INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

notes and reviewer (1st sem

finals)

M10&11: DATA ANALYSIS IN

EXCEL

MS Excel is one of the most

commonly used tools for data
analysis. The convenience of use In the resulting window, check the
and cost are two very important box next to Analysis
reasons why most data Toolpak and then click OK.
professionals prefer using Excel
for statistical data analysis.
However, using Excel for
statistical analysis requires clarity
of thought, data analysis
knowledge, and strong decision-
making skills.

Whether you are performing

statistical analysis using Excel If you correctly added the Data
2010 or Excel 2013, you need to Analysis Toolpak to Excel, you’ll
have a clear understanding of see a Data Analysis button in
charts and pivot tables. Most data the Data tab, grouped into
analysts using Excel for statistical the Analysis section:
analysis depend largely on these
two Excel features. Having
knowledge of the essential
statistics for data analysis using
Excel answers is a plus.

Adding the Excel Data Analysis

Toolpak

While you can do stats without

the Data Analysis Toolpak, it’s Advanced Charting
much easier with it. To install the There is no use if all your analysis
Toolpak in Excel 2016, go to File is buried in a massive
> Options > Add-ins. spreadsheet. Advanced users of
Click Go next to “Manage: Excel Excel know that by using charts,
Add-ins.” we can communicate effectively
and present results in a stunning
manner. The skills required for
advanced charting are,

• Knowing how to pick right type

of chart for any situation yourself, “what is the purpose of
this chart?”. Once we know the
• Ability to combine various charts clear reason why the chart should
in to one exist, we will naturally be able to
• Use features like in-cell charts & select the correct chart type for
conditional formatting charts that reason.

• Ability to set up dynamic & But I realize that finding the

interactive charts reason itself can be a bit
tedious. So I have listed down 6
• Use sparklines common reasons that we often
have to make a chart:
Why is it important to pick right
chart?

Because right charts lead to

right decisions. We use charts
to tell stories, evaluate
alternatives, understand trends or
find-out if everything is normal.
So, an incorrect charting choice
can lead to poor judgment of the
messages where as a correct 1. to Compare
chart can lead to right and faster
decisions. 2. to show the Distribution

How to pick a chart type: 3. to explain Parts of the Whole

Chart making process can be 4. to tell the Trend over time

divided in to 4 steps
5. to findout the Deviations

6. to understand the Relationship

Let us understand these reasons

1. Find-out what you want to say?
along with the type of charts that
2. (Re)arrange the data go well with these.

3. Prepare the chart 1. To Compare:

4. Format the chart What it means? You want to

compare one set of value(s) with
another.
1. What is the purpose of this
chart? Examples:

This is the first and most • Performance of Product A vs.

important step in chart Product B in 5 regions
preparation. You must ask
• Interview performance of What it means? You want to
various candidates show how various parts comprise
the whole
Charts that can be used for this
reason: Examples:

• Individual product sales as a

percentage of whole revenue
• Bar Charts, • Browser types of customers
visiting our website
• Column Charts
Charts that can be used to
• Scatter Plots
show Parts of Whole:
• Pie Charts

• Line Charts

• Data Tables
• Column Charts
2. To Show the Distribution
• Bar Charts
What it means? You want to
• Pie Charts
show the distribution of a set of
values (to understand the outliers, • Data Table
normal ranges etc.)
4. Trend over time
Examples:
What it means? You want to
• Distribution of Call waiting times understand the trend over time of
in a call center some variable(s).
• Distribution of bugs found in 10 Examples:
week software testing phase
• Customer footfalls on the last
Charts that can be used to show 365 days
distribution:
• Share price of MSFT in the last
100 trading sessions

Charts that can be used to

show Trend Over Time:
• Column Charts

• Scatter Plots

• Line charts

• Box Plots • Column Charts

3. Parts of Whole
• Line Charts

• Data Table

5. Deviations
• Scatter Plot
What it means? You want to see
which values deviate from the • Line Chart
norm.
• Data Table
Examples:
Pivot Tables & Pivot Reporting
• Failures (or bugs) in the context
of Quality Control Pivot tables & pivot reporting
allows us to analyze massive
• Sales in Various Stores amounts of data & answer
questions with just a few clicks.
Charts that can be used to Advanced users of Excel are very
show Deviations: familiar with various features of
Pivot tables & can use them really
well. Some of the advanced pivot
table features are – relationships,
multi-tale pivots, grouping, slicers,
• Column Charts measures (Power Pivot) &
summary by different type of
• Bar Charts
metrics.
• Line Charts
What are Excel Pivot Tables?
• Data Table
A pivot table turns your data into
6. Relationship report format. Here is a sample
Pivot table from sales data,
What it means? You want to showing total sales by region.
establish (or show) relationship
between 2 (or more) variables

Examples:

• Relationship between Search

Phrases and Product Purchases
in your website

• Relationship between in-store

sales and holidays
How to create a Pivot Table?
Charts that can be used to
show Relationship: We will use 2019 sales data of a
fictional company. This data
contains 466 rows of sales
information in columns – Month, spreadsheet with blank Pivot
Salesman, Region, Product, Table canvas. Here, using the
No. Customers, Net Sales, Profit / Pivot Table Fields panel set
Loss. Here is a preview of our “Regions” field to row label area,
data. “Products” to “Filter” area and
“Net Sales” to values area. See
below illustration.

