The quickest way to make an organization chart in PowerPoint is to type the hierarchy as a bulleted list, using Tab for each level down, and then convert the list to a SmartArt organization chart.
Video
The hierarchy
The example company has three levels: a CEO; three directors (Highways, Transportation and Water) who report to the CEO; and two general managers under each director.
Step 1: Type the list
- Open PowerPoint with a Blank Presentation. Add a new slide with the Title and Content layout.
- In the content box, type CEO and press Enter.
- Press Tab to move one level down, then type the directors, pressing Enter after each: Director Highways, Director Transportation, Director Water.
- To add managers under a director, click at the end of that director, press Enter and then Tab. Type General Manager Roads, Enter, General Manager Structures.
- Repeat for the other two directors.
Each Tab moves a line one level down. Shift + Tab moves it back up.
Step 2: Convert to an organization chart
Right-click inside the list → Convert to SmartArt → Organization Chart. The CEO sits at the top, the three directors below, and each pair of general managers under their director.
Step 3: Style it
- Click the chart to see the SmartArt Design tab.
- Pick a look from SmartArt Styles.
- Click Change Colors → Colorful to give each level its own colour.
- To make the chart bigger, delete the slide title and drag the chart’s corner handles.
Add another level
Click at the end of a general manager in the text pane, press Enter, then Tab, and type Senior Engineer. Press Enter and type Junior Engineer. The new boxes appear under that manager.
Things to know
- You can type straight into the boxes, or open the Text Pane from the SmartArt Design tab to edit the list.
- For many people, the Name and Title Organization Chart layout gives each box a second line for the job title.
- If your list of staff is in Excel, you can build the chart in Excel instead and link the boxes to cells.