How to Make a Flow Chart Online

Flow charts are used to map out a process from start to finish. There are many benefits to creating a flow chart online. Creating a flow chart online requires no software. You can access your flow chart from anywhere you can access the Internet. Online flow chart programs typically feature tools for collaboration, allowing you to get input from others involved in the process.

There are many websites that allow you to create flow charts online. This article will use LucidChart.com as an example.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Computer or laptop
• Internet access

Instructions

Planning Your Flow Chart

1. Write down the major goals and objectives for your flow chart. Think about who the audience for your flow chart will be, and what you hope to accomplish.

2. Write down the persons involved in the process, if applicable.

3. Write down the steps involved in your process, in the order they need to be completed, on a sheet of paper. Think about what approvals are needed for each step to occur; reference your persons involved list.

4. Draw your flow chart on another sheet of paper using a pencil. Draw rectangles around actions and diamonds around decisions. Use straight lines to connect rectangles to rectangles and rectangles to diamonds. Use arrows to connect diamonds to each possible outcome.

5. Read over your flow chart. Step through each process to make sure all of the tasks are accurately represented.

Recreating Your Flow Chart Online

1. Navigate to LucidChart.com. Register yourself with the website. Select a plan.

2. Click on the Create a New Document link. Select Flow Chart.

3. Click and drag the terminator icon from the left side of screen to your drawing grid. Type "Start" in the terminator. Click outside the text box, anywhere on the drawing grid, when you have finished typing.

4. Click and drag the icon that corresponds to the first step of your paper flow chart onto the drawing grid. Type in the information from the corresponding item on your paper flow chart.

5. Double-click in the area just under the terminator and drag your cursor down to the icon representing your first step. An arrow will appear that connects the items. Click on the head of the arrow to display options for its appearance. The options will appear on the right side of the screen. Select the line options you want by clicking on the boxes corresponding to the styling most applicable (e.g., to change the arrow to a line).

6. Continue to create the flow chart using your paper flow chart as a guide.

7. Click the File button on the upper left corner of the screen, then click Save. Give your completed flow chart a meaningful name; you want to be able to easily recall what project it references.

8. Click the File button again to close your flow chart. The window will close. Click the My Documents link to see your newly completed flow chart in your document list.

Tips & Warnings

• Other online flow chart programs you can use include Gliffy.com and Flowchart.com.

• Most online flow charts have free options or free trial versions. If you don't like one online flow chart program, try another.

References

• USAID Flowchart
• RSNA Flow Chart
• Mind Tools: Understanding and Communicating How a Process Works

Resources

• Google Docs
• Gliffy
• Flowchart.com