How to make an org chart in Excel

Excel is usually where the data lives: a list of employees with their manager. You can draw a SmartArt chart inside Excel, but the better route is to keep the list as your source of truth and generate the chart from it.

Draw a chart with SmartArt in Excel

  1. Go to Insert → Illustrations → SmartArt.
  2. Choose Hierarchy → Organization Chart and click OK.
  3. Type names in the Text pane; Tab demotes a line, Shift+Tab promotes it.
  4. Style with SmartArt Design → Change Colors and SmartArt Styles.

Prepare your data for a generated chart

  1. One row per person, with a header row.
  2. Columns: Name, Title, Department, Manager. The Manager cell holds the manager’s name exactly as it appears in the Name column (or add an ID column and put the manager’s ID).
  3. Leave Manager blank for the person at the top.
  4. Write “Vacant” in Name for open roles.

Where Excel falls short

  • SmartArt in Excel does not read your cells: it is a separate drawing you retype.
  • Changes to the list do not update the chart.
  • Visio’s data-driven org chart add-in needs a Visio licence.

The faster way for bigger charts

  1. Select your table in Excel (including the header) and copy it.
  2. Paste it into the HierarchyFlow org chart generator: it detects the columns and draws the chart instantly.
  3. Or save as CSV and open it in the org chart maker with File → Open CSV. Export back to CSV at any time.

Open the org chart maker

Frequently asked questions

Does Excel have an org chart template?

Excel has SmartArt organization chart layouts (Insert → SmartArt → Hierarchy) and a few downloadable templates, but none that build the chart from a list of employees automatically.

What columns do I need for an org chart in Excel?

Name and Manager are required; Title and Department are strongly recommended. An Employee ID column helps when two people share a name.

Can I export the chart back to Excel?

Yes. HierarchyFlow’s Export → CSV writes ID, Name, Title, Department, Manager ID, Manager, dotted-line manager and vacancy columns that open directly in Excel.