How to Do an Organization Chart in Excel

Building an organization chart in Excel is a surprisingly straightforward way to visualize your company's structure. You don't need fancy design software to create a clear, professional-looking chart that shows who reports to whom. This article will walk you through the two best methods for creating an org chart directly within Excel: the quick and easy SmartArt tool and the more customizable manual approach using shapes and connectors.

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Why Use Excel for an Organization Chart?

Before jumping into the step-by-step instructions, it’s worth asking: why Excel? For many, the answer is convenience and familiarity. Most businesses already have Microsoft Office, meaning you don't need to purchase or learn a new piece of software. It’s perfect for small to medium-sized businesses that need a simple way to map out their internal structure without a heavy investment in specialized tools. Plus, embedding your chart directly in a financial report or business dashboard is seamless.

Choose Your Method: SmartArt vs. Manual Shapes

Excel offers two primary paths for creating an org chart, each with its own advantages.

• SmartArt Graphics: This is the fastest and easiest method. SmartArt provides pre-made templates that automatically handle formatting, spacing, and connectors. It's the best option for users who want a good-looking chart with minimal effort.
• Shapes and Connectors: This is the manual method. It involves placing each shape and drawing each connecting line by hand. While it takes more time, it offers complete control over the layout, design, and details, making it ideal for non-standard hierarchies or highly customized visuals.

We'll walk you through both methods, starting with the beginner-friendly SmartArt approach.

Method 1: Creating an Org Chart with SmartArt Graphics

The SmartArt feature is Excel’s built-in tool for creating a variety of diagrams, and its hierarchy templates are perfect for org charts. Follow these steps to get yours built in minutes.

Step 1: Insert a SmartArt Graphic

First, open a blank Excel worksheet. Navigate to the Insert tab on the ribbon. In the Illustrations group, click on SmartArt. This will open a dialog box with a list of diagram categories on the left.

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Step 2: Choose the Hierarchy Layout

In the "Choose a SmartArt Graphic" dialog box, click on the Hierarchy category. Here you’ll find several styles specifically designed for organizational structures. The most common and useful one is the first option, simply named "Organization Chart." Click on it, and then click OK. A basic org chart template will appear on your spreadsheet.

Step 3: Add Your Team Members Using the Text Pane

When you insert the SmartArt, a Text Pane may appear to the left of the chart. If it doesn't, you can open it by clicking the small arrow tab on the left edge of the SmartArt border or by clicking "Text Pane" in the "SmartArt Design" tab at the top.

This pane is the fastest way to build out your hierarchy. Think of it as a bulleted list where indentation defines reporting structure.

• The top-level bullet represents the top-level person in your chart (e.g., the CEO).
• To add a subordinate who reports to a manager, press Enter to create a new bullet, then press the Tab key to indent it. This automatically places them below that manager in the chart.
• To promote someone a level up in the hierarchy, use Shift + Tab.

Simply type in the names and titles for each person in your organization, using Enter, Tab, and Shift+Tab to structure the reporting lines. For example:

• Jane Doe, CEO

As you type, you’ll see the chart update in real-time on your spreadsheet.

Step 4: Add and Rearrange Shapes as Needed

Sometimes you need to add roles that don't fit the standard subordinate model, like an assistant. The "SmartArt Design" tab, which appears whenever you select the chart, gives you more granular control.

• To add a new team member: Click on an existing shape, then go to the "SmartArt Design" tab, click the Add Shape dropdown, and choose where to add the new person (e.g., "Add Shape After," "Add Shape Below").
• To add an assistant: This is a special function. Select the manager's box and, in the "Add Shape" dropdown, choose "Add Assistant." This will create a box with a special elbow connector, visually setting them apart from the direct reporting line.
• To reorder roles: You can use the "Promote" and "Demote" buttons in the SmartArt Design tab to quickly change someone's position in the hierarchy.

Step 5: Customize Your Org Chart's Appearance

Once the structure is in place, you can focus on the aesthetics. The "SmartArt Design" tab has all the tools you need:

• Change Colors: Click the "Change Colors" button to apply a pre-set color theme that matches your brand or report.
• SmartArt Styles: This gallery offers different visual treatments, from simple flat designs to 3D and glossy effects. Hover over them to see a live preview.
• Layouts: The "Layouts" group lets you change the structure for a branch of the hierarchy. For example, you can select a manager with several direct reports and change their layout to "Both Hanging" or "Left Hanging" to save horizontal space.

You can also format individual shapes by right-clicking on a box and using the fill, outline, and font options, just like you would with any other Excel shape.

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Method 2: Building a Custom Org Chart with Shapes and Connectors

If the SmartArt templates feel too restrictive, building your chart manually gives you total freedom over the final look. It requires more patience but is the best way to get a fully customized result.

Step 1: Insert and Format Your First Shape

Go to the Insert tab and click Shapes. Choose a shape for your employees, like a rectangle or rounded rectangle. Click and drag on your spreadsheet to draw the first box, which will represent the head of the organization.

Before doing anything else, format this first shape perfectly. Right-click the shape to add and style your text (name and title), and use the "Shape Format" tab to select the fill color, outline color, and any effects. Getting this first one right will save you a ton of time.

Step 2: Duplicate Shapes for a Consistent Look

Once you're happy with your first shape, you don't need to create and format a new one for every employee. Simply duplicate it. You can do this in a couple of ways:

• Select the shape and use Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V to paste.
• A faster way: Hold down the Ctrl key, then click and drag the shape. This will create a duplicate instantly.

Create as many shapes as you need and update the text in each one for your team members.

Step 3: Arrange Your Shapes on the Grid

Position your duplicated shapes on the sheet to form your company's hierarchy. This is where Excel's gridlines are a big help. For pixel-perfect positioning, use the alignment tools.

Select multiple shapes by holding down the Shift key while clicking them. Then, go to the "Shape Format" tab, click the Align dropdown, and choose an option like "Align Top" to make sure all selected shapes are perfectly level or "Distribute Horizontally" to space them out evenly.

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Step 4: Draw Connectors to Show Reporting Lines

With your shapes in place, it's time to connect them. Go to Insert > Shapes and choose a line or connector shape. For org charts, the Elbow Connector is often the best choice.

• Click on the connector shape you want.
• Hover over the first box. You'll see small dots, or anchor points, appear on its border. Click on one of these points.
• Drag your cursor to the second box you want to connect and click on one of its anchor points.

Using these anchor points is important. When you link shapes this way, the connectors will automatically adjust if you move one of the boxes later. You can format the connectors just like shapes, changing their color or thickness in the "Shape Format" tab.

Step 5: Group Everything Together

After all your shapes and connectors are in place, your org chart is still a collection of individual objects. To make it easy to move, resize, or copy, you should group them.

• Click and drag your mouse to select all the objects in your chart. Alternatively, you can click on one object, then press Ctrl + A to select everything. With everything selected, go to the "Shape Format" tab, click Group, and then click Group again. Your chart will now behave as a single image.

Final Thoughts

Creating an organizational chart in Excel is a skill that blends data visualization with basic design. Whether you choose the speed of SmartArt or the control of manual shapes, you can easily produce a clear and professional diagram to help everyone in your team understand their role and the company's structure without needing any specialized software.

Tasks like building org charts are a reminder of how spreadsheets are often used for manual visualization and reporting. When it comes to analyzing business data from multiple places, however, that manual process can become a huge time sink. We built Graphed because we wanted to go from raw data to actionable dashboards without the work. By connecting directly to sources like Google Analytics, Shopify, and Salesforce, we let you ask questions in plain English and automatically build the real-time reports you need in seconds, freeing you from endless CSV downloads and pivot tables.