Free organization chart maker

How it works, step by step

Before entering information, decide which decision or discussion the document should support. Note the project name, the intended audience, and the version you are preparing. A specific title helps distinguish an early proposal from an approved process. If the material is confidential, replace names and amounts with generic references when your purpose is simply to show the structure to other people. This also makes a reusable training example easier to maintain.

Use the Example button to explore a fictional document. It replaces the current content after confirmation, so export a copy first if you have already made important changes. Observe how each field appears in the preview and test one small change at a time. Then select New to create your own version, or adapt the example and remove information that does not match your activity.

Write short statements and use the same vocabulary throughout the document. When two people use different names for the same activity, a diagram can appear more complicated than the actual process. Agree on terms with your team and read the result in the order another person would follow. The preview updates automatically, but checking the meaning and completeness of the information remains the author's responsibility.

1. Add the top-level manager and team members.
2. Select each person’s manager to establish reporting lines.
3. Review the hierarchy, save and export.

Principles, use cases, and precautions

An organization chart represents reporting relationships between people or positions. Its main question is who reports to whom. It is not a complete map of collaboration: two departments may work together without either being subordinate to the other. Decide whether the document will show people's names, positions, or both, and use that convention consistently. Use the role field to distinguish a function from the name of the person currently performing it.

Start with the top level and add the other members. Each record can have one manager; leave that field empty for someone at the top of a structure. The editor arranges levels automatically from these relationships. Multiple people without a manager can represent separate structures, so check that this is the interpretation you intend to communicate to readers.

In the example, Alex is the director, Sam is the team lead, and Taylor works in support. Robin also reports to Alex and works in sales. The manager's identifier establishes the connection, while the name and role provide the visible content. These people are fictional and only illustrate how the hierarchy is constructed. Try changing a manager and observe how the level changes in the preview.

A hierarchy cannot contain cycles: if one person reports to someone who directly or indirectly reports back to the first person, the structure no longer forms a tree. Correct that relationship before exporting. Organization charts can support onboarding, team introductions, and contact routing, but do not replace job descriptions, contracts, or approval rules. This version does not represent multiple managers per person or complete matrix reporting structures. Review the chart after team changes and share only the personal information needed by its intended audience.

Completed example and reviewing the result

The table in this guide comes from the same data used by the Example button. Compare its records with the preview to understand how the inputs become a visual representation. Identifiers such as n1, p1, and t1 are internal references in the example: a connection containing one of them points to another record, rather than indicating a quantity or priority. Dates in the sample schedule are fictional and should be replaced with dates appropriate to your project.

Once you have completed the document, ask someone who did not edit it to explain what they understand. This reading often reveals ambiguous terms, missing activities, or conclusions that depend on information that has not been recorded. Check readability at the size in which the file will actually be presented. SVG preserves the vector drawing; PNG provides an image to insert into other materials. Neither format restores the editable fields, so keep the JSON file when you need to continue working.

To save a PDF, select Print / PDF and choose the appropriate destination in your browser's print dialog. Check orientation, scale, and page count before confirming. Large documents may need content adjustments to remain readable. This tool does not generate a PDF on the server and does not add a signature, formal approval, or certification to the exported document.

Saving, privacy, and limits

Saving is manual and keeps one document per tool in this browser. Clearing site data, using another profile, or changing devices can make the local version unavailable. Export JSON to a folder you choose and keep additional copies according to the importance of your work. The editor does not provide collaboration, version history, synchronization between devices, or recovery through a Quima account.

Your entries are processed in the browser and are not sent to the tool's server. Someone with access to your local profile may still be able to read saved data or exported files. Avoid unnecessary personal information, especially on shared computers. Diagrams and schedules support up to 45 records, with additional limits on text length and imported file size. Divide larger work into documents with clearly defined purposes.