Businesses of all sizes and across all industries rely on multiple processes in order to function smoothly. Documenting business processes can help companies identify inefficiencies, implement changes, and provide uniform understanding of how a process works and who is involved. A process document compiles information about a specific process by detailing the necessary steps, and serves as a reference guide. Having this information in writing helps ensure that workflows are operating according to guidelines, provides structure for process management, and assists with knowledge transfer when employees change roles or when training new hires. From defining consistent standards to improving business performance, there are many reasons to document processes.
To save you time with process documentation, download one of the free Microsoft Word or Excel templates below and create a customized, reusable document for your business.
Business Process Document Template — Word
Create a formal business process document using this outline for Microsoft Word. The template includes typical sections for documentation — including process purpose, flow, roles, and other details — and can easily be edited to suit your particular needs. Simple formatting makes this template easy to use and share with team members, stakeholders, and other interested parties.
Download Business Process Document Template — Word
Simple Process Document Template — Excel
This documentation template provides a basic format for entering process details along with a flowchart for visual mapping. Customize the template by editing or adding sections based on your specific business and project. Since this is an Excel template, you can also add new sheets for tracking and analyzing process measurements. Print the template by saving it as a PDF file.
Download Simple Process Document Template — Excel
Business Process Flowchart — Excel
Use this flowchart template for process mapping and add it to your business process document. Flowcharts are often created using Visio or other mapping software, but this simple template provides symbols that you can cut and paste for an easy and cost-effective solution. Create a visual representation of each step in a business process.
Download Business Process Flowchart — Excel
Process Documentation Benefits
Process documentation can affect not only the efficiency of individual processes, but also the overall performance within a business. Here are a few of the potential benefits that can result from accurate documentation:
- Facilitate Transitions: Documentation can provide a close-up look at a given process as well as a larger context for how it fits with other business practices. This information is useful for determining how to integrate multiple processes or to make changes to an individual process. For example, if you’re switching from a manual process to automation, having a process document in place can help ease the transition.
- Improve Communication: Having a process guide encourages mutual understanding across an organization, which supports planning and implementation for new projects or process changes. It can also streamline training for new employees or when outsourcing projects. The documentation process can also spark discussion among stakeholders, potentially leading to innovation and improvement.
- Provide Structure: Defining the boundaries and control points for a process provides clarity about procedures and outcomes to help ensure it is being carried out efficiently.
- Reduce Costs: If you can increase efficiency while improving quality, the result is likely to be a boost to your bottom line and to customer satisfaction.
For all the advantages of process documentation, there can also be some drawbacks. For instance, if a process is recorded incorrectly, the document will be inaccurate and potentially harmful. The person responsible for documentation should have a thorough understanding of the process or be part of a team of stakeholders that can help ensure accuracy. Having clear guidelines for process management procedures can provide structure and accountability for whoever is developing the document. A project may also be slowed down initially as the documentation process takes place, but ultimately it should support efficiency and expedite any changes to a process that might be needed in the future.
Best Practices for Documentation
A clear and concise process document can help manage timely changes and provide a valuable reference guide. To be effective, it needs to be thorough and well-written so that readers can utilize the document. Here are some best practices and tips to keep in mind:
- Watch for possible improvements while going through the documentation process.
- Review documents regularly and revise them as processes change. Keep track of process changes by including a “change history” section in the document.
- Solicit feedback from employees involved in a process to get details on how activities are executed, the importance of different steps, and other relevant insights.
- Include images and flowcharts to illustrate process steps.
- Use a template for process documentation in order to standardize the approach and final document.
- Create separate documents for individual processes rather than grouping them together in a single document.
The above tips apply to documenting business processes. This is different from software documentation, a term that can apply to various stages of software development, from documentation during planning and management to creating user manuals for final products.
What to Include in a Business Process Document
Making a process document can be as simple as following the outline of a template, but you’ll need to customize it to fit the needs of a specific business. Once the template has been fine-tuned, it can serve as a guide for others within an organization to follow. Below are sections commonly included in a process document:
- Process Name: Sum up the process with a descriptive name that distinguishes it from other processes.
- Introduction: This section may include background information, describe the purpose of the process, and explain the process scope. A scope statement can include both what is and is not included in a process. You may also choose to include an applicability matrix for a quick, visual guide to the process scope and roles involved.
- Process Inputs: Identify what input or need triggers the start of the process.
- Process Boundaries: Define clear parameters for where a process begins and ends.
- Process Flow: Use a flowchart or list all of the tasks involved in a process and their organization. Providing a visual illustration of the steps in a process can help readers quickly understand how it flows from start to finish.
- Process Outputs: This may be an actual product or less tangible result, but all processes have a purpose that they are designed to achieve. An output may actually be outside of the defined boundaries of a process, but knowing the expected outcome is relevant to understanding a process.
- Exceptions: Outline the exception management process, which is how exceptions to the normal process flow will be handled when they arise.
- Roles and Responsibilities: Multiple people may be responsible for carrying out different aspects of a business process. Include a list all of the roles and their associated responsibilities so that it’s clear who to contact when a problem occurs or a change needs to be implemented. Some process documents include a decision matrix to illustrate who can make decisions about different elements of a process.
- Process Approval: Outline procedures for reviewing, revising, and approving process documents.
A process document may also include specific measurements for tracking process performance, a reference section for citing other documents, and a change history for recording updates.
Process Documentation for Healthcare Organizations
Healthcare organizations rely on accurate, real-time clinical documentation and process records to make quick, agile decisions, track, analyze, and report on the progress of a patient, clinical study, or other health-related research, and facilitate communication across the organization.
Documentation is also necessary for healthcare providers when evaluating claims and reviewing patient information. Additionally, healthcare companies must abide by stringent security measures, ensuring that all processes, data, and health information are securely stored, tracked, and maintained. To ensure optimal quality of care, foster communication between providers and patients, and maintain confidentiality of data and information, you need a powerful, real-time tool that empowers healthcare organizations to effectively manage documentation.
Smartsheet is a work execution platform that enables healthcare companies to improve work efficiency, scale repetitive processes, and securely store and share protected health information. Track and manage important documents in one centralized location and share reports with authorized team members, while maintaining top-level data security and protection under HIPAA regulatory requirements.
Interested in learning more about how Smartsheet can help you maximize your efforts? Discover Smartsheet for Healthcare.
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Running any business smoothly is a difficult target. You can run any business across all industries if you have planned everything related to business. The documenting processes for business are helpful because they provide complete information about the company.
The document process is helpful in this matter because it contains all the necessary details, or you can say that this is a reference guide for your business. When you provide complete information about the company, it will be easy to work with you. The process templates for word documents are helpful in this situation. The WPS office has uploaded plenty of templates, which you can use easily.
Here is the list of process templates for word documents.
IT project documentation template.
You must remember that quality exceeds quantity regarding documentation for IT projects. You have to recheck all the details in the IT process template for the word document.
Data science project documentation template
This data science process template for word document has all the information required for the project. This template is easy to customize, and you can put information according to the project’s requirements.
Social media marketing template
This social media marketing process template for word documents is used as a legal template. This is easy to download and use for marketing purposes related to business.
Catering proposal template
If you own a catering business, you can use this catering proposal process template for word documents. This template is available in pretty lovely layouts, and you can customize it if you want to have your ideas on this template.
Business proposals templates for other companies
It is a challenging task to write a business proposal for other companies. If you want to send an extraordinary proposition, you can use this business proposal process template for a word document.
Payment agreement template
If you want a legal contract with your clients, this payment agreement process template for a word document is valid. You can write about the repayment or loan amount details on this template.
Education project documentation template
This education project process template for word documents is used to keep the documents organized. This will contain all the information: request date, ownership, and more.
Quality improvement template
This quality improvement process template for word documents is used to keep the outcomes of the healthcare organization. This holds the entire patient record; you can download this template from the WPS office.
Library management system template
Library management is an essential thing to do in every educational institute. This library management process template for word documents is the best to use. This has almost all the details of the items required for the library.
Web press web design template
The web presence is essential for every business, and the templates used for this purpose should have outstanding layouts. This web press process template for word documents has a professional look and is easy to customize.
Conclusion
For business purposes, the making of the document is an essential thing to do. Time is the crucial thing in managing your business. So, save time and use these online accessible process templates for word documents.
So, what do you do when you need to explain and illustrate complexity? Turn to flow chart templates for Word. They take a tool you already know and make it easy to create process flow diagrams for Word. Flow charts make concepts easy to understand.
Leonardo Da Vinci once said that, «simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.» Yet, we live in an increasingly complex world, full of details that must be explained.
