Microsoft program to make flowcharts

However, there is no standard, universal meaning for the shapes — any shape can carry whatever meaning is agreed on by the people who will create and read the flowcharts. Most flowcharts tend to use only three or four of the shapes, unless there is a clear business reason to use more. That said, Visio shapes have names that suggest their most common uses. Here are some of the most common shapes:. Process This shape represents a typical step in your process.

This is the most frequently used shape in almost every process. Decision This shape indicates a point where the outcome of a decision dictates the next step. There can be multiple outcomes, but often there are just two — yes and no. Subprocess Use this shape for a set of steps that combine to create a sub-process that is defined elsewhere, often on another page of the same document. This is useful if the diagram is very long and complex.

Document This shape represents a step that results in a document. Data This shape indicates that information is coming into the process from outside, or leaving the process. On-page reference This small circle indicates that the next or previous step is somewhere else on the drawing. This is particularly useful for large flowcharts where you would otherwise have to use a long connector, which can be hard to follow.

Off-page reference When you drop this shape onto your drawing page, a dialog box opens where you can create a set of hyperlinks between two pages of a flowchart or between a sub-process shape and a separate flowchart page that shows the steps in that sub-process.

Video: Create a flowchart. View sample Visio templates and diagrams online. Build Visio diagrams using a touch screen. In the Gallery on the home page, scroll down to the Basic Flowchart category. The first option gives you stencil with standard shapes, plus a blank canvas to start with.

The other options in the row provide a stencil and also a starter diagram with several shapes already added to the canvas. When you are finished typing, press the Esc key. To change the direction of a connector's arrow, select the connector, and then, on the Shape tab, select the down arrow next to Shape Outline. Add connectors between shapes. Edit connector lines, arrows, or points.

Important: Office is no longer supported. Upgrade to Microsoft to work anywhere from any device and continue to receive support. Upgrade now. Don't see the File tab? Note: See the section What the flowchart shapes represent for information on which shapes to use for each step.

On the Home tab, in the Tools group, click Connector. Drag from a connection point on the first shape to a connection point on the second shape. The connector endpoints turn red when the shapes are connected.

Connect one shape to many from a single connection point:. By default, connectors are set to Right-Angle so that if you connect a single point on one shape to three other shapes it will look like the figure below.

To have each connector radiate straight from the central point on the first shape to points on each of the other shapes you need to set the connectors to Straight Connector as shown in the following figure.

For each shape you want to connect to, drag from the same connection point on the first shape to a connection point on each of the other shapes. To return to normal editing, on the Home tab, in the Tool group, click Pointer Tool. To change the direction of a connector's arrow, select the connection, and then in the Shape group, click the arrow to the right of Line , point to Arrows , and select the arrow direction that you want.

The easiest way to print a flowchart that is larger than your printer paper is to print it onto multiple pieces of paper and then tape the pieces together. Before you start to print, it's important to make sure that the drawing page, as it appears in Visio, contains the whole flowchart. Any shapes that hang off the edge of the Visio drawing page will not print. On the Print Setup tab, in the Printer paper box, select the paper size you want if it isn't already selected.

In the Preview group, click Single Tile to see how your drawing will print on each sheet. You can switch between pages by clicking Next Tile or Previous Tile.

When you are satisfied with how your drawing looks, in the Print group, click Print. After the drawing is printed, you can trim the margins, overlap the pages, and tape them together. To the right of Fit to , type 1 in the box next to sheet s across , and type 1 in the box next to sheet s down. Each shape on the stencil represents a different step in a process.

You can switch between pages by clicking Next Tile or Previous Tile. When you are satisfied with how your drawing looks, in the Print group, click Print. After the drawing is printed, you can trim the margins, overlap the pages, and tape them together.

