How to Design a Basic Flowchart

with Microsoft Visio Professional 2013

________________________________________________

Phoebe Archibald
January 2014

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Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................. iv
About this Manual ........................................................................................................iv

Chapter 1 ....................................................................................................................... 1
Learning the Basic Tools for Flowcharts ......................................................................... 1
Basic Flowchart Shapes .............................................................................................. 1
The Connectors ........................................................................................................... 1
What Does a Basic Flowchart Look Like? ................................................................... 2

Chapter 2 ....................................................................................................................... 3
Creating a Basic Flowchart ............................................................................................. 3
Opening a Basic Flowchart Template .......................................................................... 3
Building a Basic Flowchart ........................................................................................... 5
Connecting the Shapes ............................................................................................... 6
Adding Text to Shapes ................................................................................................ 8
Adding Text to Connectors .......................................................................................... 9
Changing the Font ....................................................................................................... 9

Chapter 3 ..................................................................................................................... 11
Saving a Basic Flowchart .............................................................................................. 11
Three Steps to Save .................................................................................................. 11

iv

Introduction
____________________________________________________________

About this Manual

This manual explains how to create a basic flowchart in Microsoft
Visio Professional 2013. This manual also briefly explains what a
flowchart is and the terminology for the three basic Shapes used in
flowcharts.

Chapter 1
Learning the Basic Tools for Flowcharts
Basic Flowchart Shapes
Start/End

This shape represents the start or the end of a flowchart.

A flowchart can have only one start shape but can have
multiple end shapes.

You Must Do This!

Yes or No?

This shape shows what task (process) you have to

accomplish. After you complete one task you can
accomplish the next task.

This shape gives you options about what process in your

flowchart you want to do next. You can decide which
path of processes you want to follow.

The Connectors

Allow you to accurately follow flowcharts. Connectors

look like arrows that guide you from one process to
another on a flowchart.

Chapter 1

What Does a Basic Flowchart Look Like?

Follow this arrow

Start

Read this text then

follow the arrow to the
Decision shape. .

Will you continue

this flowchart?

Yes

Flowcharts are diagrams that

explain the process of how a
complex system or strategy
works.

After you add 4+4 then

you can follow the
arrow to the End.

Flowcharts are a useful visual

aid because they are easier to
read than a long explanatory
paragraph.
Congratulations! You just
followed a flowchart.

No

End

Chapter 2
Creating a Basic Flowchart
Opening a Basic Flowchart Template
Follow these steps to open a basic flowchart template in Microsoft Visio Professional 2013.
1. Open

Microsoft Visio Professional 2013

2. Select Open Other Drawings>New to open the Template Search box.

3. Type Basic Flowchart in the search box. A Basic Flowchart template will appear.

4. Select Basic Flowchart template. A pop-up screen will appear.

Chapter 2

5. On the pop-up screen select Metric Units or US Units

6. Select Create

from the pop-up screen.

A blank canvas will open.

Chapter 2

Building a Basic Flowchart

Visio has many Flowchart shapes that you can find using the search box or through specific
templates. Basic flowchart Shapes and tools are on the left-hand sidebar or on the Home ribbon.
1. Select a Shape with the cursor then drag it directly onto the canvas.

2. Select and hold the SHIFT key to click on multiple Shapes. When the Shapes highlight
you can drag the group onto the canvas.

Chapter 2

3. Use the cursor to select and drag Shapes that are on the canvas.

Place the Shapes in this order: Terminator>Process> Decision>Terminator.

Note: To add a copy of a particular Shape onto the canvas, reselect the Shape from
the sidebar.

Connecting the Shapes

1. Select Connector on the top navigation pane.

Chapter 2

2. Select a Shape to create a starting point for the Connector then Glue the Connector onto
the Connection Point of a different Shape.

3. Reselect the Pointer Tool on the top navigation pane.

4. Select and hold a Shape with a Connector to drag them together on the canvas.
Note: Reselect Pointer Tool
after using the Connector tool.
The Pointer Tool can move
Connectors and Shapes, but the
Connector tool can only move
Connectors.
5. Repeat steps 1-3 until all of the Shapes have Connectors. All Connectors must have
Shapes and all Shapes must have Connectors.

Chapter 2

Adding Text to Shapes

1. Click on a Shape.

2. Start typing. Visio will automatically zoom in to the selected Shape and insert the text.

3. Click on blank canvas space to exit out of the shape. Visio will zoom out to show the
entire flowchart.

4. Repeat steps 1-3 until all the Shapes have text.

Chapter 2

Adding Text to Connectors

1. Select Text on the top navigation pane.

2. Click on blank canvas space near the Connectors. A textbox automatically appears.

3. Type Yes in the textbox then click blank canvas space to exit out of the textbox.

Note: Click and drag a textbox to move it to a different location on the canvas, or
click the textbox and move it Left, Right, Up, or Down using the Arrow
keys on the computer keyboard.

Changing the Font

Visio set Calibri pt. 8 as the default font. Visio does not allow the default font settings to
change. The following steps explain how to change the font and font size for an individual Shape
(or textbox) or for the entire flowchart.
1. Click on a Shape or textbox with text.

Chapter 2

10

2. Click on the font dropdown box on the navigation pane to change the font or font
size.

Selecting a different font or font size automatically updates the text in the Shape or
textbox.
Changing the font or font size for the entire flowchart follows a similar method.
1. Click a blank space at a corner of the canvas and drag the cursor across the entire
flowchart.

2. Click on the font dropdown box on the navigation pane to change the font or font
size.
3.

Repeat Step 2 to change the font or font size. Visio will automatically update the
flowchart.

4. Click on blank canvas space to exit out of the highlighted flowchart. Now the
flowchart is complete.

Chapter 3
Saving a Basic Flowchart
Three Steps to Save
1. Click

Save on the left-hand side of the top navigation pane.

A pop-up screen will appear.

2. Change the File name to Basic Flowchart.

3. Click Save. The flowchart is now a Visio Drawing (.vsd)

This manual is for educational purposes only.