Provide clarity with organization charts
Educate people about the structure of your team with a professional organization chart created in Microsoft Visio.
What is an organization chart?
An organization chart (or org chart) visually depicts the internal structure of an organization—for example, who reports to who. They can be created with a pen and paper or with professional org chart software like Microsoft Visio.
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Hierarchical org chart
A hierarchy org chart is the most common type of organization chart. It organizes people by how much power they hold in the company. Think of an organization with a president or CEO. This person is placed at the top of the chart, with everyone else organized hierarchically below.
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Divisional org chart
Many organizations divide their teams by product, division—or even independent subsidiaries. Each team acts autonomously and is equipped with the resources it needs to achieve its individual goals. Organizations like this are typically depicted with a divisional org chart, which helps explain the independent operational flow of each team.
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Matrix org chart
While common in corporate settings, not all companies organize their team hierarchically. For example, people might report to more than one manager—or the reporting structure might shift to accommodate different types of projects. In this case, a matrix org chart would be a more appropriate visualization.
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Line org chart
A line org chart is one of the simplest organizational structures. In these types of organizations, authority heavily relies on the chain of command. Authority flows from top to bottom, like a waterfall, and each department head is empowered to make whatever decision they think is in the best interest of their subordinates.
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Horizontal org chart
A horizontal (or flat) org chart is typically used to depict organizations that have little or no middle management. The chart might reflect only two levels—top administrators and the people who fill other roles within the company. These organizations often take a more collective approach to decision-making.
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Team-based org chart
As companies continue adapting to the new world of work, organizing people around problem solving and effective decision making is becoming more common. Visually, this type of teamwork is depicted through a team-based org chart where people are flexibly organized to maximize collaboration.
Bring your best ideas to life
With dozens of ready-to-use templates and thousands of customizable shapes, Visio makes it easy—and fun—to create powerful visuals.
When to use an org chart
Communicate organizational structure across teams
There’s no quicker way to explain how a team functions than through an organization chart. They’re especially helpful when introducing a new hire to a company or explaining how things will be changing under new leadership.
An org chart designed for team communication should be as simple as possible, while still including all necessary information—for example, who heads or makes up each team, the specific roles they fill in the organization, and how decisions are made.
Microsoft Visio enables anyone to create easy-to-understand visuals with confidence. Choose from dozens of premade templates, starter diagrams, and stencils—and use the software’s customization options to ensure everything is on brand.
Align on changes to team structure
Every organization goes through a period of change as the work evolves or resources fluctuate. When this happens, the organization’s structure must be revisited too.
A well-made org chart can help explain the adjustments that are being made to team structure and resourcing, ensuring everyone is on the same page about what is changing and why.
Coauthor professional-looking diagrams with Microsoft Visio for effective decision making and real-time problem solving that can help you prepare for staff restructuring.
Prepare for new hiring initiatives
Workforce planning—or forecasting and preparing for future staffing needs—is part of ensuring success during a period of organizational growth. The goal is to identify gaps and make a plan to fill them before they arise.
Org charts can be a helpful tool for visualizing teams in their current state, as well as envisioning what they could look like at various stages in the future. This can be a collaborative activity that engages people throughout the process.
Microsoft Visio enables you to think out loud. Brainstorm with your coworkers, visualize the problem at hand, and map out upcoming changes to your team.
Document generational history
While org charts are mostly used to visualize the structure of a company, they have some other purposes—for example, tracing generational history. Families, in many ways, take on the same structure as organizations do, with hierarchical layers going back generations.
Microsoft Visio is a great resource for people who want to formally document the people that make up their family tree. Simply add names, birthdates, relationships, and other important details to an Excel sheet, then upload it to Visio—or build your family tree from scratch using the Organization Chart template.
How to make an org chart
Org charts can range from simple diagrams to complex multi-page diagrams that are based on information from an external data source. The shapes you choose for your org chart can display basic information, such as a person’s name and title, or can include more detail, such as their contact information.
Creating a useful org chart begins with choosing a diagramming tool that is both powerful and easy to use. With dozens of starter diagrams and lots of customization options, Visio is a great option. Once you’ve selected your org chart software, you can begin building your diagram.
Start with a template or the Organization Chart Wizard
Visio comes with a variety of built-in templates designed to make creating your org chart as simple as possible. You can also design your org chart using the Organization Chart Wizard dialog box, which enables you to automatically connect shapes, create hierarchies, and even add pictures if you want.
Automate org chart creation with the Visio Data Visualizer add-in
Create stunning, high-quality diagrams with the Visio Data Visualizer add-in for Excel with your Microsoft 365 work or school account. Diagrams are drawn automatically from data in an Excel workbook. You can then edit the diagram in Visio, which automatically syncs back to Excel.
Generate org charts from Active Directory
Create a visually appealing org chart in minutes using the information already stored in your Microsoft Active Directory (AD). Refresh the org chart to instantly see updates made to the AD data.
Learn the basics of creating an organization chart in Visio.
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Visualize your business
An org chart gives everyone a quick glance into how the business is structured.
Bring clarity to the workplace
Improve teamwork by communicating complicated ideas visually.
Create your own org chart
Watch this video to learn how to use the Organization Chart Wizard in Visio.
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Compare versions of Visio
Compare Visio in Microsoft 365, Visio Plan 1, Visio Plan 2, and the key features included with each.
Create your org chart in Visio
Learn how to create org charts in the Visio web or desktop app with this support article.
Create your org chart in Excel
Read this article to learn how to create org charts using the Visio Data Visualizer add-in in Excel.
Frequently asked questions
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Org charts are an effective way to show company structure, hierarchy levels, and relationships between teams and staff members. Org charts can also help explain reality in a continuously evolving or very complex organization.
The Organization Chart template in both Visio for the web and Visio in Microsoft 365 is a great starting place. Simply drag color-coded shapes onto the canvas to represent executives, managers, assistants, consultants, and even vacancies in your team, department, or organization. -
Yes. Visio in Microsoft 365 enables all Microsoft 365 users to create professional-looking organization charts, as well as flowcharts, basic network diagrams, Venn diagrams, block diagrams, and other business diagrams.
Access Visio with Microsoft 365 on your desktop or extend your experience to your browser, where you can view, create, and edit org charts and other diagrams stored in the cloud. Visio for the web is always up to date, so you’ll never need to install a new version.
Follow this beginner tutorial to learn how to create your own org chart using your Microsoft 365 subscription or compare capabilities in the Visio for the web FAQ. -
In Visio, you can customize the appearance of shapes by changing their text colors, font, fill colors and patterns, line weight and style, or shadow. You can also insert pictures into a Visio diagram—such as your company logo or a sticker from the Visio image library—for a personal touch.
Learn how to format a shape in Visio and insert a picture into a Visio diagram with these helpful tutorials. -
Data linking is only available through the Visio desktop app, but in Visio for the web you can view data-linked diagrams.
If the data you need to create your organization chart already exists in an Excel worksheet or Microsoft Exchange Server directory, Visio can automatically generate shapes and connectors for your diagram.
Visio currently supports multiple data sources, including:- Microsoft Excel workbooks
- Microsoft Access databases
- Microsoft SharePoint Foundation lists
- Microsoft SQL Server databases
- Microsoft Exchange Server directories
- Azure Active Directory information
- Other OLEDB or ODBC data sources
To work properly within Visio, the data source must include columns for the employee’s name, a unique identifier, and the person the employee reports to.
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