In this article, we’re going to show you the best of the best flow chart template Word options. You’ll see free flowchart template Word downloads, but there’s so much more. Free flowchart templates aren’t the best way to illustrate your ideas.
We’ll show you the best premium flow chart templates (with unlimited downloads!) Plus, you’ll learn about a pay-as-you-download option with the web’s best Microsoft Word flowchart templates. Both are outstanding options to show your process in action.
5 Premium Process Flow Diagram Templates
Ready to see the best of the best flowchart in Word templates? These flow chart examples will inspire you to create an easy-to-follow map of your own.
We’ll feature five of the best process flow diagrams from Envato Elements. Best of all, you can download each of these Microsoft Word flowchart templates and use them as a head start!
1. A5 Landscape Company Profile, Word Template
This flow chart template for Word has 16 custom layouts inside. It’s a great process map template for all your project needs. The design is stylish, and it’s easy to customize right inside of Word.
2. Project Proposal Template
Use this process diagram template the next time you need to map out a process in Word. Stunning Microsoft Word flowchart designs make edits a breeze. This one is flexible enough to work for any project or business.
3. Media/Press Kit Template
Made for PR use, this flow chart template for Word has a simple timeline that you can adapt to your processes. A Microsoft flowchart like this helps you illustrate key milestones. Note the cool colors and sharp fonts used throughout the flow chart template.
4. Proposal MS Word
This process map template includes over a dozen Microsoft flowchart examples. The styling is minimalistic and subtle, helping your content shine. All you’ve got to do is drop in your key details. The expertly crafted design does the rest of the work for you.
5. Proposal
Any strong proposal needs a process flow diagram to map it out. These premium process map template designs have exactly that. In moments, you can clearly map out your process flowchart. This is one of the best Microsoft Word flowchart templates available in 2023.
18+ Top Free MS Word Flowchart (Process Map) Template Examples to Download (2023)
Before looking for a free flowchart template on the web, check Envato’s free offerings first. Try out various premium template files (not always process flow diagrams) at no cost to you.
Here’s the deal:
- Every month Envato Elements offers 12 different hand-selected files, (fonts, presentations, videos, and more). Create a free account to download this month’s free premium files now.
Still haven’t found what you need? That’s okay, because we’ve got you covered with free flowchart template Word options. Let’s look at usable downloads for free flowchart templates:
1. Timeline Word Template 01
A simple free flowchart template Word, this one can convert from a timeline fast. It works to track projects, map processes, and more.
2. Business Plan Template
This free flowchart template lets you make a business plan with a process flow diagram. It’s a basic design with several page themes.
3. Log Sheet
Log Sheet is a free flowchart template Word design that you can use to track progress. It’s a generic table layout, so you’ll need to add your own labels.
4. Family Chore Chart
Although it’s got a specific theme, you can tailor this flow chart template for free to fit many projects. It’s got a purple backdrop and colorful borders.
5. Project Timeline
A flowchart in Word like this helps you track events and dates. The process map template has a variety of row labels that you can fill in to build a Microsoft Word flowchart.
6. Weekly Assignment Sheet
A flowchart in Word often needs to include key stakeholders and their tasks. This free flowchart template Word has space for that, and colorful layouts.
7. Project Planning Timeline
Here’s a process map template with a grid layout. It’s got ample space for details that help your flow chart example inform any reader.
8. Timeline Word Template 02
This is a free chart template Word with a green background. It’s an option if you need a Microsoft Word flowchart with plenty of room for customization.
9. Executive Summary Template
This quick flow chart example delivers a concise Microsoft flowchart with supporting details. It’s up to you to adapt it for your needs.
10. 3-Month Business Plan Timeline
This free flowchart template has many layouts on a single sheet. It works for longer projects, or several diagrams on one page.
11. Story Map Templates
Story Map is a flow chart template Word design with several uses. Use it as a process flow diagram or build your own Microsoft Word flowchart.
12. Project Status Report Template
Project Status works if you need to make an updated Microsoft Word flowchart often. It defaults to a weekly duration, but you can change this by typing in new data.
13. 12-Month Timeline
A 12-month flowchart template offers a high-level overview of your process flow diagram. This one is in a vertical layout, suitable for printing.
14. Big Book With Infographics
This free flowchart template Word has flow chart example designs within. Insert your own data to use them for your next project.
15. Gantt Chart 8 Weeks Template
A Gantt free flowchart template like this helps you keep projects on track. Use this Microsoft Word flowchart template as a starting point for your process map.
16. Flow Chart Template
Another free flowchart template Word option, this one has a basic, simple layout. Begin with the default and add your own details as needed to make a process flow diagram.
17. Timeline
A timeline process flow diagram like this quickly converts into a Microsoft flowchart. It’s all a matter of the words and details you add to the sheet.
18. Pareto Chart
Pareto process map template designs help you diagnose problems. This free flowchart template has one inside for you to edit.
19. Cosmetics App UX Process
This colorful flow chart template for free works as a process map template as well. Swap out the default text with our own information to complete the project.
Find the Best Premium Flow Chart Template Word Options on Envato Elements (2023)
Maybe you’ve got a new hire at your company, and they need work instructions to follow along. Handing them a flow chart example in Word is a great way to kick off their learning. With clear steps, you greatly increase their chances of success.
Premium flow chart templates for Word are a worthwhile investment to help your reader. Envato Elements is the best source for top Word templates, with everything you need to create a flowchart in Word with less work than ever. Best of all, it’s all included for a single flat rate.
Find Out More About Elements
On Elements, you never have to worry about increasing your project costs. Elements is an unlimited-download service, with members paying a single low monthly fee. Unlock Word templates, custom fonts, graphics, and so much more.
Earlier in this article, we showed you the best free flowchart templates from around the web. But before you jump to the no cost options, remember that premium Microsoft Word flowcharts are always your best option.
Free flowchart templates come with a hefty price tag: they don’t give you the best designs with clear understanding. Remember, a flow chart is all about taking a complex process or operation and breaking it down into its component steps.
Read on to see ideas for our favorite premium Microsoft Word flowchart templates.
5 Quick Tips to Make Better Flowcharts in Word for 2023
We’ve explored some of the best Microsoft Word flowchart template designs for 2023. They’re the perfect way to start building a flowchart in Word. But to ensure success, consider these five quick tips. These Microsoft flowcharts are sure to help you make a great impression:
1. Avoid Clutter
Think about the purpose of a flowchart in Word. They’re meant to illustrate processes and bring clarity. A cluttered, confusing layout will do the exact opposite.
Choose clear and clean flow chart template designs. These let you accomplish your goal of explaining processes and ideas to readers.
2. Illustrate With Clip Art
Clip art illustrations bring new life to any Microsoft Word flowchart template. They add visual interest and grab reader attention.
It’s easy to work with clip art in Microsoft Word. To help you get started, we built a full tutorial on the subject. Give it a read today:
3. Style With Custom Fonts
While you probably think of a flowchart in Word as an illustration, don’t forget the text. In fact, fonts make up a large part of your style! Avoid generic fonts and aim for something unique.
Many premium flow chart template designs have custom fonts built in. You won’t find that with a free flowchart template!
As an Envato Elements subscriber, you’ve got access to thousands of custom fonts. Try as many as you want!
4. Use a Background Image
A plain background doesn’t do much to inspire readers of your Microsoft Word flowchart. It’s often useful to add a cool background to your chart.
A great way to do it is with an image background. By adding a photo like this, you make your work stand out from the crowd. Learn how with our quick tutorial:
5. Be Bold
What gets your attention when you look at a process flow diagram? Probably not dull colors and uninteresting layouts. In 2023, be bold with your design aesthetic.
Go for eye-catching layouts that present content differently. This helps you get your points across and communicate with your audience on a personal level.
5 Awesome Microsoft Word Flowchart Template Trends for 2023
Are you looking for trends for flowcharts in Word? Try some of these ideas to improve any flow chart template you choose:
1. Use Color Blocking
A process flow diagram can come to life with a few tweaks. Use color blocks to organize your information and draw your reader’s attention to the right places.
2. Add Tables
Tables are a great tool to organize a flowchart in Word. Resize your cells and columns to make your layout more interesting and easier to read. Learn more here:
3. Leave Space
Don’t be afraid of empty space! Giving information enough space in a process map template can help your readers’ understanding.
4. Try Contrast
Word process flow diagrams don’t have to be bland. Using bold colors and contrast will make your documents more fun and engaging to read.
5. Scale and Layout
Play around with the scale and sizing of your process flow diagram. This can be useful to separate information and give your content a sense of clear visual priority.
5 Benefits of Using Premium Word Flowchart Templates (In 2023)
Figuring out the ins and outs of Microsoft Word is a noble pursuit. But often, there’s just no time to waste. Using premium templates can save you time!
