How to Create a Flowchart in PowerPoint
Even though most of us use Microsoft PowerPoint with its built-in tools for making slides, sometimes you can put this program to good use like creating basic flowcharts.
In this article, we’ll go over how to create a basic flowchart in PowerPoint and then share an efficient diagram maker -- EdrawMax -- which is easier-to-use than PowerPoint in creating flowcharts.
How to Create a Flowchart in PowerPoint
Before Creating a Flowchart in PowerPoint
Before you start to draw a flowchart in PowerPoint, you can choose to create a grid as the cartographic reference.
Open a blank slide, right-click on the blank area of the page and select Grid and Guide > Gridlines.
Or, go to View tab, add a checkmark in the Gridlines option. The grid will appear on the background and the grid boxes are all in the same size.
By showing gridlines on the background, it will be easier for you to get the perfect shape placement and align or resize shapes. If you don’t need that, you can skip this step and add shapes directly.
5 Steps of Creating a Flowchart in Excel
a. Add Shapes
After creating a grid, you can add flowchart shapes in PowerPoint via 2 ways.
Firstly, go to Insert tab, click Shapes and choose flowchart shapes in the drop-down list.
When you add a shape on the grid, Format tab will pop up on the ribbon, so you can add shapes from the shape gallery by clicking the shape and drawing the shape on the gird.
Secondly, click SmartArt on Insert tab, Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialogue box pops up and select Process category in the left pane.
In fact, the SmartArt graphic gallery doesn’t provide standard flowchart shapes or symbols. But flowcharts are usually used to show steps of tasks, processes and workflows, so the graphics from the “Process” category is suitable to visualize your flowcharts.
b. Add Connector lines
Go to Insert or Format tab, choose Line symbols in the shape gallery, then the cursor turns into a plus icon. Put the cursor on one of the shapes you want to connect, and you’ll see the gray connection points on the shape.
Click on the connection point where you want to start the line, then drag the cursor to the other connection point on the other shape and release the mouse.
If you successfully connect these two shapes, the connection points will become green.
However, if the connection failed, the connection point will become white and you need to adjust the line to the right place.
c. Add Text
To add text on shapes, just click the shape and you can edit text on the shape directly or you can right-click on the shape and choose Edit Text in the menu.
To add text on SmartArt graphics, click the arrow icon on the graphic and type the text on the dialog box.
To add text on connector lines, you need to go to Insert or Format tab, click Text Box, the cursor becomes a big plus icon, and you can add the text box beside the line.
d. Add Callout (Optional)
Select callout shapes on the shape gallery of Insert or Format tab.
Choose a callout shape and add it on the grid. Drag the callout shape to connect it with the shape you want to have a callout.
If you want change the position of the connection point without altering the position of the shape or callout, you can just drag the yellow connection point to move the connection part.
e. Customize a Flowchart
Once you make a basic flowchart, you can format the shapes, text and connector lines with the format or design options in PowerPoint.
If you select a shape:
The format options mostly lie in the Format tab. The Shape Styles option is for changing the shape styles, like shape fill, shape outline colors and shape effects. The WordArt Styles option is for changing text styles, including text fill, text outline colors and text effects.
If you select a SmartArt graphic:
SmartArt tools will show on the Ribbon, including Design and Format. You can change the design and format of the selected graphic by choosing the corresponding options in these new tabs.
How to Create a Flowchart in EdrawMax
Making a basic flowchart in PowerPoint is not so difficult, but it still requires a lot of additional steps to build a complete diagram. Besides, it’s not easy and flexible to slightly adjust the position or the size of the shapes.
By comparison, using EdrawMax could become a nice try. You don’t need to spend extra time in making preparations and EdrawMax can save your time and energy to create high-quality flowcharts with its pre-designed templates and abundant symbols.
Professional drawing tools can realize accurate adjustment in shapes. Numerous customization options and features will let you get off only being able to create basic flowchart and can make plenty complicate and delicate diagrams.
The steps of creating a flowchart in EdrawMax:
- Enable EdrawMax and select a desired kind of flowchart template in the gallery.
- Double-click on the template icon to enter into the drawing interface and the flowchart symbol library will show on the left side of the canvas.
- Modify and customize the structure and format of the selected flowchart template to create your own flowchart with various drawing tools on the right panels.
- Save and export the flowchart to common file formats such as Office, PDF, HTML and graphics.
How to Export an EdrawMax diagram to PowerPoint
You can build creative and delicate diagrams in EdrawMax, in addition, you are able to export them into editable PowerPoint files or other common types of files. Go to File tab, click Export > Export to PowerPoint, and the system will automatically save and download the created flowchart as a PowerPoint file. So you can get a flowchart in PowerPoint format. All the Microsoft Office files exported from EdrawMax are editable.
Thus, there will be less trouble or difficulty in creating a flowchart in PowerPoint with the help of EdrawMax and you can freely share your diagrams made by EdrawMax with your colleagues or friends who don’t use EdrawMax.