To the right of Fit to , type 1 in the box next to sheet s across , and type 1 in the box next to sheet s down. Each shape on the stencil represents a different step in a process. Visio includes many other, specialized stencils and shapes that you can use in your flowchart diagram. For more information about how to find more shapes, see Use the Shapes window to organize and find shapes. Process This shape represents a step in your process. Subprocess Use this shape for a set of steps that combine to create a sub-process that is defined elsewhere, often on another page of the same drawing.

Note: Can't find the shape you need? To learn about how to find other shapes, see Use the Shapes window to organize and find shapes. Note: For information on other ways to connect shapes, see Add connectors between shapes in Visio.

Click the Connector tool on the Standard toolbar. Connect one shape to many from a single connection point. Click the Pointer tool on the Standard toolbar to return to normal editing.

To change the direction of a connector's arrow, select the connection, and then on the Shape menu, point to Operations , and click Reverse Ends. Of all of the shapes on the Basic Flowchart Shapes stencil, only a few are commonly used. Those commonly used shapes are described here.

For more information about the less commonly used shapes open the expandable link Less frequently used flowchart shapes at the end of this section. Terminator Use this shape for the first and last step of your process.

Predefined process Use this shape for a set of steps that combine to create a sub-process that is defined elsewhere, often on another page of the same drawing. There can be multiple outcomes, but often there are just two —yes and no. Flowchart shapes You can right-click this multi-shape to set to any of the following shapes: Process, Decision, Document, or Data.

Any text you type onto the shape, or information you add to its Shape Data, remains with the shape. Stored data Use this shape for a step that results in information being stored. Less frequently used flowchart shapes. Dynamic connector This connector draws a path around shapes it encounters.

Line-curve connector This connector has adjustable curvature. Auto-height box This is a bordered text box that adjusts to accommodate the amount of text you type. You can set the width by dragging the sides of the shape.

Although this shape doesn't represent a step in a process, it is a handy way to add a text box to your flowchart. Annotation This bracketed text box adjusts to accommodate the amount of text you type. Like the Auto-height box shape, this shape doesn't represent a step in a process.

Use this to add comments about your flowchart shapes. Manual input This is a step where a person provides information to the process. Manual operation This is a step that must be performed by a person. Internal storage This shape represents information stored on a computer. Direct data This shape represents information stored so that any single record can be accessed directly. This represents how a computer hard-drive stores data.

Sequential data This shape represents information stored in sequence, such ad data on a magnetic tape. When data is stored in sequence, it must be retrieved in sequence. For example, in order to access record 7 you would have to first go through records 1 through 6. Card and Paper tape This shape represents a physical card or paper tape. Early computer systems used a system of punch cards and paper tape to store and retrieve data and to store and run programs.

Display This shape represents information that is displayed to a person, usually on a computer screen. Preparation This shape indicates where variables are initialized in preparation for a procedure. Parallel mode This shape shows where two different processes can operate simultaneously. Loop limit This shape marks the maximum number of times a loop can run before it must go on to the next step.

Control transfer This shape indicates a step that goes to a step other than the typical next step when certain conditions are met. The easiest way to print out a flowchart that is larger than your printer paper is to print it onto multiple pieces of paper and then tape the pieces together.

Network diagrams Simplify your system design process and illustrate how devices and networks all work together with a variety of network templates, shapes, and connector tools. Slide 1 of 5. Visio and Microsoft Visio is an innovative solution that helps you visualize data-connected business process flows with a host of integrated features that bring the power of Microsoft to Visio.

Create, view, edit, and collaborate on Visio diagrams from inside Microsoft Teams. Export Visio diagrams to Power Automate to automatically execute business workflows.

Break down complex diagrams into single parts with PowerPoint slide snippets. Quickly document your Visio process diagrams, including all their metadata, in Word. Develop accurate network diagrams in Visio for the web with Azure-specific shapes. Learn more. Determine which app best fits your needs Discover the right solution to help you easily create professional diagrams and communicate your ideas visually. Visio for the web is always up to date.

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