How to Create a Flowchart in Word and Excel

Microsoft Office tools are becoming more and more powerful with each update. Nowadays, you don’t even need a dedicated app for flowcharts. You can make flowcharts in PowerPoint, Word, and even Excel.

We’ve already coveredflowcharts in PowerPoint. So in this article, we’re going to show you how to create a flowchart in Word and Excel. We’re going to use Microsoft Office 2019 for the demonstrations, but you can follow the same steps using Office 2010 or Office 365. If your Microsoft Office suite version isn’t older than 2007, you can create flowcharts using our methods.

How to Create a Flowchart in Word Using Shapes

Microsoft Wordis a popular word processor used everywhere in the world because it’s compatible with all computers. Over time, Word evolved into something more than a simple word processor, steadily increasing its popularity on all platforms. Now it comes with drawing tools and design tools as well, so you can create flowcharts,generate barcodes, and evencreate greeting cards.

One of those tools is Shapes. Using the Shapes tool is the easiest way to create a simple flowchart on the go. So let’s start with a basic flowchart using Shapes.

When you launch Microsoft Word, you’re automatically given the option to open a blank document. Simply click on theBlank documentoption and you’re good to go.

This step is optional but we recommend it because it makes everything easier. Gridlines will help you size everything properly and place each flowchart element correctly. Without this feature, you might end up with uneven shapes and misaligned drawings that will make your flowchart look unprofessional.

To enable gridlines, go to theViewtab and click on theGridlinescheckbox.

Your document will now look like in the image below.

Go to theInserttab and click on theShapesbutton to display Word’s collection of shapes.

You’ll notice several categories of shapes.

We’re interested inLinesandFlowchartshapes to create our flowcharts. Each shape is used for a different purpose. While the rules aren’t set in stone, it’s good practice to follow Word’s recommendations. For example, you should use the rectangle for process steps and the diamond shape for decision points. You can find this information by hovering your mouse pointer above each shape.

Now, let’s add the first shape. Let’s start with an oval shape. Open the shape menu, select the oval, and draw it by clicking and dragging your mouse pointer.

After you draw your first shape, you’ll notice a new tab at the top of the document. You gained access to theFormattab, which you’re going to use to modify your shapes, add colors, and more.

To add text to your shapes, right-click on the shape and selectAdd Textfrom the menu.

Now let’s add another shape and then link them together by using a line as a connector.

Follow the previous steps to insert a rectangle shape.

Next, go to the shape library, and instead of choosing a shape from the Flowchart category, select a line arrow from the Lines category.

Select the first shape to see the control points on each side of your shape and then select the arrow. Click on the low-bottom handle and drag the arrow to the second shape’s center handle.

Repeat these steps using any shapes and lines you want to create your flowchart.

How to Create a Flowchart in Word Using SmartArt

SmartArt is a newer feature that comes with premade layouts for flowcharts, organization charts, Venn diagrams, and much more. While the Shapes tool is enough to present your ideas, SmartArt takes it to the next level with a more professional look and saves you some time.

Create a new blank document and enable gridlines as you did earlier.

Go to theInserttab, and two steps away from the Shapes button you’ll findSmartArt.

Click on SmartArt and a template window will open. Word offers a wide variety of SmartArt graphics, but we’re interested in theProcesssection.

SelectPicture Accent Processin the Process category and click on theOKbutton. This template is used to visually present a workflow or a step-by-step process.

This option generates shapes that can contain images, text, and arrows that link them in a logical order.

Next to the flowchart, you’ll also see a window with flowchart editing options. You can click on the text pane to insert text and on the corresponding image shape to insert a new graphic.

You can also modify the SmartArt design after generating it. You can insert new shapes from theAdd Shapebutton in the top left corner, change layouts like in the above image, add new colors, and more.

Creating flowcharts with SmartArt templates is a much faster process than inserting shapes manually and the end result looks more professional. However, sometimes using shapes from scratch is the better option because you have full control over design and customization.

How to Create a Flowchart in Excel with the Shapes Tool

Microsoft Excel isn’t just for creating spreadsheets and doing math. It supports a variety of graphics generating tools used to make charts, histograms, graphs, and much more.

If youuse Excelmore often than Word, you might as well use it to create flowcharts. The process is basically the same as in Word. Here’s how you can create a flowchart from scratch using the Shapes tool.

Whether you create flowcharts in Excel or Word, always create a flowchart grid. It helps you position your flowchart shapes properly.

To set up a grid in Excel, start by changing the widths of the column. An Excel worksheet is already a grid, you just need to tweak it. The column width should be equal to the height of the row.

Start by selecting all the cells by clicking on the top-left corner button on your worksheet.

Next, select theFormatbutton in the Cells section of the Home tab and selectColumn Widthfrom the menu.

By default, the height of the rows is set to 15 points (20 pixels). To have 20 pixels in width, set the column width to 2.14 and selectOK.

Now we have a grid, but it doesn’t work like the one in Word. We need to enable the Snap to Grid feature to make shapes automatically align themselves to the closest grid line.

Go to thePage Layouttab and selectAlign. SelectSnap to Gridfrom the new menu.

Adding shapes in Excel works exactly like in Word.

Go to theInserttab, click on theShapesbutton, and select your first Flowchart shape.

Draw the shape by dragging your mouse pointer.

You’ll notice the Shape Format tab appearing at the top. As you can see in the image above, it’s identical to the one in Microsoft Word. All the controls, options, and buttons work exactly the same.

You can select another shape from theInsert Shapessection in the top left corner and add it under the first one. Then connect them with an arrow, change their colors, and continue adding more shapes to complete your flowchart.

How to Create a Flowchart in Excel Using SmartArt

The fastest way to create a flowchart in Excel is by using SmartArt graphics. This feature works just like in Word and the steps you need to take to create a SmartArt flowchart are basically the same.

SmartArt in Excel is the same as in Word. Go to theInserttab and click on theSmartArtbutton.

A window with SmartArt flowchart templates will open. It looks exactly like the one in Word. There’s no difference between the two, so refer to our section on how to create a flowchart in Word using SmartArt if you need help. All the flowchart formatting and editing options are identical as well.

Microsoft Word and Excel are equally great for designing flowcharts and you can use SmartArt graphics with both. Which one do you prefer to make flowcharts? Tell us in the comments below which is your favoritesoftware for creating flowchartsand why.

Nicolae is a Jack of all trades technology writer with a focus on hardware, programming languages, and AI image-processing software. Over the last five years, he has ghostwritten numerous tech how-to guides and books on a variety of topics ranging from Linux to C# programming and game development. Nicolae loves everything that has to do with technology and his goal is to share his knowledge and experience with others.Read Nicolae’s Full Bio

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