# I've just spent 3 hrs on one flow chart **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 2, 2006, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-just-spent-3-hrs-on-one-flow-chart/350934 "2006-04-02T12:00:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Mr\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-just-spent-3-hrs-on-one-flow-chart/350934/1 "2006-04-02T12:00:48Z")
…with no results! I cannot get the hang of it. All I want it one box at the top with 2 sub-boxes. From each of these 2 sub-boxes I need 4 boxes going straight down. That’s it. I started by drawing them myself but I couldn’t get anything even or lined up to look professional. I then switched to using the template of the old version we had at work but it is only 1 straight flow chart and i cannot alter it evenly either. Any help? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-just-spent-3-hrs-on-one-flow-chart/350934/2 "2006-04-02T12:15:45Z")
What software and version are you using? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Mr\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-just-spent-3-hrs-on-one-flow-chart/350934/3 "2006-04-02T12:20:11Z")
I’m using Microsoft Word 2002. ---
**Author:** ![Halfpint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f0a364/32.png) [@Halfpint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Halfpint)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-just-spent-3-hrs-on-one-flow-chart/350934/4 "2006-04-02T12:30:31Z")
I tend to use Visio for flowcharts now, but before my company got enlightened and let me have it, I would: - use Excel if possible. If you choose this option, paste the flowchart back into Word as a picture to save it distorting. - use a table in Word to set the structure of the flowchart. This works if you’re ok with having boxes as the shapes and don’t want anything fancy. - does Word have the Diagram function on the Drawing toolbar? It offers something that is more of an organisation chart, but it might work. -you could also look under Insert\>Object and see if there are any options there that might be useful. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slip\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f475e1/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slip\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slip_1)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-just-spent-3-hrs-on-one-flow-chart/350934/5 "2006-04-02T15:07:42Z")
Have you tried SmartDraw? I was assigned the task of making flowcharts for our CQI group at work. I’ve not done a flowchart since writing in BASIC back in high school. After a basic review of the symbols, it went together pretty easily. It also does “fishbone” diagrams, and I believe “radar” diagrams (if you need them). The downside is it is a specialized program, so it’s about 200 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-just-spent-3-hrs-on-one-flow-chart/350934/6 "2006-04-02T15:18:34Z")
Right tool for the job. MS Word is not a good tool for this. Visio is made for it. Powerpoint is what we used to use in the “old days” before Visio. Then you paste it into the Word document.