Flowcharts are an excellent tool for avoiding the difficulties of understanding processes and describing them easily. Creating a successful flowchart means balancing the completeness of the information you want to convey and the simplicity with which you present it. Follow this tutorial to create flowcharts in Excel and Word.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Concept Development
Step 1. Write down the basic concepts
The key to a successful flowchart is its readability. Make sure that all of your main steps are written down briefly and clearly, and that the transition from step to step is in simple steps.
Make sure your diagram has a clear endpoint. This will make it more readable
Step 2. Choose between regular chart format and swimlane chart format
A standard flowchart breaks down the process into key steps and required actions. If multiple groups are involved in the process described in the diagram, the swimlane format can help show who should be doing what. Each step in the diagram is located on the “lane” of the team responsible for the task (Marketing, Sales, Human Resources, etc.).
- Tracks usually run horizontally or vertically. The starting point is the upper left corner of the chart.
- A swimlane diagram can be difficult to design, for example, if you have multiple tasks that need to move between departments. This leads to confusing graphs.
Step 3. Layout your flowchart
Before you start designing a flowchart using software, just draw it on paper. Place the beginning of the diagram at the top and.
- Most block diagrams operate on a simple binary principle. At the points in the process where change occurs, the reader is presented with a question with Yes and No. The answer will lead the reader to the appropriate stage.
- Use different types of shapes to represent different types of processes and decisions. Adding visual cues will add readability and comprehension to the flowchart.
Step 4. Separate complex processes
If parts of your flowchart become too complex, separate the subprocess into a new flowchart. In the main flowchart, add a link to the subprocess, and make it so that the reader can return to the main flowchart after viewing the extended section.
Method 2 of 3: Create a flowchart in Excel
Step 1. Create a mesh
Excel sheets are formatted by default in which the width of the cells is greater than their height. To create a block diagram, you need square cells. To do this, left-click on the Select All button.
- Right-click on the header of any of the columns and select the Column Width menu item. Enter 2.14 in the appropriate field and press Enter. This will make all cells square.
- Turn on Snap to Grid from the Align menu on the View or Page Layout tab. This will allow the newly created objects to be sized to fit the grid, thereby helping you create uniformly sized shapes.
Step 2. Set the margins
If you plan on exporting your sheet to Word or some other program, you probably want to avoid having margin issues. Use the Margins menu on the Page Layout or View tab to match the margins to the program you are exporting to.
You can change the orientation of your document (portrait or landscape) using the Orientation menu on the View tab. Left-to-right flowcharts must be set to landscape orientation
Step 3. Create shapes
Click on the Insert tab and select the Shapes menu. Select the shape you want to create and then use the mouse to set the size you want. After creating a shape, you can change its color and outline style using the tools on the Format tab, which should automatically open.
Step 4. Add text
To add text to a shape, click in the center of the shape and enter text. You can customize the font and text style on the Home tab. Try to keep your text short and to the point, as well as easy to read.
Step 5. Connect the shapes
Open the Shapes menu on the Insert tab. Choose the line style that suits you best. Hover your mouse over the first shape. Along the edges of the shape, you will see small squares showing the possible connections to the line.
- Starting the line at the junction, drag it to the second shape.
- Red squares will appear on the second shape. Place the end point of the line in one of these squares.
- The shapes are now connected. If you move any of them, the lines remain connected to the shapes and change direction accordingly.
- Add comments to the connecting lines using the Text Box available on the Insert tab.
Step 6. Download the template
Instead of having to create a flowchart from scratch, there are plenty of Excel templates and wizards available both free of charge and online. Many of them take on the bulk of the work of creating flowcharts.
Method 3 of 3: Create a flowchart in Word
Step 1. Add a canvas
The easiest way to create a flowchart in Word is to add a canvas first. The canvas gives you more freedom when working with shapes and makes some features available that you would not normally have, such as connector lines.
Select the Insert tab. Select Shapes and then select New Canvas at the bottom of the menu. A dotted canvas outline will appear in your document. You can resize the canvas by moving its corners
Step 2. Turn on the grid
Using a grid will allow you to create uniformly sized shapes. To do this, left-click on the canvas to make it active. On the Format tab, select Align and then select Grid Options. Check the boxes to display grid lines and snap objects to the grid.
Step 3. Create shapes
With the canvas active, go to the Insert tab and choose the Shapes menu. Select the shape you want to add. Use your mouse to set the shape to the size you want. After creating a shape, you can change its color and outline style using the tools on the Format tab, which should automatically open.
Step 4. Add text
To add text to a shape in Word 2007, right-click on it and choose Add Text from the menu. In case you are using Word 2010/2013, you can simply click on the shape and start typing right away. You can customize the font and text style on the Home tab.
Step 5. Connect the shapes
Open the Shapes menu on the Insert tab. Choose the line style that suits you best. Hover your mouse over the first shape. Along the edges of the shape, you will see small squares showing the possible connections to the line.
- Starting the line at the junction, drag it to the second shape.
- Small squares will appear around the edges of the second shape. Place the end point of the line in one of these squares.
- The shapes are now connected. If you move any of them, the lines remain connected to the shapes and change direction accordingly.
- Add comments to the connecting lines using the Text Box available on the Insert tab.