
Shapes are individual objects that can be added to a spreadsheet and edited as necessary. SmartArt graphics are premade groups of shapes with styling and logic built into them. There are two ways to add shapes to a flowchart in Excel: you can use SmartArt or Shapes within the insert tab. All of these can be adjusted from the page layout tab.īe cautious when changing the Theme on the Page Layout tab it not only alters fonts and color themes but also modifies row height and column width, which in turn can change the number of shapes that fit on a page. Some layout elements to consider are margins, page orientation, and size. If you plan to print your flowchart or transfer it to Microsoft Word, for example, it must fit within a single page-you’ll need to change your spreadsheet layout accordingly. Adjust page layout as neededīefore making your flowchart, quickly run through the formatting guidelines it must follow.

To enable either feature, go to Page Layout > Align > Snap to Grid (or Snap to Shape). If you choose “Snap to Shape,” your shapes snap to the edges of other nearby shapes within your flowchart. Selecting “Snap to Grid” makes flowchart shapes resize and “snap” to the nearest grid line, keeping sizing consistent across shapes. Enable snap to grid/shape alignment feature

To do this, right-click on a row and select “Row Height.” Do not change the height, simply note the measurement and, following the steps above, change the column width to match.Ģ. For other font choices, you’ll need to check the row height before adjusting column width. If you are using Calibri size 11 font, change the column width to 2.14 to format a grid. Right-click on one of the highlighted columns and select “Column Width.” Enter a new width in the dialogue box and click “OK.”ĭefault column width and row height in Excel are determined by your font choice. To change the width of your columns, click the "Select All" button to select all of the cells in your spreadsheet.

By formatting a grid, you’re changing the column width so that it’s the same size as the default row heights, which will, in turn, make added shapes more uniform and properly proportioned. Format a gridĪdding a grid to Excel will make creating flowcharts and diagrams a little easier, but know that it’s not required, especially if you’re experienced in Excel. While we recommend saving time by using Lucidchart (skip to the next section to learn how!), we’ve outlined the steps to build a flowchart from within Excel below 1.
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Microsoft Excel has features that allow you to make a flowchart directly within your Excel spreadsheet, but it will require some preliminary formatting and manual adjustments to implement your shapes and text.