To create a pivot table

showing totals sales by region,
follow these steps.

1. Select any cell in the data.

2. Go to Insert ribbon and click

“Pivot Table” button.
Your pivot table will be ready. We
can see that “West” is our best
region. This is why Pivot tables
are easy for finding answers to
common business questions.

Two dimensional Pivots - Row

& Column fields

3. Click ok on the next screen. You can add fields to both “Row”
and “Column” label area of a
pivot. Such Pivot Tables are
normally called two dimensional
pivots. Here is a demo of a two
dimensional pivot table
showing Total Sales by Region
& Sales Person.

4. You will be taken a new

Multi-dimensional Pivots - Row &
Column fields

You can also add more than one

item to “Row” or “Column” label
area. This creates a multi-
dimensional Pivot Report. Here is
one such pivot report showing
total sales by Region, Sales
Person & Product for selected
months.
Sorting in Excel Pivot Tables

You can easily sort pivot report by

ascending or descending order of
the value. To do this, just right
click on the value, select Sort >
and specify the order.

Here is an example of sorted

pivot report of Number of
customers by Sales person.

How to format Pivot Table

values?

By default, numbers in Pivot

Tables tend to just look like zip
codes, without any proper
formatting. This is easy to fix
though. Simply right click on the
values and use “Value Field
Settings” to set up the
formatting. To set currency
formatting for our Total sales by
region Pivot Report, Bonus tip: Manual sorting You
can also manually adjust the
1. Go to value field settings order of Pivot items by dragging
2. Click on Number Format button and dropping them. See this tip
in action.
3. Set up the formatting to
“Currency” Filtering Excel Pivot Tables

4. Done. You are looking at Regional total

sales and want to know what the
See this illustration. total is for just “RapidZoo”
product. You can do this
by filtering the pivot table. Excel There are a ton of cool features in
offers two powerful ways to filter Excel Pivot Tables, but slicers are
Pivot Tables hands-down the best feature. At-
least that is what I think. They
1. Report filters make filtering and ad-hoc data
2. Slicers analysis a breeze.

Both methods are illustrated A slicer is a visual filter. You can

below. Read on to learn how to add a slicer on any field by right
use them. clicking on it from the fields panel.
See the illustration “Adding filters
to a pivot report” from above.

Once you have a slicer on

Product, simply click on any
product name to see the report
for that.

Here is a quick demo of Pivot

Table with slicers.

Filtering with Report Filters Bonus Tip: Use Timelines for

Report filter is a great way to date filtering When you have a
restrict the data that is flowing to date field (Month in our data), you
your pivot. To set them up, just can use special type of a slicer,
add the field to “Filters” area in called timeline. This enables you
the fields panel. Now, using the to interactively select a portion of
filter button next to “Product”, time.
select the product you want. Other kinds of filtering - Value &
Here is a quick demo of report Label Filters
filters in action. Apart from report filters &
Slicers, Pivot Tables also allow
you to filter by a field or value.

Field or Label Filter: If you don’t

want to see “Middle” region in a
row label area, just click on the
Filtering with Slicers filter button next to “Row Labels”
and uncheck the region. This type in compact layout. This means,
of filtering is called Label Filtering. if you add multiple fields to row
label area, they will all be shown
Value Filter: If you want to see in same column, with indentation.
just the top 2 regions by total
sales, then you need a value You can change the layout of a
filter. Simply go to filter button pivot table to other formats too.
next to row labels and using value
filters, apply a top 10 filter but set • Compact form (default)
it to top 2 values by “Sum of net • Outline form
sales.”
• Tabular form
Changing Calculations in Pivot
Tables You can change the layout
from Pivot Table Design ribbon.
The default calculation in Pivot
Tables is SUM for number fields
and COUNT for all others. But
you can also customize the
calculation easily. Just right click
on the value field and choose
different type of summary from
right click menu.

Changing from SUM to

AVERAGE in a Pivot Table

Here is a quick illustration of how

to change calculation type from
“SUM” to “AVERAGE”. Here is an example of same
Pivot Table in both Compact
and Tabular layouts.

Pivot Table Layouts & Colors

By default, Excel Pivot Tables are Styling & colors of Excel Pivot
Tables
You can apply any formatting 2. Click on Insert > Chart or
to the pivot tables. MS Excel Analyze > Pivot Chart button.
has some very good pivot table
styles. Just select pivot table 3. Insert the type of chart you
cells, go to Pivot Table Design want.
ribbon. See below image to 4. You will get a Pivot Chart.
understand various options
available. Bonus tip: Add Pivot Chart
directly from data You can insert
Pivot Chart directly from data.
Just select

your data and press Pivot Chart

button in the insert ribbon (in
Bonus tip: Copy Pivot Tables to
charts area). Use Fields Panel to
format quicker If you like the
set up the chart.
formatting (colors, layout etc.) of
a Pivot Table and want to use the Interactive Pivot Chart with
same set up for a new Pivot Slicers
Table, simply copy and paste the
original table. Then you can Slicers make it incredibly easy to
change the fields and your new create interactive charts. Once
Pivot will be ready. you have a regular Pivot Chart,
simply add a slicer to it (right click
Visualizing with Pivot Charts on the field in “Pivot Table Fields”
area and select “Add as Slicer”).
You can use Pivot Charts to
You now have an interactive Pivot
visualize the same information in
Chart.
a graphic format. Here is a
sample Pivot Chart of Net Sales Updating Pivot Tables (Refresh)
by Region & Product.
Whenever you have new data,
just use “Refresh” button to
update your Pivot Tables. You can
find this button in multiple places.