- Made by the pros. Top tier professionals are the masterminds behind Envato Elements’ premium Word flowchart templates. High quality is a given!
- Ready to go. Premium Word flowchart templates are real time savers. Drop your content, customize your template and you’re good to go.
- The right fit. With the thousands of premium Word flowchart templates available, you are sure to find the right fit for your project.
- Versatility. A premium template can be used for multiple purposes. Their modular designs make it easy to reorganize and customize to fit your needs.
- Quality through and through. No need to waste time looking for royalty free photos and graphics. Premium Word flowchart templates come with all the assets you need.
Benefits of Envato Elements (The Power of Unlimited Use)
Envato Elements is a unique service. It’s a flat-rate subscription that includes thousands of great Word templates for a single flat-rate price.
Sign up for Envato Elements. You’ll get access to thousands of unlimited use graphics and templates. Choose from web themes to Word templates, and more—all for one low price.
Common Word Flowchart Template Questions Answered (FAQ)
Before you get into customizing your Word flowchart template, let’s get some issues out of the way. Here are some common questions that’ll help you get started:
1. How Do I Make a Professional Flowchart in Word?
You can go a long way with choosing the right tools to create your flowchart. Use Shapes or SmartArt to Illustrate your process or flowchart. Premium templates include great layouts for you to work with.
Review the tutorial below to learn about shapes?
2. What Are the Rules for Designing a Flowchart?
Make sure all your arrows are pointing in the right direction. Use the right shapes for each stage of your process. There is a visual language to flowcharts. Each shape has its own meaning. Here’s a handy article with examples of fishbone diagrams:
3. What Are the 8 Symbols of a Flowchart?
Here are the basic symbols and their meanings, but there are many more for advanced processes:
- circle (connector)
- rectangle (process)
- triangle (merge)
- trapezoid (manual operation)
- diamond (decision)
- semicircle (required interface)
- hexagon (preparation)
- parallelogram (input/output).
Read this article to learn more about flowcharts:
4. What Are the Benefits of Using a Flowchart?
Flowcharts are a great way to communicate complex information. It works great for teams to have a better understanding of a process. Flowcharts are the way to go, whether you’re changing a process or creating a new one. Create a timeline using this tutorial:
5. How Can I Improve My Flowchart?
Make sure your design is consistent. Color-code the different shapes so they are easy to point out. Align all your elements properly, avoid messy-looking flowcharts!
Here’s a group of flyer templates you may want to use as a basis for your next flowchart.
Discover More Top Microsoft Word Template Designs
You’ve seen some of the best process map templates for Microsoft Word. These are truly the best way to lay out the steps in even the most complex process.
Microsoft Word templates are magic. Microsoft Word flowchart templates are just the beginning. There’s truly a template for every type of project you need, and we frequently highlight them on Envato Tuts+.
Check out even more of the best Microsoft Word templates. Many of these designs also work as great options for process flow diagrams!
Learn More About Making Great Word Documents in 2023
Microsoft Word is a powerful way to draft documents and files. You’ve already seen flowchart in Word templates that make it easy to show a process, step-by-step. A flow chart template makes it easy to simply fill in a pre-built design with your details.
You might have found that you still have a few questions about Microsoft. And thanks to our learning resources, like Learn How to Use Microsoft Word (Beginner Tutorial Guide,) you can master the app with less work.
We’ve got you covered with even more tutorials. Check out three of our favorites below:
Start Using Process Flow Diagrams For Word Today
Need to explain your process? You’ve learned how to do just that, with the help of Microsoft flowchart templates for Word. Lay out instructions step-by-step, and everything will come together naturally for the reader.
You’ve seen a selection of free flowchart templates. But you know now that the premium options for Microsoft flowcharts from Envato Elements are the best, most cost-effective designs.
Even the most complicated process is easy when you break it down with a Microsoft Word flowchart. Jump to one of our links, download a flow chart template, and start today!
This post has been updated with contributions from Lex (Lex Soto). Lex is a staff writer for Envato Tuts+.
Featured Bonus Content: Download 57 Flow Chart Templates for FREE! Click Here To Download It.
To improve efficiency in your organization, all team members and employees must be on the same page regarding your company’s procedures and processes.
That way, everyone will know exactly what they need to do at all times, and who they need to collaborate with on the team to complete a specific task.
While there are many systems available for working collaboratively and efficiently in a team, flowcharts have been exceptional when it comes to establishing efficiency in many organizations.
Flowcharts visualize the steps that your employees must take to complete a process or procedure in your organization. Businesses have been using flowcharts for years, and they’re still relevant to date.
In this detailed guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about flowcharts. Also, you’ll find access to 57 free flowchart templates for Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Google Docs that you can download, tweak and use for your own business.
Table of Contents:
Chapter One: What Are Flowcharts?
Chapter Two: Types of Flowcharts
Chapter Three: Uses and Advantages of Flowchart Templates
Chapter Four: Flowchart Templates for Word
Chapter Five: PowerPoint Flowchart Templates
Chapter Six: Flowchart Templates for Excel
Chapter Seven: Flowchart Templates for Google Docs
Chapter Eight: Flowchart Templates Frequently Asked Questions
Chapter Nine: Create and Manage Your Flowchart Templates with SweetProcess
Chapter One: What Are Flowcharts?
Flowcharts are graphical representations of how tasks, processes, or systems should flow. With them, you can document, plan, refine and visualize all the available steps in a workflow.
The best part is that flowcharts capture everything in a single chart, which allows you to easily spot overlapping tasks, assign tasks efficiently, or break down complex tasks.
Now let’s dive into more in-depth information about what flowcharts are, why you should use them, and who benefits most from them in an organization.
What is a Flowchart?
A flowchart is simply a graphic representation of a procedure. They are frequently used to document, analyze, plan, enhance, and convey complex processes in clear, simple diagrams.
Let’s say you’re a copywriting agency that helps business owners design landing pages with high conversion rates. Some of the procedures you’ll follow include:
- Understanding the company’s use cases and features
- Interviewing their current customers
- Transcribing the interview
- Highlighting the common pain points mentioned by the customers
- Writing the first draft of the copy
- Sending it over to the client for inputs and corrections
- Adding screenshots, annotations, and videos to the copy
- Sending the final copy to the client for approval
- Designing the landing page
- Publishing it
As you can see, this is a procedure that you follow in your agency to deliver your services to clients. By using a flowchart, you’ll turn these steps into a graphical representation that anyone can look at and understand almost immediately.
Flowcharts can range from simple hand-drawn diagrams to detailed computer-drawn graphics illustrating several processes and paths.
They are one of the most widely used diagrams in the world. They have been adopted by technical and non-technical professionals in different industries.
Now that you have a better understanding of what flowcharts are, let’s talk about why you should use them in your organization.
Why Use Flowcharts?
Flowcharts illustrate the steps that are required to complete a specific task. Simply put, if you want your team to identify the overall structure of a system, understand how to navigate a particular task, or study a process for improvement, creating a flowchart is the best way to achieve it.
Here are some other reasons why using a flowchart makes sense for your business:
- It helps you highlight the issues that might affect the effective management of a workflow.
For instance, if you want to find out where you should focus to increase the efficiency, quality, or performance of a job schedule or system, you should use a flowchart to display vast amounts of actual information in a single screen. The flowchart makes it possible to manage everything from one view.
- It allows you to assign distinct color schemes to various activities and procedures to make them easier to understand.
- It helps you with concept mapping. If you have an idea that you want to communicate to the rest of your team, the most efficient way is to chart out a flow that displays how individual parts relate to achieving synergy. Doing this gives room for knowledge organization and brainstorming.
- It simplifies fault troubleshooting, process documentation, continuous process improvement, and makes it easy for you to create training materials and workflow guides for your team.
Let’s move on to who benefits most from the use of flowcharts.
Who Benefits From Flowcharts?
Here is the fact:
Anyone from any industry can benefit from the use of flowcharts. These include:
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Agriculture
- Retail
- Mining
- Production
- Transportation
- Food industry
- Finance
- Telecommunications
- Marketing
- Real estate
- Education
- Engineering
- Health
- Insurance
- And so many more
By using a flowchart in your organization, you’ll provide your company’s stakeholders from all levels with information that helps them grasp the process better, and determine which steps are superfluous and where progress needs to be improved.
It can also allow you to communicate in a flash by clarifying your work progress in a simple, visual way to help your team members understand what they should do next in a step-by-step manner.
It’s important to note that there are different types of flowcharts, which are suited for specific purposes.
