The 8 Finest Free Flowchart Templates [+ Examples]

As soon as upon a time at college, I used flowcharts to map out my analysis processes in order that they may very well be clearly understood and repeated throughout peer evaluation. These days, I’ve been utilizing flowcharts to prepare an tutorial guide on floral design. Immediately, I’ll be exploring flowcharts as they pertain to the enterprise sector.

Flowchart templates assist folks simply map out enterprise processes, enhance workflows, and even make clear organizational constructions. Any business could make good use of flowcharts for enterprise, and templates make that work go even sooner.

Bulleted lists, Phrase paperwork, and even shows might help convey a course of, however they don’t supply the identical degree of visible readability and readability {that a} flowchart does. That is very true if you happen to’re making an attempt to map out completely different steps or levels.

So let’s reply the primary questions first: what’s a flowchart, and what can you employ it for?

Desk of Contents

Flowcharts are perfect for outlining processes, that are the spine of a robust enterprise. A transparent, repeatable course of has two main hurdles to profitable implementation in any enterprise: first, the event of that course of, and second, getting buy-in from stakeholders on that course of. (Good luck, proper?)

One of the simplest ways to beat each of those potential roadblocks is to transparently and logically define a course of.

Many companies use flowcharts to handle this, as flowcharts visually define a course of roadmap for a full-scope understanding. They will also be simply digested by staff who must know and comply with the method.

In a enterprise, flowcharts can be utilized for any of the next functions:

• Staff and organizational alignment. An organizational construction diagram clarifies who studies to whom in your workforce.
• Knowledge administration. An information movement diagram will show you how to perceive how info progresses via your enterprise up till deletion.
• Gross sales course of mapping. Making a gross sales course of flowchart might help you shorten the gross sales cycle and improve income.
• E-mail nurturing. E-mail campaigns are famously depending on workflows, that are a sort of flowchart that decides who to enroll in a marketing campaign and when.
• Buyer journey mapping. A buyer journey flowchart exhibits how prospects discover you and what their expertise is like at your enterprise.
• Buyer or worker onboarding. A buyer onboarding course of movement might help you outline what messaging to ship and when throughout your buyer’s first interactions with your enterprise.
• A/B testing. When designing an A/B check, you’ll sometimes use a flowchart to determine what number of variations you’ll check and the potential outcomes you’ll get.

It’s also possible to use flowcharts for QA work, mapping out your profession development, and far, rather more.

That can assist you create actionable flowcharts in your group, I’ve listed the most effective flowchart templates so that you can obtain and begin utilizing immediately. These might help you to create a smoother course of in any space of your enterprise. Each comes with a obtain hyperlink so that you can begin utilizing that template proper on Google Slides.

Flowchart Templates for Enterprise

1. Primary Course of Flowchart Template

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This primary movement chart template is a superb resolution for these simply getting began with flowcharts. The template permits its designers to specify a place to begin, two potential outcomes, after which the ensuing processes of these choices. As a result of its limitations, this flowchart template is greatest suited for easy processes.

Who ought to use this flowchart? Anybody who must map out if-then processes.

What I like about this flowchart template: The essential course of flowchart is straightforward to make use of and comply with, and it’s supreme for documenting easy or easy processes.

Professional tip: This flowchart is useful for these trying to design an A/B check to find out the easiest way to get the outcomes they’re searching for.

2. Swimlane Flowchart Template

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The swimlane flowchart template divides the steps of a course of into completely different sectors. For your enterprise, these completely different sectors may very well be time intervals, groups, staff, or work necessities.

Who ought to use this flowchart? Swimlane flowcharts are notably useful for many who oversee cross-functional processes.

What I like about this flowchart template: This template visualizes the completely different course of steps that happen throughout a number of groups or organizations.

3. Job Flowchart Template

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A process flowchart template simplifies complicated processes with distinctive shapes. Every form on the flowchart represents one thing completely different, forming a fast visible key.

This format is useful when the work of a number of groups intertwines all through a course of. It is because it makes it simpler for workforce members to determine the duties they’re accountable for.

These roles are sometimes famous in a key on the flowchart for fast reference.

Who ought to use this flowchart? Challenge managers trying to hold observe of varied duties and their outcomes.

