# How to make flow charts using Microsoft Word? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 22, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775 "2003-02-22T14:26:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/1 "2003-02-22T14:26:35Z")
First, is it even possible to create flow charts in the computer using Microsoft Word (2000)? How can I do them? I need to make a flow chart for a lab report, and I would prefer to make in computer since I also plan to type the rest of the report. Thanks for the help. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/2 "2003-02-22T14:39:12Z")
You can use your drawing toolbar to draw or insert arrows and other symbols. AFAIK, there’s no template or anything specifically designed for flowcharts. Visio or Powerpoint would be better programs to use, I think. ---
**Author:** ![NardoPolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NardoPolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NardoPolo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/3 "2003-02-22T15:11:51Z")
I make flowcharts in Word all the time. It offers me more flexibility than other programs written specifically for flowcharts. Turn on your drawing toolbar. Use text boxes for your boxes of text. If you want a shape other than rectangle, use the text box and make the line surrounding the box transparent. (right-click on the text box, choose properties, and change the line color) Under the Auto-Shapes:Basic shapes menu you will find most of the unique shapes that you are looking for (such as diamonds, rectangles with rounded corners, etc.) Put them over the text box and change the properties (just like as above) to make the background transparent. It’s good form to “group” these items together to be considered as one unit (draw menu, group option) before moving them around. And of course the straight arrows can easily be found on the drawing toolbar. If you want a curved arrow, look under auto shapes: lines and choose the curved _line_. Make it curve the way you want to to, right-mouse click on it and choose properties, and you will see how to make an arrowhead on one end of the line. HTH. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/4 "2003-02-22T16:05:54Z")
DON’T, unless you are a masochist. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/5 "2003-02-22T22:18:57Z")
Thanks, NardoPolo. Urban, unfortunately, I have to do it. My handwriting is variable, and I need to present this report in formal way. And it would look look weird to have everything typed and then the flow chart handwritten. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/6 "2003-02-22T22:34:39Z")
**KarlGenze,** I don’t think anyone is suggesting you hand-draw your flowcharts with pencil and paper. But there are much better programs available that are oriented towards graphics. Your drawing can then be either cut & pasted into your Word doc or saved as a Word-compatible file and imported (“inserted”). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/7 "2003-02-22T22:59:24Z")
You could always go with smartdraw. I used it until the trial period expired. It’s a lot better now than when I needed it. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/8 "2003-02-23T03:14:43Z")
**Musicat** , I now realize that (thanks, **Monty** ). However, just saying I shouldn’t do that, without offering another alternative, wouldn’t help me and did lead me to believe the only other option was writing it out. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/9 "2003-02-23T03:48:16Z")
Powerpoint is much better for this. Do you have access to it? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/10 "2003-02-23T04:36:53Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/11 "2003-02-23T06:30:27Z")
Microsoft’s flowcharting software is called Visio. If you intend to do lots of flowcharts, I HIGHLY recommend that you make the investment. It’s well worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/12 "2003-02-23T14:09:17Z")
I think Word XP has some sort of flow chart wizard althouh I have never used it. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/13 "2003-02-23T14:25:25Z")
I don’t have Windows XP, and I only need this flow chart. Thanks all, I’m starting to use PowerPoint to make the flow chart. ---
**Author:** ![NardoPolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NardoPolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NardoPolo)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/14 "2003-02-23T14:33:02Z")
In my humble opinion, Powerpoint is _not_ more useful for this. He’s writing a lab report already in MS Word, why is it beneficial to switch to a different program? Powerpoint is for slide presentations, and gives you less room to work with. Plus if you copy an item in one program and then paste it to MS Word, it usually changes formats and settings and looks different. MS Word works just fine. And frankly, from what I’ve seen, it gives you more flexibility than the programs written specifically for flowcharting. Plus, you don’t have to learn a totally new application, and the skills you learn here will be beneficial to future document writing in Word. Keep it simple. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/15 "2003-02-23T15:45:35Z")
I have Xp with MS Word. Just use F1, input ‘flow chart’ you get the info on how to write them & then some. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/16 "2003-02-23T17:19:38Z")
My humble opinion: Once you get used to it, Word is fine for making flow charts. Smartdraw is fine for a greater variety and, for me, was much easier to use than Word for flowcharting. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/17 "2003-02-24T09:01:09Z")
a) Uh, unless I’m missing something, the drawing capabilities for word and powerpoint are identical; not similar, identical. b) Though Visio is much much better, especially for large scale flow charts and ones that will be modified regularly, the drawing capability in word/powerpoint/office (you can use it in Excel even if you want) is just fine, more then fine in fact for what you want to do. c) I really recommend you don’t go use some 30 day eval copy of something you don’t intend to buy unless you absolutely will never change your drawing. If you think you might reuse it at some point, use a tool that will last more then 30 days, like your existing copy of word ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/18 "2003-02-24T15:20:12Z")
What? The drawing capability of Word is abysmal. You can use it to draw very simple graphs, but nothing more than 5 or 6 shapes and a few arrows. You can’t fine tune the placement of shapes, and the arrows don’t connect well unless you have rectangular boxes. It’s a massive pain in the arse to use. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-flow-charts-using-microsoft-word/156775/19 "2003-02-24T16:23:55Z")
Try [download.com](http://download.com) Input: flow chart 34 wonderful programs show up that you can download & try…