Chapter Two: Types of Flowchart
- High-Level Flowchart
As the name implies, this flowchart provides a high-level picture of a specific process by outlining six to ten major steps. It shows the primary blocks of action or major system components of a process. It is particularly valuable in the early stages of a project since they aid in the identification of improvement priorities.
- Detailed Flowchart
The detailed flowchart delves deeper into the entire work process and lays down all the phases and procedures. By definition, it is a flowchart that thoroughly highlights a process by depicting individual stages in detail. Usually, these stages are in dozens or more. It simplifies the identification of complex, superfluous steps, and other issues in the process and can be used when standardizing or changing the process.
- Deployment Flowchart
The deployment flowchart shows the department and sometimes the person on the team who is in charge of each process or procedure. Flowcharts for deployment show the steps in a process as well as who or what group is involved in each step.
For instance, if you want to build a deployment flowchart as shown above, you need to identify the groups responsible for each task at the top, i.e., production, administration, and marketing, as shown.
This deployment flowchart combines two important characteristics which are the order in which a process’s steps are performed and the person responsible for each step. Its advantage is that it shows how work is passed from one person or group to another, and reveals possible misunderstandings and errors that often occur along the line.
Chapter Three: Uses and Advantages of Flowchart Templates
Flowchart templates are great time savers and resource managers. Instead of having a team of designers studying and simplifying work processes across different sections, you can assign a staff to go from one department to another so they can understand the work processes better and use flowchart templates to create templates easier and faster.
Also, flowchart templates help new team members gain a better understanding of the work process so that they gradually increase team productivity.
Here are different use cases and advantages of using a flowchart template.
Uses of Flowchart Templates
- Flowchart templates are used to create sales processes and track the progress of potential opportunities. This assists you in leveraging data to identify growth opportunities.
- They help your team make decisions about pricing bundles or customer quotes. This is because it highlights the different tasks and shows you where to invest more resources. It also improves consistency in policy documentation and communications.
- They are used to display and visualize items such as raw materials, chemicals, or other inputs before they go into the making of a product.
- They highlight the entire production process in detail so that you can demonstrate dependencies and figure out bottlenecks.
- They are used to create procedures for quality assurance and consistent evaluation in manufacturing.
- They are used to reduce bottlenecks when programmers align how users interact with a page or an application.
- In programming and web development, they are used to ensure consistency when describing the structure and organization of the code to your team. This leads to uniformity in the visual representation of algorithms.
Advantages of Flowchart Templates
- Flowchart templates help you save time and money. When communicating a complex task, the templates help you represent those complex entities in a very simple logic that is easier to understand, thereby saving you and your team scarce resources.
- During analysis, flowchart templates allow for effectiveness as they simplify the problem and make solutions more comprehensible.
- They make it easier for you to debug programmatic systems and efficiently test projects. They also help in efficient task assigning as it becomes easier to connect individual skills to peculiar tasks.
- They provide consistency and uniformity in the creation of task pathways and help to reduce errors in task documentation.
- Flowchart templates increase the flexibility and efficiency of program maintenance. They ensure that operating programs have a seamless workflow.
Disadvantages of Flowchart Templates
- Flowchart templates are difficult to alter or modify, especially in large organizations. Whenever you make any changes to a flowchart template, your procedures and processes will be affected as well. In a large organization, this might result in drastic changes to your existing procedures and processes that might take months to figure out.
- If you have a complex organizational structure, your flowchart template will most likely look clumsy. This will make it difficult for your team members and management team to understand.
- Any error or oversight made from the process or procedure used to create the flowchart is costly. This will lead you to spend more time and resources to redraw or recreate the flowchart and its template from scratch.
Chapter Four: Flowchart Templates for Word
Microsoft Word is one of the oldest and most popular tools for making a flowchart template.
We’ve compiled 20+ free flowchart templates in Word below, which you can download, tweak, and use for your organization.
- Budgeting flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The budgeting flowchart template allows the management team to define financial goals, track expenditures, and take corrective action to maximize profit potential.
With this flowchart template, targets are defined, previous expenditures are evaluated, resources are estimated, and permissions are gained to confirm the final work output.
- Medical flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
Medical flowchart templates aid in the diagnosis, investigation, and treatment of a variety of ailments in a healthcare organization. This could involve the flow of the branches of medicine, and pointers to clinical practice case studies. The flowchart shows different ailments and provides pointers and structures for treating them.
This could be used in andrology, cardiology, complementary and alternative medicine, dermatology, medications for drugs and alcohol, etc.
- Change management process map template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This change management flowchart template is a visual aid that shows you how the change management and control process is implemented across the organization.
It entails the changes that have been made, the controls that have been implemented, and the framework that has been used to manage these changes.
- Marketing flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This marketing flowchart template is a written and graphical depiction of all the stages required to perform a set of marketing duties. From the definition of marketing goals, research and analysis, budgeting and implementation, and more, it covers all the steps to achieving great outcomes from your marketing activities.
- Social media flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The social media flowchart template is a diagram flow that depicts the detailed steps to use when managing a social media page for your organization. With this template, users will find better ways and directions to interact with new social media platforms that may seem difficult for them.
- Project flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The project process flowchart template is useful for visualizing the processes that must be followed during the project management process. It guides you through the stage of project creation, team selection, and task assignment.
This template provides an effective walk-through to building projects from beginning to end.
- Customer service flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The customer service flowchart template is a graphic representation of a company’s customer service procedure which includes the customer request, the initial response sent to the customer, how the issue is channeled to the appropriate department for resolution, and so on.
This template visualizes each step, hence aiding teamwork and improving the overall customer experience.
- Work flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This work flowchart template highlights the business process from beginning to end in a step-by-step, linear manner. It shows the flow of individual tasks, behaviors, or resources between individuals or groups.
For example, when a customer calls the support unit of an organization, it explains how the support personnel can give details of the available services, and walk the customer through the process until the problem gets solved.
- Operations flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The operations flowchart template visually shows the steps in a process and the specific order it follows. For instance, in quality improvement, this flowchart guides you to identify how to create a scale that serves as a standard, and how to measure the created outcome by the scale to achieve optimal results, and reveal areas of improvement priorities.
- Patient flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The patient flowchart template captures the movement of patients through a healthcare facility. It highlights the medical care, physical resources, and internal mechanisms required to move patients from admission to discharge while ensuring quality and patient/provider satisfaction.
- Yes/No flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The yes/no flowchart template shows how different types of categories for an issue are acknowledged. This is useful when you want to present the findings of a survey.
Sometimes called the two-fold or butterfly chart, this flowchart highlights the percentage values of the two sectors or the decision-making process.
- App flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The application flowchart template is used to create and document simple applications processes and programs. They visualize the process of planning, designing, creating, and marketing an application.
It allows you to visualize how the app development process works, as well as identify the less-obvious elements such as defects and bottlenecks.
- Electronic design flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The electronic design flowchart template is used for electronic design flows, process activities, and user representations. Designers use these flexible shapes to depict, design interactions, and present stakeholders with easy-to-understand electronic design maps. It also includes features like lines to connect labeled, standardized symbols to represent what users can do in interactive environments.
- Sports flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This sports flowcharts template reveals how internal sports management is done.
It shows how coaches, technical leads, and team members’ responsibilities are outlined and how processes get shared or transferred between different teams and departments. It breaks down games into recreational and professional purposes and ensures that the team gets the necessary permission to achieve its tasks.
- Email marketing flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The email marketing flowchart templates are email sequences that are triggered and delivered automatically. They highlight how you will collect email subscribers, the process of sending them emails, and the next point of action depending on how they interacted with the initial email.
They also show the flow of sending relevant, scheduled, and triggered emails to subscribers or prospects by using the software.
- Company flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The company flowchart template is a graphical depiction of how a business interacts with its customers, vendors, and employees. It’s used to have a top-down understanding of how a process of interacting with customers works. It also highlights the steps that your team follows to interact with the different products, invoicing processes, and events affecting results.
- Production flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This production flowchart template shows how to plan and make your product in stages, the equipment and tools you’ll need, and quality control checks to put in place. It helps you initiate purchasing orders, receive and confirm the order, then select the product line to dispense, and how to start bulk production.
- Decision tree flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The decision tree flowchart template is an easy tool for fast decision-making. It has internal nodes that represent a certain feature test (e.g., whether a coin flip will come up heads or tails), each leaf node represents a class label (decision made after computing all features), and branches represent feature combinations that lead to those class labels.
- Sample audit flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This audit flowchart template is used to show each step an auditor must take when analyzing a company’s finances. The findings of an auditor may have financial and legal implications for a corporation. It presents when audit schedules are created, the specific process calls, file audit report, correction action, etc. If you’re an auditor, this helps you to be thorough and precise in your work process.