What I like about this flowchart template: The duty flowchart visually depicts how numerous contributions to a product help the tip consequence. Every stakeholder can see how their duties affect the movement of the undertaking.

Professional tip: The shapes may also characterize various kinds of actions, like back-end growth of a brand new component after which front-end testing of these parts to create a QA course of.

4. Complicated Flowchart Template

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For a flowchart that doesn’t want gridlines or completely different shapes, this template is the most effective resolution. It gives the choice for a number of endpoints relying on which steps are taken all through the method. Then it makes use of easy sure or no solutions to drive you towards the endpoint.

Who ought to use this flowchart? Groups trying to handle processes that might have numerous endpoints or tasks which have a number of steps and stakeholders concerned.

What I like about this flowchart template: Complicated processes could be troublesome to maintain observe of. This flowchart template creates an intuitive visible for multi-step processes. This makes it simpler to determine if and when it’s best to transfer ahead.

5. Round Flowchart Template

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The round flowchart template adjustments issues up with a distinct form, but it surely additionally gives a distinct path construction. It helps you define each brief and lengthy processes, with completely different outcomes relying on the variety of steps required.

Who ought to use this flowchart? Social media managers, product entrepreneurs, and content material strategists might discover that this template fits their wants.

What I like about this flowchart template: This template has a cleaner look than a few of the extra complicated flowcharts and could also be higher for visible learners.

6. Linear Flowchart Template

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A linear flowchart template is an answer for when there’s just one optimum consequence. Each step of the method will both lead somebody to that end result or consequence within the course of merely ending.

Who ought to use this flowchart? E-mail advertising and marketing specialists and gross sales groups can profit from this template as a result of there’s sometimes one purpose: to earn yet another subscriber or earn yet another buyer.

What I like about this flowchart template: With one singular purpose, this flowchart format has a transparent starting and finish, making it simple to stipulate a easy course of.

Professional tip: This linear movement could be so long as you’d prefer it to be. I’ve personally acquired over 30 emails from the identical supply making an attempt to get me to choose into their supply. They actually hope that I’ll purchase, and I actually hope, for his or her sake, that they automate.

7. Tree Flowchart Template

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A tree-style flowchart template makes essentially the most sense for conditions the place there are a number of decisions and when every choice has a transparent and distinct subsequent step.

Who ought to use this flowchart? For companies, this flowchart could be excellent for the help division — which might use this template to map out responses from automated chat help or a cellphone tree.

What I like about this flowchart template: Every motion has a transparent subsequent step and a predetermined end result, however you possibly can add greater than two choices — which is commonly not relevant to different flowcharts.

8. Organizational Flowchart Template

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The ultimate flowchart companies may wish to use is an organizational flowchart (or org chart) template. That is a vital chart that exhibits who studies to whom and helps all staff perceive their place within the enterprise.

Who ought to use this flowchart? Firm and division heads use this template to stipulate the chain of command in an space of the enterprise. Human Sources groups may also use it to tell workforce construction and organizational choices.

What I like about this flowchart template: Customers can see workforce construction at-a-glance and might rapidly discover who they should go to for his or her undertaking or to have their questions answered.

Professional tip: As folks tackle further roles and report to varied departments, these conventional org charts is probably not versatile sufficient to characterize actuality. It might simply characterize a place to begin that may assist employees get oriented.

Now that I’ve shared the most effective flowchart templates, it’s time to take a look at them in motion!

Flowchart Examples for Enterprise

1. Primary Course of Flowchart Instance

This template visualizes how a person visiting an organization’s touchdown web page might convert and grow to be a lead. Discover how there are two potential remaining outcomes, however due to this chart’s simplicity, you possibly can add as many outcomes as you need. With a flowchart like this, it’s vital to have clear, outlined objectives in thoughts.

2. Swimlane Flowchart Instance

Within the instance above, the swimlanes are divided by division for instance the method of the client journey. That is exceedingly vital for figuring out which groups must work together with a buyer and when.

And not using a swimlane flowchart outlining these roles, your prospects’ expertise together with your firm can appear haphazard and poorly deliberate.

3. Job Flowchart Instance

Within the instance above, the completely different shapes characterize the beginning of, finish of, and actions taken in the course of the technique of viewing a touchdown web page. This process flowchart instance follows an “if this, then that” format. It exhibits the varied outcomes that might happen when a possible buyer visits a touchdown web page.

