Instructions on how to draw a diagram in Word

Flowcharts (also known as flow charts, flowcharts, or flowcharts) are powerful visual thinking tools that are often overlooked for non-technical tasks. Perhaps because flowcharts were originally a purely technical skill, often appearing in the drafts of industrial planners, they have become more popular with computer programming.

But in fact, flowcharts are not just for engineering. With a little imagination, users can simplify their work or life. One of the simplest tools available for creating flowcharts quickly is Microsoft Word.

In the process of presenting content on Word, in addition to drawing tables, drawing diagrams and pictures is also a basic operation. In addition to the need to draw diagrams in the article, using drawings or models is a good way to present content, helping readers better understand the content of the article. However, if you are new to the Word editing tool and do not know how to draw pictures in Word, you can refer to our tutorial below.

Here are different ways to create a flowchart in Word.

How to create an eye-catching flowchat in Word

• What is a flowchart?
• Uses of flowchart
• Basic Flowchart
• How to create a flowchart in Word
  • How to create a flowchart in Microsoft Word 2013, 2016 and 2019
  • Instructions for drawing shapes in Word 2007
• Tips for aligning shapes
• Tips for aligning flowcharts
• Create a great flowchart in Word

What is a flowchart?

Frank Gilbreth, an engineer is credited with creating the first “ Process Flow Charts ” in 1921.

A flowchart is an easy-to-understand diagram of any process, using simple graphics to show the beginning, end, and various stages in a logical order. Each step in the process is represented by a unique icon with a short name for each step in the process. The icons in the flowchart are linked together by arrows that indicate the direction of the process.

As can be seen from the diagram below, each symbol is standardized for a specific process.

Since standard icons illustrate the steps, it's easy to figure out how everything fits together. Flowcharts can be customized for any procedural task. That's why there are so many types of flowcharts, but they're all essentially the same.

Uses of flowchart

The beauty of flowcharts lies in their simplicity. Users can use basic symbols to map out any task and flowcharts can be used for different situations. Flowcharts can be easily created manually or using the best diagramming tools .

Once the flowchart is complete, you will have an overview and a clear understanding of the entire process. The process of drawing a flowchart helps understand the problem logic and provides insights to make things better.

In summary, flowcharts have the following uses:

• Check any process.
• Communicate the steps in a process to others.
• Organize the process by eliminating redundant steps.
• Identify and troubleshoot potential problems.
• Improve the process.

Basic Flowchart

Flowcharts come in many shapes and sizes. Here's an example of a basic flowchart that can be used for simple decision making:

How to create a flowchart in Word

The beauty of flowcharts lies in their simplicity. You can use basic symbols to map out any task, and you can use flowcharts for a variety of situations. You can easily create flowcharts manually or use easy-to-use flowchart creation tools .

Once the flowchart is created, it is easy to get a bird's eye view and understand the entire process. The process of drawing a flowchart can help clarify your own logic and give you insights to perform better.

In summary, for best results, follow these steps:

• Check any process.
• Communicate the steps to others involved in the process.
• Organize a process by eliminating redundant steps.
• Identify and troubleshoot potential problems.
• Improve the process.

How to create a flowchart in Microsoft Word 2013, 2016 and 2019

All the tools you need to create a flowchart in Microsoft Word 2013, 2016, or 2019 are in the Drawing Tools. But first, take these three preliminary steps:

Maximize page space. Collapse the Ribbon by clicking the small up arrow (or pressing Ctrl + F1 ) at the far right to show only the tab names.

Show the Grid. Click the View tab and click Gridlines. The Grid tool helps you accurately align and size flowchart symbols when you snap them to gridlines.

Users can also customize these gridlines by going to Page Layout > Arrange > Align > Grid Settings .

Using Drawing Canvas. Inserting any shape or drawing into a Word document will automatically create a drawing canvas. Users will have to resize the canvas so that the entire diagram fits within the frame.

Using different shapes (like in a flowchart) is especially helpful, says Microsoft's support page. Additionally, users can customize the canvas to create an attractive background for their flowchart.

Now, let’s start with the painstaking work of inserting the shapes and connecting them all together. It’s better to sketch it out on paper first and then use Microsoft Word to give it the final look. A rough sketch will help visualize how the flowchart will look in Word. The process is simple and making some rough sketches will save a lot of time.

All the necessary symbols can be found on the Insert > Shapes tab . Click the drop-down menu under Shapes.

1. Icons are neatly arranged in the Flowchart group.

2. Choose a shape. For example, an oval could represent “Start”.

3. Click on the canvas area, hold down the left mouse button and drag to add the shape. Users can also double-click any shape to automatically add it to the canvas. Then move and resize the shape.