- Finance work flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The finance workflow template chart assists independent financial experts, risk analysts, and firms in streamlining the entire time-consuming and repetitive financial operations such as travel and purchase requests. This will then allow the personnel or team to work more productively and efficiently.
- Project management flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The project management flowchart template is best used for creating, selecting, planning, and managing projects. From idea proposition, requesting a review, creating and approving business cases, and delivering projects, it covers the entire stage.
It also highlights the internal operations, steps in a process, and predictable outcomes of managing a project lifecycle.
- Research project flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This research project flowchart template highlights the movements and actions within a complex system. It includes how to generate research ideas, writing out the background research and planning process, then the project draft. These qualitative research flowcharts serve as a road map to help you move from the start of an investigation to a conclusion.
- Internship flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The HR internship management system flowchart template allows you to manage the process of a candidate’s internship and industrial training in your organization. It shows how interns are to address employees’ queries, and how the employee reviews and distributes company policies to them. It also involves administration and report preparation.
- Architecture flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This architecture flowchart template abstracts the overall structure of a software architectural planning system. It includes the interactions, constraints, and boundaries between its components. It shows how the initial project discussion is, how the information gathering and documentation goes, and the schematic design, etc.
It’s a useful tool since it gives you a bird’s-eye view of the software system’s physical deployment as well as a timeline for its progress.
Chapter Five: Powerpoint Flowchart Templates
Powerpoint is an intuitive flowchart maker that companies have been using for years.
We’ve compiled 13 free PowerPoint flowchart templates below which you can download, tweak, and use for your organization.
- Organizational structure flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This organizational structure flowchart template highlights a company’s structure. It shows the various positions, departments, and tasks that link different employees and the management team. It serves as a work relationship pointer to ensure that there is an effective work relationship in an organization.
- Circular flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The circular flowchart template model or diagram lets you visualize the flows of products and money between two distinct segments of the economy. It shows where enterprises sell certain goods and services, then reveals what they have produced in exchange for revenue from households.
- Data flow diagram template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This data flowchart template is typically a programming paradigm that divides computational actors into stages or pipelines that can run at the same time. It allows you to stream processing and analyze the reactive programming nodes that are present in a data flow.
- Cylindrical flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This cylindrical shaped 3D flowchart template reflects data that has been saved. It shows how information can be saved on a hard drive, magnetic tape, memory card, or any other type of storage device. It also shows how databases are kept intact, and how a data file is represented by a cylinder.
- Behavior flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This behavior flowchart template shows how human behaviors impact numerous factors happening around them. It establishes procedures for discouraging inappropriate behavior and decides which behaviors are managed in a particular setting. In schools, these flowcharts support teachers in designing classroom management systems and consistently approach classroom-managed behaviors.
It also helps them to explicitly re-teach the expectation of behavioral patterns, communicate with families, and provide options for replacement behavior.
- Communication flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The communication flowchart template shows how a process, system, or computer algorithm works. It involves the communication flowchart as the backbone of any corporation. It shows how important it is to ensure that workflows are feasible and easy for users to comprehend.
- HACCP flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The HACCP flowchart template depicts a food operation’s process flow from raw ingredients to finished products. It is usually used by a team called HACCP Team or the Food Safety Team. This flowchart details the process of sourcing and collecting food raw materials, cleaning and processing them, and making them into finished products.
- Manufacturing flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The manufacturing process flowchart template shows the individual steps of manufacturing a product from start to finish. It involves the logical order of describing and selecting several processes for manufacturing, then adding the other technical, tactical and strategic administration to the service delivery process and project plans.
- Project management flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The project management flowchart template helps you to detail the actions and roles responsible for executing them. The inputs and outputs for each step are all included in managing and ensuring quality in a given project. In addition, it keeps track of any document or other materials needed to carry out the actions.
This flowchart provides clarity and transparency by avoiding superfluous and technical jargon that may confuse stakeholders and team members from understanding the project concept.
- Sales process flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The sales process flowchart template outlines the processes that each salesperson should take to convert a prospect into a customer. It details how each employee should address customers from their respective stations, showing them who they can refer customers to, and understand the stages of the buyer’s journey.
- Supply chain flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The supply chain flowchart template is a comprehensive and action-specific template that allows you to ensure effective end-to-end product delivery. It is used by most firms to manage their supply chain procedures so they can improve the way their goods move from the raw material stage to the finishing and storing stage.
- Vertical swimlane flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
In this vertical swimlane process flowchart template, users can delineate task sharing and responsibilities for sub-processes within a business process.
Though the swimlanes flowchart can be positioned horizontally too, the swimlane map shows the process, decisions, and loops that divide events and activities into “lanes” to identify the individual or group responsible for each subprocess.
- Service flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The service flowchart template makes service delivery seamless. It’s specific to coffee making and shows how a coffee maker could involve the coffee grinder, pot, and mug in brewing coffee for a customer.
It aids you in examining the connections between what your clients anticipate, the service provided by skilled people, and how well the service matched those expectations. It also helps in identifying service gaps or areas that require improvement.
Chapter Six: Flowchart Templates For Excel
Microsoft Excel is an underrated tool for making flowchart templates.
We’ve compiled 12 free flowchart templates for Excel below, which you can download, tweak, and use for your organization.
- Process flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The process flowchart template shows the sequential steps of a process as well as the decisions that must be made for the process to function. It highlights every step as represented by a form and indicates the movement and direction of the process. Lines and arrows connect these forms.
- Organizational flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The organizational flowchart template is a valuable tool for firms to display their organizational structure. It helps you to present all your teams by levels, then shows how they can work together. It details how the captains of your organization steer the navigations officers and other crew members.
- Decision flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The decision flowchart template provides an easy way to make decisions. It helps to limit the numerous available options that you may have, identify and separate what’s good and bad, then help you listen to your gut to make fast decisions.
It is a planning tool that analyzes what might go wrong in a plan under development in a systematic manner, and how the countermeasures are being developed to prevent or mitigate wrong decision-making.
- Website flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The website flowchart template allows you to structure the complexity of any existing or planned website. From the UI/UX designer side to the front-end software development, and the backend developers working on the website functionalities, with this flowchart template you’ll be able to strategize the product, UX, and content teams so they can comprehend everything on a website and plan how to add or rearrange material to optimize the user experience.
- Purchase process flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The purchase process flowchart template is also known as the procurement process flowchart. It is a skeletal architecture that illustrates how purchase and procurement take place or are managed within an organization.
- Process map diagram chart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The process mapping flowchart template illustrates the flow of a process. It starts by examining the macro level of the process and working down to the degree of detail required to discover chances for improvement.
This template helps to focus less on job titles or hierarchy, but on the process of effectively delivering on tasks.
- Document management work flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The document management flowchart template is used for capturing, generating, tracking, editing, approving, storing, retrieving, retaining, and destroying documents related to business processes. This template uses digital document processing to allow businesses to reduce the amount of paperwork they have on hand, which can slow down day-to-day operations.
- E-commerce flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The e-commerce flowchart template process outlines several aspects of a standard e-commerce website. It covers check out and payment, abandoned cart, and delivery. It allows you to track certain circumstances that could occur.
- Healthcare work flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The healthcare work flowchart template helps you to create an ordered and repeatable pattern for your healthcare’s agency business activity. It also helps you create a methodical arrangement of resources into processes that change materials, deliver services, or process data.
- Construction flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The construction flowchart templates highlight how construction is managed from the idea and approval stage, to the construction preparation, land survey, analysis, excavation, and base check.
At the basic level, it depicts the interaction between building phases, the ones that are dependent on the completion of others until the sequence reaches completion. It can be used as a subcontractor management reminder.
- Software development flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The software development flowchart template highlights how to build a software product or platform from the concept, inception, construction, iterations, to the production and retirement level.
It has a representation of a procedure and system that is frequently utilized in a variety of fields to document, analyze, plan, enhance, and convey often complex processes in clear, simple entities.
- Finance flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The finance flowchart template helps you in the planning and analysis of processes that includes developing a strong financial plan, forecasting, budgeting, and analytical reports. It allows an organization to maintain and enhance its financial situation.
Chapter Seven: Flowchart Templates Google Docs
Google Docs isn’t just for collaborating with your team members alone. It is an effective tool for making a flowchart template.
Below are eight free flowchart templates in Google Docs, which you can download, tweak, and use for your organization.
- Blank flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This blank flowchart template provides you with ready-made shapes and connectors that you can always use to create any flowchart of your choice. It’s simple to use and tweak for your specific use cases.