4. Complicated Flowchart Instance

The above hiring visible is an instance of a fancy flowchart with many occasions and potential outcomes. It gives two potential outcomes at each stage. Then it exhibits with readability what occurs as a candidate strikes ahead. The colours additionally make it clear which remaining outcomes are optimistic or adverse.

5. Round Flowchart Instance

Within the instance above, a round flowchart gives a decision-making framework.

Right here, it’s used to assist a social media supervisor work out which web site to submit content material on. It consists of particular, focused questions that outline the property the social media supervisor must create and which social platforms these property are greatest suited to.

6. Linear Flowchart Instance

As I discussed earlier, linear flowcharts can be utilized for processes which have just one desired end result. Within the above instance, it’s for an e mail nurturing sequence. Within the picture, the method ends whether or not somebody indicators up for an occasion or not.

A time-bound (or finite) e mail nurturing sequence is particularly an excellent match for these kind of flowcharts. For steady e mail advertising and marketing campaigns, you may want a extra agile flowchart the place you possibly can decide when to maneuver a subscriber to a different e mail checklist.

7. Tree Flowchart Instance

On this tree flowchart instance, a enterprise depicts the alternatives and subsequent steps a caller can take when contacting them by cellphone. Discover that there are numerous endpoints for the client relying on their earlier motion.

A flowchart like that is helpful if you happen to’re making an attempt to stipulate a course of with completely different branches. As an illustration, you may create a touchdown web page flowchart that determines which kind or CTA is depicted to a buyer primarily based on their earlier exercise in your web site.

8. Organizational Flowchart Instance

Whereas not precisely procedural, this visualization helps these throughout the firm rapidly perceive who studies to whom and who handles what.

One of the best a part of this instance is that it may be as detailed or so simple as you’d prefer it to be; you possibly can delve all the way down to your junior particular person contributors or just define your management map.

Free Flowchart Templates

Flowchart templates are extremely helpful for fixing enterprise issues and simplifying processes. That mentioned, some points want extra customized options.

I’ve gathered up some free and paid flowchart templates, instruments and software program to check out — we’ll have a look at the free ones first.

The software program and adjustable templates I’ve hunted down may even assist your workforce join and work collectively on flowcharts. They make it easy to create distinctive and easy-to-read flowcharts that match quite a lot of wants — together with mine!

I’ll be utilizing demos of the free instruments beneath to ascertain info flows for my tutorial guide about floristry. Hopefully we’ll each study one thing new.

Free Flowchart Templates, Instruments, and Software program

1. Miro

Pricing: Free, with paid choices for prolonged options and enterprises.

Picture Supply

Who Ought to Use This Device?

Groups that use flowcharts for all kinds of customers and stakeholders. This device can be useful for groups that create movement charts collaboratively or wish to embody a number of flowcharts in a single doc.

What I Like About It

Miro gives instruments to construct and plan complicated flowcharts for groups. In addition to visible whiteboard instruments, Miro additionally gives templates for technique mapping, workflows, UX design, and extra. I personally cherished the digital sticky word characteristic that makes it simple so as to add feedback to in-progress flowcharts just like the one I created above.

2. Draw.io

Pricing: Free

Picture Supply

Who Ought to Use This Device?

This device is common with customers who need diagramming software program for fast enterprise utility. This flowchart device additionally consists of customizable templates. I used it to create the flowchart beneath that maps out how one can prepare a dozen pink roses.

What I Like About It

This open-source know-how is easy and fast to make use of for sensible flowcharts and course of mapping. It creates course of diagrams for modeling, databases, networks, wireframes, and extra. It additionally gives tons of customization choices, however I didn’t discover it overwhelming to make use of.

3. Zen Flowchart

Pricing: Free, with paid choices for prolonged options.

Picture Supply

Who Ought to Use This Device?

Informal customers and enterprise corporations searching for web-based flowchart software program.

The free choice is proscribed to twenty parts, so I used to be capable of whip up a easy flowchart for deciding how to decide on which fashion centerpieces to create for an occasion. I didn’t discover the arrows to be intuitive, but it surely does have icons to select from, which was a enjoyable contact.

