How to draw a process flowchart using free tools such as Google Drawings.

1. MAPPING YOUR BUSINESS
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2. Introduction to Process Mapping

3. What is a process flowchart?
● Details the steps that a
business takes to
complete a process, such
as hiring an employee or
ordering and shipping a
product.
● They show the “who,”
“what,” “when,” “where”
and “how” for these steps,
and help to analyze the
“why.”
● These maps use defined
symbols such as circles,
rectangles, diamonds and
arrows to depict the
business activities.

4. Why make process flowcharts?
● Standardizing a process. By documenting a
process, a business can standardize it so that it’s
always performed in the same, most optimal way,
reducing confusion and inefficiency.
● Training employees. The mapping also provides a
standard training document for anyone to learn the
process.
● Improving a process. Once an existing process is
mapped, it can be analyzed for bottlenecks and
inefficiencies. Business Process Modeling can be
used to model a better process.
● Communication. Mapping provides visualization that
may be much easier to understand than narrative text
would be. This can help for interpretation and
collaboration, either with an internal team or external
team or consultants.

6. Start
Example 1 - Getting a book out of a backpack.
Open zip
Remove book
from bag
End

7. Start
Example 1 - Getting a book out of a backpack. Explained
Open zip
Remove book
from bag
End
I start all flowcharts with the
TERMINATOR symbol. It only ever
contains the word “START”.
I finish all flowcharts with the TERMINATOR
symbol. It only ever contains the word “END”.
Remember I only have one of these in a
flowchart. All routes must end up here!
Opening the zip is a PROCESS, so I use
the square here.
Removing the book is an OUTPUT from
the system, so it uses the
parallelogram shape.
Notice how the FLOW of logic is
represented by arrows… the logic here
is going FROM ‘Start’ TO ‘Open zip’.

8. Start
Example 2 – Determine if I have picked up a red pencil.
Pick up a random
pencil
End
Is the
pencil
red?
Say “The
pencil is red.”
Yes
No Say “The pencil
is not red.”

9. Example 2 – Determine if I have picked up a red pencil. Explained
End
Is the
pencil
red?
Yes
No
I cannot assume what colour the pencil
is, so I must start be making a
decision… is it RED? YES or NO?
Notice
t
how
t
decision boxes have two arrows
leaving. One is always YES and one is always NO.
They correspond to the route that should be
taken depending upon the decision.
Pick up a random
pencil
If the pencil was red in my decision… so
“YES; it was red” then I follow the YES path
out of the decision and end up here!
Say “The
pencil is
red.”
Say “The pencil
is not red.”
If the pencil was not red in my decision… so
“NO; it was not red” then I follow the NO
path out of the decision and end up here!

10. Start
Example 3 – Determine if a kettle has boiled. If so, pour the water into a cup.
Turn on the kettle
End
Has the
kettle
boiled?
Pour water
into cup
Yes
No

11. Start
Example 3 – Determine if a kettle has boiled. If so, pour the water into a cup. Explained
Turn on the kettle
End
Has the
kettle
boiled?
Pour water
into cup
Yes
No
If the kettle has not boiled… can we continue with our process? NO!
So we must LOOP until it has boiled. Quite simply here we
continuously check to see if the kettle has boiled. This loops stops us
pouring cold water into a cup which is incorrect logic!
When the kettle has boiled, we can escape the loop
because the process may now continue: “YES; the
kettle has boiled”.

12. How to draw flowcharts?
Google Drawings
You can easily create, share, and
edit drawings online with Google
Drawings. Here are a few specific
things you can do:
● Edit chartsdrawings online with
anyone you choose.
● Publish drawings online to the
world as images, or download
them.
● Insert text, shapes, arrows,
scribbles, and images from your
hard drive or from the Web.
● Insert drawings into other Google
Docs, Sheets, or Slides using the
web clipboard, then tweak them
inline. drawings.google.com
Access this at itbx.in/fct

13. Using Flowcharts in Project Planning
In supply chain management, understanding
both inbound (request/ordering) and outbound
(delivery) logistics is crucial to the project.
The following simple steps provide a guide for
using flowcharts to formulate a project work
plan, using a medical supply chain as an
example.
13

14. Step 1. Understand the overall work flow
Start by identifying the organizational structure or
departments involved in the process.
For example, in Tanzania, medication was going from the
central Medical Stores Department (MSD), to District
Medical Offices (DMO) and to health facilities.
14
Each of these
organizations
has its own
workflow
DMO
MSD
Health
center
Dispensary
Hospital
Zonal Warehouse

15. After identifying the involved
departments or organizations,
map the detailed work process
of each of these groups.
For example, this is a flow chart
for the medication ordering
process at a health center.
15
Step 2: Map the detailed work process
Review the details of each
step, and the documents
and personnel involved.
Also make sure the end of
one step links up with the
beginning of the next step
for a reliable handoff.
Every 3 months
Submit order to MSD
for processing
Compare ledgers in all departments
Determine stock on hand
Determine consumption in past 3 months
Estimate order
Complete ILS Order Form
Adjust order according to budget
Deliver to DMO pharmacist
DMO approval

16. Step 3: What can a flow chart tell you?
A well-plotted
flowchart
enables you to
see if
redundancy or
inadequacy exist
in the process.
16
These gaps and questions
suggest avenues for possible
interventions.
Every 3 months
Submit order to MSD
for processing
Compare ledgers in all departments
Determine stock on hand
Determine consumption in past 3 months
Estimate order
Complete ILS Order Form
Adjust order according to budget
Deliver to DMO pharmacist
DMO approval
What about
supplies
needed during
a stockout?
What is the
method for
determining
what gets cut?

17. Step 4: What is NOT evident in a flow chart?
The flowchart may
highlight the
breakdown, but it does
not indicate severity or
frequency.
Next step: formulate
your work plan to
continue to fill in gaps
in your root cause
analysis.
17
Determine the discrepancy
between the amount ordered
and what the budget allowed
Determine the discrepancy
between the actual need
and the amount consumed
Every 3 months
Submit order to MSD
for processing
Compare ledgers in all departments
Determine stock on hand
Determine consumption in past 3 months
Estimate order
Complete ILS Order Form
Adjust order according to budget
Deliver to DMO pharmacist
DMO approval

18. In summary, flowcharts can…
✓Help you understand complex processes
✓Bring together perspectives across units or departments
✓Identify breakdowns and redundancies
✓Highlight possible interventions
✓Shape further questioning during the root cause analysis
18

19. Q & A
Does it matter what colour the shapes are? No, however to make
flowcharts more readable normally we make each of the shape types
one constant colour, as you have seen in the examples.
I cannot determine which shape to use. This is normally because the
process you are trying to represent is too broad and needs to be broken
down more. Consider if you can break your current problem down into
smaller stages you can represent.
I get confused about how to order things, and when to use loops. Talk the
process through to someone else. This other person will not know the
flowchart, so will be able to tell you if your logic flows correctly or not. If
what you have said does not really make sense or is confusing, then you
know to go back and have another look.

22. 3) Customer Service / Repairs

23. Best Free Tools For Business Process Mapping
Google Drawings
Here are a few specific things you
can do:
● Edit chartsdrawings online with
anyone you choose.
● Chat with others.
● Publish drawings online to the
world as images, or download
them.
● Insert text, shapes, arrows,
scribbles, and images.
● Lay out drawings precisely with
alignment guides, snap to grid,
and auto distribution.
To Begin just type Drawing.new in your browser.