- Business flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
This business flowchart template defines all the stages and phases in the business process development. It includes ideation, planning, analysis, budgeting, etc.
- Hiring process flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The hiring process flowchart template shows the steps in the recruitment process. It itemizes the creation of the recruitment requirements, setting the criteria for employment, job advertising, interview process, and sending the job offer.
- Mobile app process flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The mobile app flowchart template contains the basic operations that the mobile app user will encounter while browsing through an app. The developer uses this to show how the app will operate and what the app’s major features will be.
- Quality control flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
A quality control flowchart template is a useful tool for determining the cost of quality (COQ) by examining the frequency of events within a decision loop, as well as the input and output branches involved.
This tool improves processes that are selected for the project during the quality planning phase. And when issues develop, the quality control flowchart helps to determine how far the team has deviated from the specifications and assists in error correction.
- Creative agency flow chart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The creative agency flowchart template shows the steps taken by a creative agency or department to complete a business transaction. It wrangles the creative process and enables the construction of regular checklists, making an otherwise chaotic process easier to follow and stay on track.
- Basic flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The basic flowchart template uses diagrams consisting of rectangles, ovals, diamonds, etc. to indicate the specific step required to achieve a particular task. It also includes arrows that are used to indicate flow and sequence.
- Payroll swimlane flowchart template
Click here to download this Flow Chart Template
The payroll swimlane flowchart template highlights the process of paying a company’s employees’ salaries. It is the procedure of calculating what is owed to employees for a given payroll cycle after deducting mandatory payments such as TDS, employee PF contributions, loans, meal coupons, and so on.
Now that we have the 57 flowchart templates, let’s proceed to the frequently asked questions about flowcharts.
Chapter Eight: Flowchart Templates Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
In this chapter, you’ll find answers to the FAQs about flowcharts and flowchart templates.
How Do You Make a Flowchart?
A good flowchart should clearly illustrate the process and express it in a way that anybody can comprehend. The first step to make a flowchart is to put down all the ideas and steps in your head into paper. Once that is done, then you can use different tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Excel, and so on to bring the ideas to life.
That said, here are some general steps that you should typically follow when making a flowchart.
- Determine the specific goal that the flowchart serves.
- Add the steps in the procedure or process, and use arrows to connect them.
- Split them into different pathways and add the decision trees where necessary.
- Return to the previous steps to see if there are any errors or missing points.
What is the Best Tool to Make a Flowchart?
Aside from using Microsoft tools like Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, there are several tools to make a flowchart. These include:
- SweetProcess
SweetProcess is an intuitive software for documenting your company’s standard operating procedures and processes easily and in one place.
Using SweetProcess, you can create a flowchart for the specific procedures that your team uses in your day-to-day activities. That way, you can become more efficient and achieve better results for your clients and customers.
For example, if you’re an email marketing agency that helps clients schedule email sequences, you can create a procedure outlining the steps that you follow to do this using SweetProcess.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to do this on SweetProcess:
Step 1: Click on “Create Procedure” from your SweetProcess dashboard.
Step 2: Name the procedure and click on the “Continue” button.
Step 3: You’ll be redirected to a new window where you can add new steps and decisions to your procedure. Click on “Step” to add a new step.
Step 4: In the new tab that pops up, you can name the step, and add some information describing what it’s about. Once done, click on “Finished Editing.” You can add as many steps as you want in the procedure here.
Step 5: If you’re creating a flowchart that requires you to add a decision tree, you can do that as well using SweetProcess. Simply click on the “Decision” button to do that.
Step 6: Once you click on the Decision button, you can choose an answer that will trigger a specific decision, and the step you’ll be redirected to if that decision is chosen. You can add as many decisions as you want here as well.
Step 7: After adding the steps and decisions, you’ll have a step list that looks like this:
Step 8: Once you’re adding steps and decisions to your procedure in SweetProcess, a flowchart is created automatically. Here’s what it looks like in the dashboard:
Step 9: If you want to visualize the steps’ list in a flowchart, simply click on the “Print” button.
Step 10: Once you do this, you’ll be able to download a flowchart for your procedure, which you can share with employees and team members. This is what it looks like.
As you can see, creating a flowchart for your procedure in SweetProcess is easy and straightforward.
- Gliffy
Gliffy has a simple drag-and-drop system with hundreds of templates to choose from. It supports Windows and Mac and is used mostly by beginners because it’s seamless and easy to use and understand.
- SmartDraw
SmartDraw is a top-value choice for flowchart software, with over 4,500 templates and CAD-like features. The tool has tons of ready-made templates that you can choose from. It also runs in a web browser or behind a firewall, and it has top-of-the-line functionality.
- Lucidchart
Lucidchart is a simple-to-navigate online flowchart software designed for users of any operating system. It also allows for easy remote team collaboration and integrates seamlessly with nearly all popular platforms.
It is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, and has various options for integration.
- Cacoo
Cacoo is a leading flowchart software that makes team collaboration simple, whether in real time or asynchronously. Team members can interact anytime and from anywhere using the web platform, which includes team comments, tracked changes, in-app chat, and diagram sharing.
This flowchart creation app connects easily with a wide variety of platforms and cloud services. It integrates with the most popular platforms and cloud services and is a good tool for software engineers.
- EdrawMax
EdrawMax is a complex flowchart software with templates and functionality options for producing mind maps, floor plans, engineering diagrams, and more. It is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and the web, and has over 280 different types of diagrams.
It has a wide range of functions and applications available and provides a significant learning curve for advanced users. Its integration is also limited.
How Do You Create a Flowchart in Word?
Microsoft Word is one of the tools you can use to create a flowchart. The downside of using it is that it is difficult to manage your flowchart templates with it and ensure that all your team members are on the same page.
If you want to make a flowchart in MS Word, here’s a video walkthrough that shows you how to do it.
How to Create a Flowchart in Google Docs?
Google Docs does not have any built-in flowchart templates. Unlike Google Sheets, you can’t create a flowchart on it. However, you can improvise by launching the Google Drawing window to enable you to create a flowchart. Here’s a video walkthrough of the entire process.
How to Make a Flowchart in Excel?
Flowcharts can help you visualize the links between different data points in your spreadsheets. That way, you’ll be able to understand them better. If you want to make a flowchart in Excel, here’s a video that shows you exactly how to do that.
How can a flowchart template be used in Presentations?
You cannot create a flowchart using PowerPoint. However, if you want to use a flowchart template in a PowerPoint presentation, you need to create the flowchart using MS Word, Excel, or Google Docs.
Afterward, you can save the flowchart as an image either in JPEG or PNG formats.
Once done, you can insert the flowchart image you’ve created previously in your PowerPoint presentations and use it.
How is a Flowchart Used?
Flowcharts are used in a variety of industries to analyze, create, document, and manage a process or procedure.
The flowchart usually shows the steps in a procedure arranged in different boxes with arrows linking the boxes in a logical order.
To use flowcharts as a solution model for a particular problem, you should carefully follow the diagrammatic representation shape by shape, arrow by arrow, and text by text.
Here’s a video tutorial that shows you how to use one:
Chapter Nine: Create and Manage Your Flowchart Templates Using SweetProcess
SweetProcess helps you to create and manage your company’s processes as flowchart templates seamlessly.
If you have several procedures you follow to accomplish a specific goal, you can add them as a process on SweetProcess.
Here’s exactly how to do that:
Step 1: Hover your mouse to the top-right corner of your SweetProcess dashboard, and click on “Create Process”
Step 2: In the new window that opens up, you can start adding procedures to your process. Simply click on “Add Step.” Then click on the “Procedure” button.
Step 3: Create a new procedure or choose from previously created procedures to add to your process.
Step 4: As you add procedures to your process, the flowchart will be created automatically in the dashboard. Here’s what it looks like:
Step 5: Click on the “Print” button to download your flowchart as an image.
Step 6: Click on the “Approve” button to make the process go live on SweetProcess, and make it easy for all your team members to manage everything on the platform.
As you can see, creating and managing your company’s flowchart templates on SweetProcess is easy and seamless.
Many of our clients have used the SweetProcess flowchart creation tools to improve their business processes and scale their profits.
Laura Johnson from Brooks Law Group explained how our tool helped their business.
“Employees were more dependent on me, even though it was on the server. They would have access to processes, but they would still lean more heavily toward me concerning questions and directives in some things,” she laments.
So when Laura was not available, employees would either be idle or make mistakes in trying to get things done. In the end, the organization suffered the consequences of its inaction or mistakes.
She realized that empowering her team with all the information they need to do their job right, by documenting repetitive tasks in one place, is exactly what she needs. That way, there are fewer emails and no more guesswork.