• Data ribbon

• Pivot Table Analyze ribbon

• On right clicking any Pivot Table

Steps for creating a Pivot • By pressing ALT+F5 (refreshes

Chart: single pivot) or CTRL+ALT+F5
(refreshes all pivots)
1. Select any cell in the Pivot
Table. What if you want to point Pivot
to new data?
Select any cell in the Pivot Table concise table. You can use it to
and from Analyze ribbon, use the create an informative summary of
“Change Data Source” button. a large dataset or make regional
Point input data to a new source. comparisons between brand
As long as the new data has sales.
same fields, everything will work
smoothly.

You can create PivotTables from

lists, as you define which fields
Using Excel for Statistical should be arranged in columns,
Analysis: Pivot Tables which fields should become rows,
and what data you wish to
A PivotTable is an Excel tool for summarize.
summarizing a list into a simple
format. It helps you analyze all Using Excel for Statistical
the data in your worksheet so as Analysis: Descriptive Statistics
to make better business
Descriptive Statistics tool in the
decisions. Excel can help you by
Data Analysis add-in can be used
recommending, and then,
on an existing data set to get up
automatically creating
to 16 different descriptive
PivotTables, which are a great
statistics, without having to enter
way to summarize, analyze,
a single function on the
explore, and present your data.
worksheet. Descriptive Statistics
gives you a general idea of trends
in your data including:

• The mean, mode, median and

range

• Variance and standard deviation

• Skewness
A pivot table may be used as an • Sample Variance
interactive data summarization
tool to automatically condense • Kurtosis and Skewness
large datasets into a separate,
• Count, maximum and minimum
 You can find descriptive analysis
by going to Excel→ Data→ Data
Analysis → Descriptive statistics.
It is the most basic set of analysis
that can be performed on any
data set.

Using Excel for Statistical

Analysis: ANOVA (Analysis of
Variance)

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is a

statistical technique that is used
to check if the means of two or
more groups are significantly
different from each other. ANOVA
checks the impact of one or more
factors by comparing the means
of different samples.

Descriptive Statistics is useful

because it allows you to take a
large amount of data and
summarize it. For example, you ANOVA method in Excel shows
may want to represent the whether the mean of two or more
incomes of a community. Instead data set is significantly different
of showing it on an excel, you from each other or not. In other
may summarize it, it becomes words, ANOVA analyses two or
useful: an average wage, or a more groups simultaneously and
median income, is much easier to finds out whether any relationship
understand and then analyze the is there among the groups of data
data. set or not.

For example, you may use

ANOVA if you want to analyze the
traffic of three different cities and
find out which one is more
efficient in handling the traffic (or
if there are no significant
differences among the traffic).
 You may, simply plot the moving
average of the stock having a 10-
day period and then predict the
estimated price. The same rule
may be applied for predicting the
temperature of a city. The recent
temperature of a city can be
calculated by taking the average
of the last few weeks rather than
the last few months.
You will find three types of
Using Excel for Statistical
ANOVA in Excel:
Analysis: Rank and Percentile
• ANOVA single factor
The Rank and Percentile, another
• ANOVA two factor with popular Excel features used for
replication data analysis, is useful for finding
the rank of all the values in a list.
• ANOVA two factor without The best part of using the Rank
replication and Percentile feature is that the
percentile is also added to the
If you have three groups of output table.
datasets and want to check
whether there is any significant The percentile is a percentage
difference between these groups that indicates the proportion of
or not, you can use ANOVA single the list which is below a given
factor. If the P-value in the number. It calculates the ranking
ANOVA summary table is greater and percentile in the data set. For
than 0.05, you can say that there example, if you are managing a
is a significant difference between business of several products and
the groups. want to find out which product is
contributing to a higher revenue,
Using Excel for Statistical you can use this rank method in
Analysis: Moving Average Excel.
Moving Average, another great
tool for those using Excel for
statistical analysis, is ideal for
time series data such as stock
price, weather report, attendance
in class, etc. Moving Average is
used extensively in stock price as
a technical indicator. If you want
to predict the stock price of today,
the last ten days’ data would be In the left table, we have our data
more relevant than the last 1 on the revenues of different
year. products. And we want to rank
this data of products based on analysis using Excel
their revenue. With the help of 2010, Regression Analysis is the
rank and percentile, we can get best way of mathematically
the table shown on the right. You sorting out which of those
can observe that now the data is variables does indeed have an
sorted and respective rank is also impact. It answers the questions:
marked with each data. Which factors matter most?
Which can we ignore? How do
Percentile shows the category in those factors interact with each
which the data belongs, such as other? And, perhaps most
the top 50%, top 30%, etc. In the importantly, how certain are we
summary table, the rank of about all of these factors?
product 7 is 4. As the total
number of data is 7, we can
easily say that it belongs to the
top 50% of the data.

