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System Flowchart and Program Flowchart

The document compares system flowcharts and program flowcharts. A system flowchart represents an entire system, showing inputs, outputs, and processes. It is used by managers and analysts to design systems. A program flowchart represents a single program, showing the steps to solve a task. Programmers use flowcharts to plan programs before coding. The main difference is that system flowcharts are more complex than program flowcharts, which focus on a single program or task.

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Jayson Dayao
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
402 views

System Flowchart and Program Flowchart

The document compares system flowcharts and program flowcharts. A system flowchart represents an entire system, showing inputs, outputs, and processes. It is used by managers and analysts to design systems. A program flowchart represents a single program, showing the steps to solve a task. Programmers use flowcharts to plan programs before coding. The main difference is that system flowcharts are more complex than program flowcharts, which focus on a single program or task.

Uploaded by

Jayson Dayao
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Home » Technology » IT » Programming » What is the Difference Between System Flowchart and Program Flowchart

What is the Difference Between System


Flowchart and Program Flowchart
November 6, 2018 • by Lithmee • 4 min read

The main difference between system flowchart and program flowchart is that a system flowchart represents an
entire system while a program flowchart represents a single program. 

Software development is a complex task. It is not possible to write programs for the entire system directly. Therefore,
it is necessary to model the system to get a better understanding of the system. Furthermore, there are different
diagrams that help to understand the functionality of the system. One such diagram is a flowchart. It is a diagrammatic
representation that illustrates a solution model to a given problem. System flowchart and program flowchart are two
types of flowcharts.

Key Areas Covered


1. What is a Flowchart

     – Definition, Functionality

2. What is a System Flowchart

     – Definition, Functionality

3. What is a Program Flowchart

     – Definition, Functionality

4. What is the Difference Between System Flowchart and Program Flowchart

     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms
Program Flowchart, System Flowchart

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What is a Flowchart
A flowchart is a diagram that represents the sequence of steps to solve a given problem. It is easier to learn and write
than a regular programming language. Moreover, it helps to identify the required steps to accomplish a particular task.

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Figure 1: A Flowchart

There are various symbols in a flowchart. An oval symbol represents the start and the end of the flowchart.
Meanwhile, a rhombus symbol represents inputs and outputs operations. A user entering the values for variables is an
input operation. Displaying the calculated result on the screen is an output operation. A rectangle represents a process
such as a calculation or a variable initialization while an arrow describes the flow of the sequence. Moreover, a
diamond symbol helps to perform decision making.

What is a System Flowchart


A system flowchart is a diagram that describes how an entire system operates. It helps to recognize the flow of
operations in the system. It also helps in preparing the required documents of the system.

Figure 1: System Flowchart

Furthermore, a system flowchart reflects the relationships between inputs, outputs and processes. Managers, business
analysts, and Software Engineers use system flowchart to analyze and design the system.

What is a Program Flowchart EXPLORE 


An entire software system is a collection of multiple programs. A program flowchart describes a single program.
Before writing the program, it is a good practice to draw a flowchart and identify how to solve the task using that
program.

Figure 3: Program Flowchart

For example, assume that you need to create a program to find the area of a rectangle. The first step is to declare a
variable called area and to initialize it with zero. Then, you can enter values for length and width. The third step is to
calculate the area and to store the result to the variable area. Finally, the calculated result is displayed on the screen.
After drawing the flowchart, the programmer can write the program by following the steps in the program flowchart.
This is an effective method, especially when solving a complex task.

Difference Between System Flowchart and Program Flowchart


Definition
System flowchart is a type of flowchart that explains the functionality of an entire system. In contrast, a program
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flowchart is a type of flowchart that explains how a particular program solves a given task. Thus, this is the
basic difference between system flowchart and program flowchart. 
Complexity
Complexity is a major difference between system flowchart and program flowchart. System flowcharts are complex
and are difficult to understand. However, program flowcharts easy to understand.

Usage
There is another difference between system flowchart and program flowchart based on their usage. A system
flowchart helps to get an understanding of the entire system while a pogram flowchart helps to get an understanding
on how to solve the problem using the program.

Conclusion
In brief, system flowchart and program flowchart are two types of graphical diagrams. The main difference between
system flowchart and program flowchart is that a system flowchart represents an entire system while a program
flowchart represents a single program. 

Reference:
1. “Flowchart.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Oct. 2018, Available here.

Image Courtesy: 
1. “Flowchart en” By Erik Streb – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

2. “Stockbridge system flowchart example” By edward – accounting information systems (CC BY-SA 3.0) via
Commons Wikimedia

3. “Flowchart connector example” By User:Kayau – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

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About the Author: Lithmee


Lithmee holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Systems Engineering and is reading for
her Master’s degree in Computer Science. She is passionate about sharing her knowldge in the
areas of programming, data science, and computer systems.

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