Some of the remarkable benefits of SweetProcess to her company include:
- Effective business process documentation
“I’ve not known us without processes. From my perspective, we have always had processes in place. SweetProcess, though, has made it easier to access the processes. It has made it more organized because we have multiple offices,” she said.
- Standardize operations across the business
“Switching to SweetProcess simplified our systems, made us more uniformed, and gave us easier access being a cloud place where we could go at any time. It’s structured and productive.”
Today, employees across the organization’s five offices work with the same procedures despite being in different locations. They access documents in the cloud from anywhere, at any time. The management plans better knowing that everyone is in sync with their agenda.
Another client, Jamie Ramsden, pointed out their biggest pain point at Turkstra Lumber.
The team at Turkstra Lumber was effective at doing their jobs without documented processes, but they weren’t as coordinated as they should have been. They performed tasks in different ways, creating inconsistency across the organization.
According to Jamie: “One of the things that prevent you from being correct and doing things better than you do now is when you don’t know what your processes are or if everybody isn’t on the same page.”
But when they realized that having everyone on the same page, working with the same processes and procedures, was imperative to achieve the great results they desired, they subscribed to SweetProcess.
Interestingly, Jamie wasn’t convinced about using SweetProcess at first because he thought the system was difficult to use. But he soon realized that SweetProcess was as easy as it gets.
“Because I didn’t understand what the project was, I thought I needed something like a better version of Excel that would just be easier to use to record things. But recording processes with SweetProcess is the easy part.”
With SweetProcess, Turkstra Lumber’s initial experience with documenting business processes shows that documentation in itself isn’t a guarantee for efficiency. While the team did the right thing by documenting their processes, choosing to do so on Excel Sheets limited their results.
The first thing that caught Jamie’s attention about SweetProcess was the ease of documentation. Rather than creating tons of texts, SweetProcess offers a more visual approach that gives users a clear picture of what they are doing.
Here’s what he said about the flowchart feature on SweetProcess:
“The thing that caught my attention first was just something simple and visual, which is that SweetProcess automatically makes you a little flowchart as you enter your steps for any process. People understand things in different ways and a lot of our staff like that if they can get a visual representation immediately.”
SweetProcess saved these professionals, and it can save your business too.
You can get started with a 14-day free trial of SweetProcess to create and manage your company’s procedures and processes using a flowchart.
Conclusion
Flowchart templates help you visualize your work process from a single document. When this is done, all the stakeholders in your organization will easily understand the workflow, identify unnecessary steps to remove and the ones to improve.
Now that remote work is rapidly gaining popularity, using flowcharts is a great way to reduce meetings in teams.
Instead of spending long hours with your team members to explain how your procedures and processes work, you can provide a simple, visual technique for team members to grasp what they should do next in a step-by-step manner.
Click here to download the flowchart templates relevant to your industry and business.
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Word Templates
23+ Word Procedure Templates
A procedure is a set of instructions, format of policy, method, or manual written to guide a process’s execution for personal or business benefits. The step-by-step process sample note to executing an action often helps an enterprise or an individual to have a safe work environment and handle simple-complex projects in the shortest time possible.
Of course, without a clear set of instructions, the execution of tasks will be impossible, and that is why you need the best procedure template. The Word of procedure are best for writing professional and reasonable methods and approaches for solving a problem at hand. With the standard operating content and model, your professional proposal SOP templates gets approval quickly. Discover other templates for testing and everyday processes from our collection.
Standard Operating Procedure Example Template
Details
File Format
- MS Word
- Google Docs
- Google Slides
- Apple Pages
- Apple Keynote
- Excel
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Professional Standard Operating Procedure Template
Details
File Format
- Word
- Apple Pages
- Excel
- Apple Numbers
Size: A4, US
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Free Warehouse Standard Operating Procedure Template
Details
File Format
- Word
- Apple Pages
Size: A4, US
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Help Desk Standard Operating Procedure Template
Details
File Format
- MS Word
- Google Docs
- Apple Pages
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Flexible Working Policy and Procedure Design Template
Details
File Format
- Word
- Apple Pages
- Google Docs
Size: A4, US
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Flexible Workplace Policy and Procedure Template
Details
File Format
- Word
- Apple Pages
- Google Docs
Size: A4, US
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Telephone Answering Procedure Template
Details
File Format
- Word
- Apple Pages
- Google Docs
Size: A4, US
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Training Standard Operating Procedure Template
Details
File Format
- MS Word
- Google Docs
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Hotel Guest Luggage Handling Standard Operating Procedure Template
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File Format
- MS Word
- Google Docs
- Apple Pages
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Basic Experiment Laboratory Standard Operating Procedure Template
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- MS Word
- Google Docs
- Apple Pages
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Details
File Format
- MS Word
- Google Docs
- Apple Pages
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General University Policies & Procedures Template
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File Format
- MS Word
- Google Docs
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Maintenance Standard Operating Procedure Template
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File Format
- MS Word
- Google Docs
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Word Procedure Templates
Word Procedure is a written document that clearly states the step-by-step practices of a field or industry. Many business firms rely on this document in sample order to maintain the consistency and quality of the work(s). A standard procedure can have the following points:
- The purpose or, the objective of the procedure
- Scope of the work(s)
- Background information about the task(s) involved
- The procedure of the task(s)
- Requirement(s) to complete the procedure of the task(s)
- Proper use of the tool(s) and equipment(s)
- Safety measure(s) for the procedure
You can check out Word Templates for ideas to prepare a Word Procedure.
Flexible Workplace Policy and Procedure Template
Details
File Format
- Pages
- MS Word
Size: A4, US
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Board Resolution Amending the Check Approval Procedure
Details
File Format
- MS Word
- Pages
Size: A4, US
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Board Resolution Authorizing a Check Approval Procedure
Details
File Format
- MS Word
- Pages
Size: A4, US
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Finance Procedure Note Word Template
rvc.ac.uk
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Size: 100 KB
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Manual Method Procedure Note Word Template
mgsd.org
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Size: 32 KB
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School SOP Standard Operating Procedure Word Template
riversideca.gov
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File Format
- WORD
Size: 375.8 KB
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The above template standard operating procedure is a set of rules that determine the execution of an operation. The procedure template is comprehensive, easy to customize, and easy to edit.
Internal Process Policy & Procedure Template
osc.nc.gov
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File Format
- WORD
Size: 106 KB
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The standards of your company are fully dependent on the policies and procedures. If you compromise any of these guidelines, your business will be more than likely dead. This template is a clear example of the best internal policy and procedure templates.
> Who should Use the Procedure Template?
Almost every person needs a procedure template. The document contains the step-by-step instructions for fulfilling a policy, executing a process, or filling out a claim, to mention only a few examples. People who use these templates, often want to achieve something or meet a goal, at the end of the day. The Word manual templates have become the most significant tools for the day-to-day activities of various kinds, and people often find them quite useful for those projects they are busy working on. The idea is that by following a set of procedures to do work, one has the guarantee of the best results possible.
Research Office Payroll Policies & Procedures Word
masilc.org
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File Format
- WORD
Size: 121.3 KB
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If you want to run a successful business, you should have the right system for managing the payrolls and payments of your employees. This template can give you a clear overview of what a good payroll policy and procedure look like. You can see more on Research Analysis.
Emergency Complaint Step-by-Step Procedure Template
bexleygp.com
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File Format
- WORD
Size: 224.8 KB
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This document outlines a systematic guideline that people can follow to present their grievances. The users of the word document include customers, employees in a company, service providers, teachers, parents, and more.
> What are the Uses of Procedure Templates?
Sample Outline Procedure templates have a couple of uses. In determining where to use this document accurately, you need to understand that how a process works highly depends on the environment in which a user implements the methods. For example, a software developer will use the test procedure template to test, debug, and implement a software solution. A teacher, on the other hand, will use the procedure template to help students understand how a chemical concept in Chemistry or Physics works. Another good example is the loan borrowing process. It has policies and procedures that are entirely different from those of software testing. It all comes down to the fact that how you use the template depends on your environment.
Model Medical Testing Procedure Word Template
infarmed.pt
Details
File Format
- WORD
Size: 291.3 KB
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Software developers must have proper test procedures to determine the efficacy of a new system. By using test methods, developers can identify the effectiveness of a software solution as well as identify and fix bugs. You can see more on Policy and Procedure in Docs.
Surgical Safe Work Procedure Template
education.vic.gov.au
Details
File Format
- WORD
Size: 98.8 KB
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> What are the Benefits of Procedure Templates?