Using Excel for Statistical

Analysis: Regression

Regression is one of the best

features in Excel. It is widely used
for using Excel for statistical data
analysis. Regression is a process
These factors are more
of establishing a relationship
commonly known as variables.
among many variables; to
You may have your dependent or
establish a relationship between
independent variables. In order to
dependent variables and
conduct a regression analysis,
independent variables.
you gather the data on the
Regression is great for use for variables in question.
using Excel for statistical data
You may take all of your monthly
analysis. You, may, for example,
sales numbers, the past five
want to see if there is an increase
years and any data on the
in the revenue of the product,
independent variables you may
which is not due to the increase in
find useful. You may, for example,
the advertisement.
find out the average monthly
rainfall for the past five years as
well.

Using Excel for Statistical

Analysis: Random Number
Generator

If you are using Excel for

statistical data analysis, on a
If you performing statistical
regular basis, Random Number drawn must be statistically
Generator must be your top independent of the others. This
choice for generating a series of means that drawing one value
random numbers. This simple doesn’t make that value less
function in Excel gives you more likely to occur again. This is
flexibility in the random number exactly the case with our
generation process. It gives you unloaded die: If you roll a six, that
more control over the generated doesn’t mean the chance of
data. rolling another six changes.

A random number is one

that is drawn from a set of
possible values, each of
which is equally probable.
In statistics, this is called a
uniform distribution,
because the distribution of
probabilities for each number is
uniform (i.e., the same) across Two very essential statistics for
the range of possible values. data analysis using Excel:
For example, a good (unloaded) • The function RANDBETWEEN
die has the probability 1/6 of returns a random integer number
rolling a one, 1/6 of rolling a two
and so on. Hence, the probability • The function RAND () returns a
of each of the six numbers random real number of a uniform
coming up is exactly the same, so distribution. It will be less than 1
we say any roll of our die has a and greater than or equal to 0.
uniform distribution.
Using Excel for Statistical
When discussing a sequence of Analysis: Sampling
random numbers, each number
Sampling is one of the most
readily preferred Excel tools if you is drawn from random positions in
are using Excel for statistical data the input range. A value can be
analysis. This option is used for selected more than once. (I.e.
creating samples from a huge sampling is with replacement).
population. You can randomly
select data from the dataset or
select every nth item from the set. Terminologies
For example, if you may want to Analysis ToolPak: The Analysis
measure the effectiveness of ToolPak is an Excel add-in
female call center employee in a program that provides data
call center, you can use this tool analysis tools for financial,
to randomly select few data every statistical and engineering data
month and listen to their recorded analysis.
calls and give a rating based on
the selected call. Charts: A simple Excel chart can
say more than a sheet full of
numbers. As you’ll see, creating
charts is very easy.

Conditional Formatting:
Conditional formatting in Excel
enables you to highlight cells with
a certain color, depending on the
cell’s value.

Filter: Filter your Excel data if you

Sampling Methods: only want to display records that
meet certain criteria.
If you are using statistical
analysis using Excel 2010, you Pivot Tables: Pivot tables are
can make use of two sampling one of Excel’s most powerful
methods in Excel for retrieving or features. A pivot table allows you
identifying items in your data set: to extract the significance from a
large, detailed data set.
• Periodic: In this case, you
specify the Period n at which you Solver: Excel includes a tool
want sampling to take place. The called solver that uses techniques
nth value in the input range and from the operations research to
every nth value thereafter is find optimal solutions for all kind
copied to the output column. of decision problems.
Sampling stops when the end of Sort: You can sort your Excel
the input range is reached. data on one column or multiple
• Random: In this case, you columns. You can sort in
specify the Random Number of ascending or descending order.
Samples. This number of values
Tables: Tables allow you to related to computer processes.
analyze your data in Excel quickly However, what would you say if I
and easily. was to tell you that there is a very
good chance that you, yourself,
What-If Analysis: What-If have followed an algorithm? You
Analysis in Excel allows you to try may have followed some
out different values (scenarios) for algorithms hundreds or
formulas. thousands of times!