What I Like About It

Zen Flowchart is easy to make use of with a variety of options. You possibly can create thoughts maps, wireframes, or whiteboards with this drag-and-drop device. The easy workspace helps restrict distractions so you possibly can give attention to your enterprise course of. This flowchart device additionally has options for collaboration and real-time commenting.

4. Lucidchart

Pricing: Free, with paid choices for prolonged options and enterprise.

Picture Supply

Who Ought to Use This Device?

Lucidchart gives options for each particular person customers and collaborative skilled groups. There are positively sufficient choices to do some superior, skilled chart work. I made a decision to construct an org chart for my supreme floral store:

What I Like About This Flowchart Device

Past real-time collaboration and ease of use, this diagram software program additionally has a variety of superior options. You possibly can personalize flowcharts with customized shapes pulling from libraries of shapes and icons.

Automated diagramming might help new customers create a flowchart with out time-consuming edits and tweaks. For extra expert customers, there are integrations with Atlassian, Zapier, Notion, and extra that are additionally tremendous helpful.

These connections might help combine flowchart collaboration into your present tech stack and workflows.

5. Cacoo

Pricing: Free, with paid choices for prolonged options and enterprises.

Picture Supply

Who Ought to Use This Device?

This cloud-based and user-friendly device is helpful for quite a lot of customers and groups. Cacoo gives a number of collaboration instruments — together with video chat — in addition to integrations with Adobe Artistic Cloud, Zapier. I used it to create this swimlane flowchart of how my supreme florist store would handle buyer complaints.

What I Like About This Flowchart Software program

Cacoo is a complete device that makes it simple to personalize flowcharts for a variety of makes use of. Whether or not you are making a advertising and marketing flowchart with imported photographs or a wireframe with customized symbols, this device might help.

The central dashboard can be useful for understanding the whole lot your undertaking wants at a look, and differentiates between personal and shared folders.

Paid Flowchart Templates, Instruments, and Software program

6. Textografo

Pricing: Begins at $4/month.

Picture Supply

Who Ought to Use This Device?

This text-to-diagram generator is a straightforward means for much less visually-oriented customers to create flowcharts. It is for customers who perceive the worth of graphical movement diagrams but in addition is probably not as fast or snug with visible instruments.

What I Like About It

This flowchart device gives a distinct strategy to flowchart creation that may save many customers effort and time. Textografo might help customers create a flowchart, mindmap, resolution bushes, or animated diagrams. Customers may also collaborate on the method with this on-line device.

7. Microsoft Visio

Pricing: Begins at $5/month.

Picture Supply

Who Ought to Use This Device?

Visio is an intuitive flowchart device for Microsoft 365 customers.

What I Like About It

This flowchart device might help you create complicated flowcharts or easy diagrams. The interface and styling are acquainted to many enterprise customers, which might help pace up the method of visualizing complicated concepts. It additionally gives themes to enhance the look of your flowcharts.

Visio additionally comes with lots of of templates for a variety of business wants. It additionally makes it easy to import knowledge from Excel, Entry, and different Microsoft sources.

Utilizing Enterprise Flowchart Templates

Enterprise flowchart templates are the quickest and best solution to construct flowcharts, even sooner than instruments that take a while to study to make one thing customized. From among the many free instruments I examined immediately, listed below are my takeaways.

• I can simply say that Cacoo was my favourite. They’ve way more intuitive arrows that connect with auto-docks across the shapes, holding strains tight and clear.
• Draw.io felt a bit like Photoshop to me, however not almost as overwhelming. Skilled graphic designers may like that one in addition to Lucidchart for the acquainted, double-paneled interface.
• I’d put Miro and Zen Flowchart in the identical class of being simple for learners to check out, however I believe Miro edges out Zen Flowchart by way of what you get without cost. Zen Flowchart works properly, however the free model is really only for small tasks — 20 parts isn’t a lot to work with.

All of the templates I mentioned earlier on this submit are downloadable and fully customizable on the subject of form, format, shade, and imagery inside Google Slides.

They’ll show you how to higher illustrate and talk processes in your organization rapidly and intuitively — with out having to spend money on or study new software program.

Editor’s word: This submit was initially printed in July 2018 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.