How to Find and Use Excel's Free Flowchart Templates

By
Ted French
Ted French
Writer
Former Lifewire writer Ted French is a Microsoft Certified Professional who teaches and writes about spreadsheets and spreadsheet programs.
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Updated on December 15, 2020
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
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Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
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What to Know

  • In Excel, Insert > Illustrations > SmartArt > Process > select flowchart template > OK.
  • You can customize your flowchart colors, shapes, and layouts.

This article explains how to find and use Excel's free flowchart templates. Instructions apply to Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, and Excel 2010.

Group of business people looking at a flowchart on a laptop
Lifewire / Charlotte Fu

How to Make a Flowchart in Excel

There are several flowchart designs available in Excel. The key is to look in the SmartArt Process category.

  1. Open the Excel worksheet where you want to add a flowchart.

  2. Go to the Insert tab.

    Screenshot of Excel with Insert tab selected

  3. In the Illustrations group, select SmartArt to open the Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box.

    Choose a SmartArt Graphic window in Excel

  4. Choose Process in the left pane.

    Process category in Excel SmartArt

  5. Select the flowchart template you want to use.

    Flowchart template example in Excel

  6. Select OK. A new basic flowchart appears on the spreadsheet.

Customize the Flowchart

Once you have the basic template, make changes to it and create the flowchart you need.

To change the appearance of the SmartArt flowchart:

  1. Select a blank area of the flowchart to activate the SmartArt Tools tabs.

  2. To change the color, go to SmartArt Tools Design and select Change Colors.

    Change Colors in SmartArt Tools

  3. To add text to the shapes, select a shape, type the text, then press Enter.

    text in flowchart

  4. To add more shapes, select the shape to which you want to connect a new shape, go to SmartArt Tools Design, select the Add Shape dropdown arrow, and choose where you want to insert a new shape.

    Add Shape

    Not all Add Shape options are available for all flowcharts.

  5. To change the layout of the flowchart, go to SmartArt Tools Design and choose an option from the Layouts group.

    Layouts in SmartArt Tools

  6. To change any shape in the flowchart, right-click the shape, point to Format Shape, and choose the shape you want to apply.

    Change Shape in Excel flowchart

  7. Save the worksheet when you are happy with the changes you've made.

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