These procedure templates will help you do the right thing at the right time for the benefit of your project. When you have a set of instruction manual templates written down and distributed to your team members or the target audience, you eliminate the need for guesswork, unreasonable time wastage, and poor results. What’s important to understand is that a procedure helps you to maintain a consistent flow of activities so that you don’t have to struggle to know what to do next. Maintaining a comprehensive procedure list will help you and your other users to have the assurance that they will be doing the right thing when they follow these procedures.
It is not possible to complete a process without a procedure. Even small projects with definite timelines often demand a comprehensive systematic guide to complete the project successfully. Business Plan Format operations need systems too, to remain as professional as possible. Therefore, if you have never created procedures for your business before, this will be the best time to do so.
More in Word Templates
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Spaghetti Process Word Template
Don’t Blame the People, Blame the Process Word Template
Process Action Activity Practice Procedure Task Concept Word Template
Business Process Workflow Word Template
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Process Control Concept Word Template
Man Starting Benchmarking Process Word Template
Creative Process Concept Word Template
Business Process and Workflow Automation with Flowchart Word Template
Chemical Testing Process Word Template
Business Process Word Template
Study Process Word Template
Process Word Template
Thinking Process Word Template
Process Control Word Template
School Stationery For Learning Process Word Template
Team Building Process Word Template
Car Design Process Word Template
Key To Launch Process Word Template
Decision-Making Process Word Template
Business Process Modeling Word Template
Working Process at Business Meeting Word Template
Process with Flat Icons Word Template
Idea Generation Process Word Template
Intense Thought Process Word Template
Around The Clock Process Word Template
Business Process Management Word Template
Biofuel Research Process in Laboratory Presentation
Modern Telecommunication Word Template
Recycle Industry Word Template
Business Analyst At Work Word Template
Information Exchange Word Template
Sand-Glass Word Template
Business Planning In The Office Word Template
Floating Time Word Template
Dissatisfaction Word Template
Thinking Word Template
Computer Pixel Design Word Template
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Process mapping is the process of streamlining the flow of activities within a business system. In this era, where businesses are booming, it is important to have efficient and easy to follow business process map. That is why it is recommended to choose the right process mapping template in order to convey the message easily. On that note, there are many downloadable templates on the internet that you can get easily. On that note, here are some templates that were made using various tools, and are available for download.
DOWNLOAD
- PowerPoint Process Mapping Templates
- Word Process Mapping Template
- Online Project Management Process Mapping Template
- Sales Process Mapping Template by GitMind
- IT Process Mapping Template by GitMind
PowerPoint Process Mapping Templates
PowerPoint is known as a presentation slide maker to many. From images to cliparts, there are just many things that you can add on your slides. Amongst these many things, you can also add process mapping charts to you slides. The template above was made using PowerPoint. Process mapping template PowerPoint version are one of the easiest ones to make since it has built-in templates that you can just insert in your slide.
Word Process Mapping Template
Microsoft Word is also another tool that you can use to make process map. The template above was made using this application and can be reproduced easily. This is because Word has a SmartArt feature that provides various charts and templates. These are blank templates and can be altered according to your preferences. Since process maps are simple in nature, Word is a good choice when looking for tools to use. Also, the process mapping template Word options are decent in number and quality which is a good thing.
Online Project Management Process Mapping Template
Edit this example
The template above is different as it was created using GitMind. This is an online mind map and flowchart maker that can be used anytime via web-browser. Using this tool, we were able to accurately visualize the process of a certain business easily. Aside from that, there are also various templates available from it’s library. There is also the option to make your own chart if you don’t feel like using the templates from within. The process mapping template above was made from scratch in just a few minutes.
Sales Process Mapping Template by GitMind
Edit this example
The next template depicts the entire sales process starting from the initial stage of opening a business. It starts with the feasibility study, and then follows the regular process in opening a business. The standard procedure will be to follow the regular flow of business. As seen in the chart above, the process follow specific stages. There are other process mapping examples that show complex steps, but this one caters to the general public which is why it’s illustrated as simple as possible.
IT Process Mapping Template by GitMind
Edit this example
Last template that we have is an IT process map for a telephone application process. It shows what happens when you order a phone and the actions that happens when you either get approved or declined. This is a simple process mapping templates that you can check if you’re not sure what happens during the application process.
Conclusion
Process evaluation is a must if you want to be sure that you are on the right track. This applies to both business owners and customers, as they mutually benefit from it. That is why you should choose the right design whenever you provide something like this. On that note, you don’t have to burn long hours to make process mapping examples since there are templates available for download and use.
Posted by: Norlyn Opinaldo on May 24, 2021 to Tips and Resources. Last updated on August 25, 2021
Download these Business Process Design templates (MS Word, Excel + Visio) to capture the procedures that govern how your business works from technical and operational levels.
Use these MS Word, Excel and Visio templates to capture the events, inputs, resources and outputs associated with different business processes.
Download Now for $9.99 – Buy Here!
Benefits
A Business Process is a set of activities designed to produce a specific output. It is used to capture the specific ordering of work activities, including inputs, outputs, triggers and actions. These Business Process templates will help you to:
- Introduce the process and outline its purpose, goal, and outcomes
- Identify the fundamental assumptions behind this process. For example, what assumptions does the process audience have in relation to this process and how does the process support those assumptions
- Identify where and how the process interfaces with other processes or whether it is a component or sub-components of other processes
- Use Visio flowcharts to illustrate process activities, including inputs and outputs, decision points and user activity
- Identify data to be collected, such as reports, forms, and policies
- Identify reporting requirements associated with the performance of the process and the format it must be delivered in
- Identify the audience, role, and individuals who will use the process definition, and the responsibilities of these roles
Business Process Templates: Blue Theme
These forms, checklists and guides will help you map the scope of proposed systems (as-is processes) and how it will be implemented (to be processes). As business process are often visualized in a flowchart as a sequence of activities we have included three Visio flowcharts in this package.
Business Process Templates: Red Theme
You get two templates in the zip file. One blue theme, the other red. The red theme of the MS Word template has the exact same content as the blue theme. You can change the color scheme by updating the styles.
NB: Let me know if you need any help with this.
Microsoft Word Business Process template – 30 pages
Business Process template for a standalone process
Excel templates to support the process design project
Sample screenshots of the main process design document
Examples of process narrative, including inputs, output, triggers, with supporting If-Then tables
Download Now for $9.99 – Buy Here!
Schedule
Roles and Responsibilities
Process List
Clarifications
Gap Analysis template
Document Control
Other Excel templates include Clarifications, Document Control, Roles and Responsibilities, and Project Schedule
Business Process: 3 Free Visio Templates
Business Process Flowchart – 3 Swim lanes with SOX Controls
Business Process Flowchart – 2 Swim lanes
Business Process Flowchart – 4 Swim lanes
Business Process Templates: Table of Contents
1 Executive Summary
1.1 Identification
1.2 References
1.3 Naming Conventions
1.4 Process Flow Guidelines
1.4.1 Numbering
1.4.2 Decision Points
1.4.3 Start
1.4.4 End
1.4.5 Off Page References
1.4.6 On Page References
1.4.7 Format
1.4.8 Fonts
1.4.9 Sarbanes Oxley
1.4.10 Systems
2 Process <Name>
2.1 Process <Name> Steps
2.1.1 Process <Name> Narrative
3 Process <Name>
3.1 Process <Name> Steps
3.1.1 Process <Name> Narrative
3.2 Process <Name> Diagram
4 Process <Name> Level 1
Business Process Design: Template Pack
The templates are in Microsoft Word, Excel and Visio format and can be downloaded online for only $9.99.
The template pack includes the following documents:
| 2 x Business Process Design Template | 10 pages |  |
| Business Process Design Template – Single Process | 6 pages | |
| Clarifications | 1 x Excel file |  |
| Document Control | 1 x Excel file | |
| Gap Analysis | 1 x Excel file | |
| Process Flow | 1 x Excel file | |
| Process List | 1 x Excel file | |
| Roles and Responsibilities | 1 x Excel file | |
| Schedule | 1 x Excel file | |
| Business Process Flowchart – 2 Swim lanes |
1 x Visio flowchart | |
| Business Process Flowchart – 4 Swim lanes |
1 x Visio flowchart | |
| Business Process Flowchart – 5 Swim lanes |
1 x Visio flowchart |
Download Now for $9.99 – Buy Here!
Product Specifications
File Format: Microsoft Word (.docx) Excel format (.xlsx), and Visio (VSD).
File Size: Download file is 1.7 MBs.
Getting Started: Depending on your MS Office settings, the files may say Read Only when you open them. If this occurs, click File, Save As and save the files. There are no security settings on any of the files.
Images: All of the images in the templates are copyright free.