4. Add text by clicking on the shape and adding a label to the text box.

5. Connect two shapes/symbols using an arrow or a connector. There are two basic connector types available in the Shapes drop-down list : Elbow and Curved.

Note : The connectors only work between shapes placed on the canvas.

For example, users can manually move connectors to any of the connection points (indicated by small blue dots on the shapes). The connection points anchor the connectors in place and users can move the shapes without losing the connectors. This gives users the flexibility to modify the flowchart by moving things around as desired.

Additional words can be added to branching connectors (such as Yes or No in decision areas) by inserting text boxes along the connector arrows. Users can also use the spin handle to rotate the text box.

Instructions for drawing shapes in Word 2007

The following article is done on Word 2007, we perform similar operations with other Word versions.

Step 1:

To draw a shape in Word, click on the Insert tab and click on Shapes . In the Shapes section, select the shape you want to use in the content.

Then, you click on the shape and move the mouse into the Word page to create a drawing. Here, users can adjust the size of the drawing by clicking on the green dots as shown in the picture.

Step 2:

Next, to enter content into the newly created drawing, we double-click on the shape and click on the Add text icon above the ribbon bar.

Step 3:

You enter text into the box as usual. Then highlight the text and a box appears to adjust the font size, font, and color of the text.

Or we can use the text adjustment frames in the Home tab on the Ribbon bar.

Step 4:

You can also adjust the color of the shape by choosing a border color, a main color, or using a pre-made design. Users click on the shape in the content and will see the Text Box Tools at the top of the Word interface. Click on Text Box Tools and will see a list of colors.

Here we have Shape Fill option to choose main color for the shape, Shape Outline to choose border color for the shape or color range to choose available design.

Step 5:

After completing a drawing in the content, we perform the same operations as above to draw another shape in the lesson. If you use the next shape similar to the original shape, just click on the first shape, hold down the Ctrl key and drag the mouse to the white content. A similar shape will be created immediately after.

The rest is for you to complete the block diagram according to the requirements of the Word content.

Tips for aligning shapes

There are a number of ways to do that.

1. The recommended way is to do it right the first time. Use gridlines and draw them with uniform width when placed on the canvas.

2. Click on each shape individually and drag it to its new location. If there are many shapes, this can be time consuming. The gridlines help keep them in place.

3. Select all the shapes you want to align. On the Format tab, click the Align drop-down menu. Select Align Selected Objects and use the alignment tool to align the shapes automatically.

Tips for aligning flowcharts

Once the diagram is laid out, the user can align the diagram to fit the page.

1. Group all the shapes and connectors. Select all the shapes and connectors. On the Format tab, click the Group drop-down menu and select Group.

2. In Align, check that Align to Margin is selected. Then, click Align Center and/or Align Middle.

3. (Optional) Resize the canvas by dragging the corners or edges.

Create a great flowchart in Word

The colorful flowchart you see above is simply a more formatted flowchart. Formatting a flowchart in Word should be the final step after inserting, connecting, and labeling all the boxes. And it’s better to apply it all at once than to format a few individual shapes in the flowchart. So, select multiple shapes and format them together.

It all depends on the creativity of each person and the basic tools available in the Format tab on the Ribbon or the more detailed options available on the sub-panel.

Open the subpanel by right-clicking on the shape and selecting Format Shape.

There are many options available for designing shapes and ligatures:

• Shape Styles: A quick way to add color or fill to a shape.
• Shape Fills: Use color or gradient options. Don't use too many color schemes.
• Shape Outlines: Set the visual properties for the outlines. Also use it to make the dashes thicker or thinner as desired.
• Effects: Add depth to shapes with 3D effects, shadows, etc.

As you can see, there are many options for perfecting the “look” of a basic flowchart. It’s not easy, but if done right, your flowchart will look incredibly professional.

Users can also start with a flowchart template and customize it as needed.

There are many ways to create flowcharts, from the humble pen and paper tool to dedicated applications like SmartDraw and Microsoft Visio. Users also have the option of using the LucidChart add-in in Microsoft Word 2013, 2016, or 2019. It is available in the Microsoft Office Store and is free to install, but can also be paid.

Nowadays, users often spend a lot of time using Microsoft Office. Therefore, knowing all its “powers” ​​is extremely important.

Above is a tutorial on how to draw shapes and block diagrams on Word. In the diagram drawing on Word, we can combine with creating colors to increase the liveliness of the drawing as well as the entire content.

Good luck!

See also the following articles:

• Simple way to convert PDF file to Word

• Summary of common shortcuts in Microsoft Word

• Create a dotted line (……………) quickly in Microsoft Word