A Real Life Algorithm

Have you ever baked or cooked

M13: INTRODUCTION TO something? One of the most
FLOWCHART obvious examples of an algorithm
is a recipe. It’s a finite list of
A flowchart is a graphical instructions used to perform a
representations of steps. It was task. For example, if you were to
originated from computer science follow the algorithm to create
as a tool for representing brownies from a box mix, you
algorithms and programming logic would follow the three to five step
but had extended to use in all process written on the back of the
other kinds of processes. box.
Nowadays, flowcharts play an
extremely important role in One of the attributes of an
displaying information and algorithm is that, since it is a list
assisting reasoning. They help us of instructions, there is some
visualize complex processes, or step-by-step process that occurs
make explicit the structure of in order. Very often, the order that
problems and tasks. A flowchart the steps are given in can make a
can also be used to define a big difference. Suppose we were
process or project to be to reorder the steps of the recipe
implemented. on the back of the brownie box
and told somebody to put the
Algorithm brownies in the oven for 22
minutes before we told them to
What Is an Algorithm? preheat the oven. That would be
silly! That’s why the ordering of
An algorithm is a finite list of
the steps is very important.
instructions, most often used in
solving problems or performing History of Flowchart
tasks. You may have heard the
term used in some fancy context The first structured method for
about a genius using an algorithm documenting process flow, the
to do something highly complex, “flow process chart”, was
usually in programming. Indeed, introduced by Frank and Lillian
you’ve most likely heard the term Gilbreth in the presentation
used to explain most things “Process Charts: First Steps in
Finding the One Best Way to do programming flowcharts of
Work”, to members of Goldstine and von Neumann can
the American Society of be found in their unpublished
Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in report, “Planning and Coding of
1921. The Gilbreths’ tools quickly Problems for an Electronic
found their way into industrial Computing Instrument, Part II,
engineering curricula. In the early Volume 1” (1947), which is
1930s, an industrial reproduced in von Neumann’s
engineer, Allan H. collected works.
Mogensen began to train
business people in the use of The flowchart became a popular
some of the tools of industrial tool for describing computer
engineering at his Work algorithms, but its popularity
Simplification Conferences decreased in the 1970s, when
in Lake Placid, New York. interactive computer
terminals and third-generation
Art Spinanger, a 1944 graduate programming languages became
of Mogensen’s class, took the common tools for computer
tools back to Procter and programming since algorithms
Gamble where he developed their can be expressed more concisely
Deliberate Methods Change as source code in
Program. Ben S. Graham, such languages. Often pseudo-
another 1944 graduate and code is used, which uses the
director of Formcraft Engineering common idioms of such
at Standard Register Industrial, languages without strictly
applied the flow process chart to adhering to the details of a
information processing with his particular one.
development of the multi-flow
process chart, to present multiple Nowadays flowcharts are still
documents and their used for describing computer
relationships. In 1947, ASME algorithms. Modern techniques
adopted a symbol set derived such as UML activity
from Gilbreth’s original work as diagrams and Drakon charts can
the “ASME Standard: Operation be considered to be extensions of
and Flow Process Charts.” the flowchart.

Douglas Hartree in 1949 Flowchart Best Practices

explained that Herman There are a few things you can
Goldstine and John von do to make your flowchart
Neumann had developed a universally accepted. And there
flowchart (originally, a diagram) to are some things that you can do
plan computer programs. His to make it visually pleasing to
contemporary account was others as well.
endorsed by IBM engineers and
by Goldstine’s personal If you’re planning to share your
recollections. The original flowchart or hoping to use it one
presentation etc. then it’s wise to works as a terminator for the sake
use standard symbols. However, of simplicity.
it is important to remember that
the idea is to give out information Process
in an easy to understand manner. We draw the individual steps of
It is perfectly acceptable to use an algorithm/process as
an alternative image instead of rectangles, except for a few
the document symbol as long as special ones, such as the already
the audience understands it. mentioned terminator or other
Keeping the arrow flow to one processes mentioned below. The
side, using the same size process has square corners in
symbols, naming the decision some diagrams and rounded
blocks, processes, arrows, etc. corners in others. However, it
are few things you can do to should be safely distinguished
make it better. The common from a terminator which corners
mistakes section covers most of are rounded more.

Basic Symbols

The basic symbols are as follows:

Terminator

Data (Input/Output)

Most programs respond to the

input and output (I/O). We draw
these processes as a shape of a
Diagrams should begin and parallelogram. We typically read
ideally end with the terminator data from the user and store them
symbol. However, this rule is not into variables or we print some
as strict as it was in the UML data back to the user. Although
Activity diagram. The terminator is there are other special symbols
usually drawn as a rectangle with for reading and writing data
distinctly round corners. In some from/to the user, most of
diagrams, however, you may also diagrams use only this symbol. In
encounter an ellipse or circle. The the example below, the program
terminator where the process flow would print the text “Hello World”
starts usually contains the “Start” to the user.
text and the one where the
process ends the “End” text.
Some diagrams have multiple
end points and some none. You
can encounter diagrams where
the last process is round and
Decision
Perhaps the last symbol, needed We draw internal storage, which
to create valuable diagrams, is a is most likely representing RAM
diamond, which indicates the nowadays, as a rectangle divided
decision. From a programming unevenly into 4 parts. The symbol
point of view, it’s a condition. can be used e.g. to work with
Loops are also usually drawn memory cache. For classic
using conditions, we return one operations with variables use
branch from the end to the parallelograms from the standard
beginning of the condition, symbol set.
creating a loop.

Direct Data and Stored Data

Direct access devices are

We can see that there are more understood to be hard drives. The
symbols used in flowcharts than second symbol below indicates
in Activity diagrams. We can say any process of working with
that the UML Activity diagram is a stored data that can’t be drawn in
simplified and standardized any other way (see other
flowchart. symbols).
Additional flowchart symbols for
working with data

Flowcharts offer more symbols to

work with data, some may come
Extract, Merge, Sorting, Collate
in handy, others you’ll probably
never use. Flowcharts provide several
symbols for data manipulation. In
Database
the picture below, we can see
We usually draw a database as a from the left:
cylinder. A similar graphical
• Extract - Extracting one or more
notation is also used for a hard
parts of a data set. Sometimes it
drive.
may also refer to splitting the flow
into multiple processes.

