Which symbol in flowcharts is used to indicate the start or end of a process?

• A. Input/Output symbol
• B. Terminator symbol
• C. Decision symbol
• D. Process box

Answer: (B)

The symbol used to indicate the start or end of a process is the terminator. It’s typically drawn as an oval or pill-shaped symbol and is labeled Start or End. Using this shape for both the beginning and the end creates a clear boundary for the workflow, helping readers immediately recognize where execution begins and where it finishes. Other common shapes serve different roles: the Input/Output symbol (parallelogram) shows data entering or leaving the system, the Decision symbol (diamond) represents branching based on a condition, and the Process box (rectangle) represents a single step in the sequence. For a simple flow, you’d often see a Start terminator, followed by one or more Process steps, and end with an End terminator.