In the world of big businesses, it’s imperative that procedures are carried out as intended. Therefore, to make sure that your employees are capable of executing the steps of a workflow, utilizing a flowchart is a good idea. Whether it’s for a food preparation training program or a telephone merchandising process, the effectiveness of a professional flowchart is definitely worth the effort to put together. Though, in order to help you expedite the process, we’ve prepared a collection of Company Flowchart Templates that you can customize in Google Docs! Quickly create a useful infographic with our easily editable samples, which are printable in A4 and US letter sizes. So, don’t keep waiting and download today--make a flowchart for distribution, manufacturing, and more!
How to Make a Company Flowchart in Google Docs
From a production company to a real estate firm, the functionality of a flowchart should be considered when it comes to creating both a simple daily routine and a special project procedure. As described in a page from smallbusiness.chron.com, a flowchart is a diagram that serves to plainly and directly showcase the different steps involved in a process or workflow.
Also, as our way to guide those who are unfamiliar and want to save time, we’ve composed several tips (below) on creating a flowchart in Google Docs!
1. Familiarity With Common Shapes
If you’re new to how flowcharts work, then it’s important to first get familiar with the most common of the universal shapes and symbols used in this type of diagram. There are 5 shapes/symbols that you’ll typically find in a flowchart, which are: ovals, rectangles, parallelograms, diamonds, and arrows.
2. Access the Drawing Feature
After opening a fresh document in Google Docs, you’ll need to use the application’s drawing tool. To find it, open the Insert tab (top of the window) and then go to Drawing > New; this will open a smaller secondary window within Docs, which is where you’ll be drafting the chart.
Next, you’ll need an oval shape as the start of your flowchart. So, in the new window, go to Shape > Shapes and then insert an oval in one of the far-ends of the field--remember to label the oval by double-clicking it and then typing. Reposition the shape by simply click-dragging it to where you want and resize/stretch the shape by click-dragging one of the nodes on its sides/corners.
3. Input, Output, and Actions
Now that you have a starting point for your chart, the next step is to proceed with an action or input/output, which are represented by a rectangle and parallelogram respectively. An action could mean anything from transferring a crate of goods to inputting data into a cash register. With an input, an item is being received by or applied to a step that follows it; an output means the item is a result of a step that precedes it.
4. Flow, Loops, and Decisions
To connect the shapes in your document, open Select Line (next to Shape) and insert arrows to where you need them; be sure to guide the reader by pointing the arrows in the appropriate directions. Resize and reposition through the same process as with your other shapes.
For decisions (which lead to separate paths), use a diamond. After setting up a diamond, you’ll have at least two separate paths/arrows, where the appropriate path is dictated by the choice made in the diamond.
Lastly, bear in mind that a workflow might lead to a loop back to the starting oval, so remember to arrange the flowchart as needed. Also, if you’d like some editable flowchart samples for businesses that deal with furniture, food, or whatever else, then do check out our Company Flowchart Templates!