• Merge - Merges some data

together. Sometimes it can be
used to represent a merger of
several flows or even
Internal storage measurements. You can see that
flowcharts are not standardized Off-page connectors work the
diagrams. same way, but allow the control
flow to continue on another page.
• Sort - Sorting data.

• Collate - Organizing data,

typically to a standard format or
cluster.

Subroutine

Function, method, procedure,

Old data storages subprogram, subroutine...
Since flowcharts have been used However your programming
for a long time, we can introduce language calls a predefined
symbols for historical storage functionality, you can draw it
devices just as a small using a rectangle symbol divided
distraction. These days, you will into 3 vertical parts.
probably never see them. From
the left, there is a punched tape,
paper tape, and a magnetic tape.
You can also see the symbol for
multiple tapes.

Delay

In the diagram, we can pause the

flow for a certain period of time
(for example, for 1 second while
Other flow control symbols controlling some machine), or we
can, for example, wait for data to
Sometimes we need to use other return. We draw a delay as a
symbols that affect the diagram’s rectangle strongly rounded on the
flow. These are: right side.
On-page and off-page connectors

Using on-page connectors which

we draw as circles with textual or
numeric labels we can move to
different places within the same Or == It make sense to use
page of the diagram. We usually decision symbols in some
use them where it’d be difficult to diagrams. These are logical “or”
connect the symbols by a line, and logical “and”. We draw them
e.g. because they are far apart. as a circle crossed 2 times
diagonally or vertically and a standard parallelogram, we can
horizontally. For classic programs, use the manual input symbol. The
use the decision symbol instead manual input indicates an action
when the user enters data into
the system. The graphical
notation is a rectangle with the
upper left corner cut across the
whole top edge.

Other input/output symbols

In most I/O cases, we only use

parallelogram. There are,
however, several other symbols
that we can use for these
purposes. Other symbols

Display Let’s mention several more

symbols that you can see in
The symbol of the cathode tube is flowcharts. There are even more,
a display symbol. It makes sense but in most cases, a basic set
to use it especially if you’re using mentioned at the beginning of
a display that is not the standard today’s lesson is enough.
output of the application.
Annotation

Annotations or footnotes are a

way to add comments to a
diagram. We draw annotations as
“forks” and connect them with a
full or dashed line to the point to
Document and Multi-Document which they refer.
To create, read, or eventually
print documents, we can use the
document or multi-document
symbols. We draw them as a
rectangle with a wavy bottom.

Manual input
Loops
If, for some reason, it’s not
enough for us to draw an input as
As has been said, loops are often
drawn by the decision symbol. In
some diagrams, you can
encounter a notation using the
Preparation symbol (on the left)
or the Loop limit symbol (on the
right).

The Preparation symbol, a

rectangle with spikes on the left
and right edges, can also be used
generally for all initialization or
Documenting a Process Across
preparatory operations.
Functional Groups | What is a
Types of Flowcharts Swimlane Flowchart

Planning a New Project | Basic Businesses often have internal or

Process Flowchart external requirements for process
documentation. Flowcharts are an
One of the most frequent uses of excellent tool for these purposes.
flowcharts is to map out a new From standards reporting to
project. Engineers and software complying with government
designers often use flowcharts for regulations, using a flowchart can
this purpose, but others may find be much more efficient than a
them useful, as well. They are written narrative.
particularly helpful when the
project will involve a sequence of Here are some examples of
steps that involve decisions. external pressures that require
Here’s a basic flowchart that process documentation:
shows this:
• BPM Automation: Documenting
processes is a prerequisite for
automated BPM (Business
Process Management).
• ERP: Documenting processes is in cases where processes have
required as part of an Enterprise multiple stages, work across
Resource Planning departments, or have other
implementation. separated categories a swimlane
flowchart or cross-functional
• Company Sale: Documenting flowchart may be the better
processes is an important choice. It visually separates the
preparation when positioning a process into separate categories.
company for eventual sale.

• Compliance: Various legislation

and regulatory bodies, like the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Joint
Commission, for example, often
require extensive process
documentation.

• Customers: Some customers

may require ISO or other quality
certifications as a prerequisite for
doing business.

There may also be internal

reasons for using flowcharts to
document processes.

• Flexibility: Both new and existing

employees can immediately learn
the right way to perform any job. Managing Workflow | What is a
Workflow Process
• Quality: If everyone on the team
performs a job in the same way Systems for managing workflow
each time, the outcome is are best illustrated using a
predictable and consistent. workflow diagram. These systems
can focus on process integration,
• Visibility: Management can see
human task orientation, or both.
exactly how each job is meant to
The goal is to create a consistent,
be performed.
quality output based on a
• Process Improvement: You can't standardized set of procedures.
improve the way your Here is an example of a simple
organization gets its work done workflow diagram:
unless you know how it's being
done now.

A basic flowchart will often

suffice for process
documentation. However,
Making a Decision |
What is a Decision
Flowchart

A decision flowchart lets

you visualize the options
in any important
business decision. Walk
through potential outcomes and
make sure you consider all the Auditing a Process | Process
questions before making a Map
decision.
Flowcharts may be used for
diagnosing a malfunction or to
troubleshoot problems. These
uses are common in the fields of
software and electronics. But they
aren't confined to just these
disciplines.

Business organizations also use

flowcharts for process
improvement. Breaking down
processes into smaller steps,
then examining them closely can
Modeling a Business Process |
reveal areas of both operating
What is an EPC Diagram
inefficiency and opportunity for
Business processes can cover a improvement.
wide range of activities. They
A process map is a detailed
might be a simple set of tasks or
flowchart that is a useful tool for
a complex array of them that
auditing a process. There are four
cover a number of possible
steps used in creating a process
situations. Modeling these
map:
processes is done to ensure a
consistent, predictable outcome. 1. Identifying and understanding
Documenting or modeling a the steps in a process.
business process is using an
event-driven process chain (EPC) 2. Gathering information to
diagram. A basic example is identify the objectives, risks and
shown here: controls in a process.

The EPC diagram is a specialized 3. Interviewing the individuals

type of flowchart designed involved and creating the process
specifically for this purpose. It has map.
a unique library of symbols not
4. Analyzing and effecting
found in traditional flowcharts.
changes to improve the process.
Mapping Computer Algorithms
| SDL Diagram

Brainstorming computer
algorithms is often accomplished
using an SDL diagram. SDL
stands for Specification and
Description Language. This is a
flowchart that offers a unique set
of symbols that are used to map
out real-time systems. The three
basic components of an SDL
diagram are the system definition,
the block, and the process.

One of the reasons that

flowcharts are used frequently for
program and network design is
that they also offer a good
resource for internal problem
solving. They are also a great Data Management | Data Flow
way to show customers how to Diagram
troubleshoot common problems, Data flow diagrams (DFD) are an
because they are visual and are efficient way of bridging the
easy to follow, when presented communication gap between
properly. system developers and users.
They are specialized flowcharts
that distill a substantial amount of
information into a relatively few
symbols and connectors.
Chemical and Process
Engineering | Process Flow
Diagram

A process flow diagram (PFD) is

a technical illustration also known
as a flowsheet. It is used to
exhibit high-level processes in
chemical and process
engineering. The PFD will focus
on major plant processes but not
show minor details. This type of
diagram is used for a wide range
of engineering applications. Flowchart Software

• Oil and petroleum refining 1. Miro – Free online collaborative

whiteboard platform with ample
• Natural gas systems planning templates, including
easy flowcharts.
• Green energy, such as wind and
solar power

• Water treatment and processes

• Electrical power plants

• Piping and irrigation systems

A flowsheet or PFD that details

multiple processes is often called
a block diagram or a schematic
flow diagram. • Over 5 million teams use Miro
mind mapping, using the
software’s infinitely zoomable
canvas and web whiteboard that
enables your team to plan in any
way that suits them. Miro outlines
different types of flowchart
options for users—Process
flowchart, Workflow chart,
Swimlane flowchart, and Data
flowchart—and helps guide them
as they get started creating.

• They have a range of templates

in their pre-built library with a
• With Visio flowcharts, multiple
flowchart build being one of many
team members can work on
options. This makes it easy to get
diagrams at the same time. You
started, scoring them favorably in
can connect your flowcharts and
the evaluation consideration for
diagrams to real-time data so that
Usability.
changes in underlying data is
• Their deep integrations with reflected through applied shape
today’s most popular and trusted formatting. A web version of the
tools like Dropbox, Box, Google software lets you work on your
Suite, JIRA, Slack, and Sketch tie flowcharts anywhere, in any
into your existing workflow within browser.
this scalable online flowchart
• In the Usability and Features
software.
sections of our evaluation criteria,
• Overall, Miro is a smart, we stress one thing: Variety! A
comprehensive flowchart option. good flowchart app will let you
It would be made even better if it pick through a library of useful
tracked change history more diagrams and chart templates in
thoroughly. But this doesn’t stop order to cater to each unique use
Miro from being a valuable case. MS Visio does this well,
product, particularly with a offering charting options fitted to
freemium plan available so it’s different needs.
easy to get started.
• Visio doesn’t have a ton of
• Miro is free to use for up to 3 software integrations to tout but,
editable boards. Paid plans start of course, it connects with
at $8/user/month for teams of Microsoft OneDrive. Third-party
between 2 to 19 individuals. integrations include: Lucidchart,
The VIP Test Modeller, AxisTV,
2. Microsoft Visio – Popular tool netTerrain Logical, and Digital
for making flowcharts, diagrams, Enterprise Suite.
org charts, floor plans,
engineering designs, and more • MS Visio would benefit from a
more seamless integration with
apps like PowerPoint, Excel,
Google Sheets, and Google
Slides. Being able to easily import
or drag-and-drop diagrams into rolled back in the event of an
common visual presentation tools error, and it has easy editing and
would take this app to the next sharing capabilities.
level.
• Gliffy software integrates with
• Microsoft Visio starts from many other apps, including
$6.40/user/month and has a free WordPress, Jira Software and
trial. Jira Service Desk, Lucidchart,
Atlassian Confluence, Bitium, and
3. Gliffy – Drag and drop diagram Nuclino.
builder with a stack of ready-
made templates, plus an HTML5 • A broader color customization
editor to create larger-scale pallet would have helped the
visuals charts tell a better data story,
particularly in flowcharts with a lot
going on visually. Furthermore,
the software was a little buggy in
the Google Chrome browser.
Minor complaints for an otherwise
solid tool.

• Gliffy starts from

$4.99/user/month and has a free
14-day trial.
• Gliffy’s clean and simple
interface makes building data- 4. Edraw Max – Loads of
driven flowcharts intuitive professionally designed
templates, plus easy exports to
• Gliffy diagram and flowchart
Visio, PDF, Word, PPT, JPEG
software is a drag-and-drop
and/or Html
based diagram building that lets
you sketch and share your
flowchart ideas with little to no
fuss. Templates and themes are
available for time-saving starting
points and the ability to preserve
and track changes will make sure
you never lose something
important.

• Gliffy nails many of the

requirements we have in the • The sheer number of templates,
evaluation criteria for features icons and shapes make Edraw a
and functionality: Intuitive stand-out competitor in our
interface, including for object evaluation criteria for Features &
importing; shapes conveniently Functionality. Graphic elements
snap to grid; revisions can be aplenty and a robust templates
stockpile are one of the selling diagrams for a variety of business
features of this tool. purposes. Their flowchart
software supports lean and agile
• Integrates with the likes of methodologies and lets you run
PowerPoint. They also have an process mapping and redesign
unconventional integration offer projects with multiple teams and
where OEM partners can clients.
integrate Edraw technologies with
their own procust and distribute • Create nails the category of user
that package to customers as a interface when it comes to our
sublicence. You can also export evaluation criteria spectrum. They
your drawings to a variety of have a clean, aesthetically
familiar file formats, such as Visio, pleasing look that is intuitive to
PDF, Word, PPT, JPEG, Html, use and navigate. The design is
and more. straight forward, collaboration and
sharing is easy, and the fact that it
• Some more traditional app works both offline and online is an
integrations would have been a added bonus.
nice touch, although Edraw’s
communication with PowerPoint • Software integrations include G
is of great value. Furthermore, Suite and Atlassian Confluence.
some sort of eraser tool would go Unfortunately, one downside of
a long way to making Edraw feel the software is the lack of other
complete. easily accessible integration
options.
• Edraw Max starts from
$8.25/month and has a free 30- • The free version of the software
day trial. allows for only up to 3
collaborators, so you will need a
5. Creately – 50+ types of paid plan for larger teams.
diagram templates, plus 1000s of Furthermore, it can be
examples. Sports plugins for challenging (or impossible) to
Confluence, JIRA and FogBugz organize folders or move drawing
between different folders once
you have set them up initially.
More flexibility in organization
would be welcomed.

• Creately starts from $5/month

and has a free demo as well as a
free trial.
• Thousands of templates and Flowchart Examples
shapes paired with intuitive
drawing tools and precision Flowchart Example – Medical
controls make Creately a robust Service
option for creating flowcharts and
This is a hospital flowchart
example that shows how clinical
cases shall be processed. This
flowchart uses decision shapes
intensively in representing
alternative flows.

Flowchart Example –
Calculate Profit and Loss

The flowchart example below

shows how profit and loss
can be calculated.

Flowchart Example – Simple

Algorithms

A flowchart can also be used in

visualizing algorithms, regardless
of its complexity. Here is an
example that shows how
flowchart can be used in showing
a simple summation process.

Terminologies

Business Process Modeling

Diagram is a graphical
representation for specifying
business processes in a workflow.
Cross Functional Flowchart is SDL Diagram is widely used to
often used to show the model state machines in the
relationship between a business telecommunications, aviation,
process and the functional units automotive and medical
(such as departments) industries.
responsible for that process.
System Flowchart helps to
Data Flow Diagram is a understand how complex systems
significant modeling technique for work. Systems analyzed may be
analyzing and constructing anything from businesses,
information processes. through biological population
models, to the impact of social
Document Flowchart is policy, etc.
commonly used to trace the
movement of a document, such Value Stream Mapping is a
as internal memos, payroll mechanism to improve cycle
information and interoffice mail times and productivity by visually
through a system. separating value-adding from
non-value-adding activities.
Highlight Flowchart is used to
create good-looking style Workflow Diagram is used to
flowcharts. create diagrams of information
flow, business process
Procedure Flowchart involves automation, business process re-
creating a flow chart model that engineering, accounting,
illustrates and analyzes the management and human
overall flow of activities in resources tasks.
producing a product or service.

Process is used to show a

progression or sequential steps in
a task, process or workflow.

Process Flowchart is also

known as the system flow
diagram or SFD. The main reason
of using process flowchart is to
show the relation between major
parts of the system.

Program Flowchart is a graphic

representation of an algorithm,
often used in the design phase of
programming to work out the
logical flow of a program. It
demonstrates how a program
works within a system.