Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet software program generally used to organize and format large amounts of data, but it also packs a diverse shapes gallery to make flowcharts!
A SmartArt graphic is the go-to illustration to create any diagram in Excel. However, you need a more compelling flowchart for collaboration and communication.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the function of flowcharts, how to create a flowchart in Excel, and two Excel alternatives to make your flowcharts come to life. (Spoiler: the two alternatives are in the same software!)
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Summarize this article for me pleaseA flowchart is a diagram made of shapes connected by arrows to visualize a workflow, process, or any decision-making procedure. Flowcharts are for everyone because unlike text-heavy documents, they condense information so the audience can digest the information faster.
Flowcharts turn ideas into thought-out actions to solve problems and ultimately, increase productivity because things run smoothly. Think about any event you’ve encountered at some point at your organization, for example. It could be new hire onboarding, requesting PTO, or organizing a project kickoff meeting. These events have a process in place so everyone consistently takes the right steps towards success. Flowcharts help the person creating these processes visualize the scope, sequence, stages, and stakeholders involved. Bonus: Diagram software!
It’s not necessary to be well-versed in flowchart programming. All you need to know are the basic building blocks to make your flowchart easy to understand. The four main flowchart shapes we’ll use for this tutorial are:
| Symbol | Function | How to Add |
|---|---|---|
| Oval | Terminal: the start point and end point of a flowchart | Insert tab > Illustration > Shapes > Flowchart > Terminator |
| Rectangle | Process: represents a single step in the procedure | Insert tab > Illustration > Shapes > Flowchart > Process |
| Diamond | Decision: represents a decision action | Insert tab > Illustration > Shapes > Flowchart > Decision |
| Arrow | Arrow: connects shapes to show the relationship | Insert tab > Illustration > Shapes > Flowchart > Arrow |
Ready to create a flowchart of your own? Choose one of your ideas or tasks and follow along with our step-by-step guide to create this flowchart! ⬇️
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