship Diagram - ERD - Software for Design Crows Foot ER Diagrams

Crow's Foot notation was proposed by Gordon Everest. According to this notation, the entity is represented by rectangle, relation is depicted by line which ties two entities involved in a relationship. Entity-relationship diagrams based on both Chen's and Crow's Foot notations, can be easily drawn using the ConceptDraw DIAGRAM ERD diagrams software tools for design element Crow's Foot and Chen from Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution.