This guide is brought to you by Zen Flowchart, the simplest flowchart maker.
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Flow charts are a necessary tool for planners to visualize processes. This tool is applied in many industries such as computer programming, engineering, and even gaming. There are many ways to create flowcharts, including utilizing online tools like Zen Flowchart or even Google Docs.
Here is a handy guide on how to make a flowchart in Google Docs.
Step 1. Choose A Google Document
You can sign in and open a new Google Document through docs.google.com, or you can also open it through your Google Drive. Sign in to your account on drive.google.com, click the "+" button on the top left corner, choose "Google Docs". A blank Google Document will be opened.
Change the orientation of the Document to "Landscape" if your process chart is horizontal by clicking on the "File" on the bar and selecting "Page Setup".
Step 2. Open Drawing Tool
Click the "Insert" option, find "Drawing", then click on "+ New". A window for the drawing will appear over the Google Document.
All basic elements are available in the Shape tool. The Shape tool's icon is a circle and square. Click on that, select shapes in flowchart; you can see all the options.
If you want to know the symbols' functions, point the mouse to one, and the text will appear.
Step 3. Select Flowchart Shapes
Select the shapes from the Shape menu bar. Begin with selecting the terminal symbol and continue with other shapes for other steps. Drag the shape you choose to the drawing canvas.
You can adjust the shape's size by pulling on any small square around the shape. Copy-paste the same symbol if needed.
Make the shapes in flowchart with different colors by clicking on the Fill color icon and choosing the color from the chart.
Step 4. Add Arrows
Arrows help to connect patterns. Click on the Line tool and choose any arrows you want from the drop-down menu to add arrows.
Step 5. Input Texts
From the drawing panel, click on the text icon, which is the letter T. You can now type the content into each shape.
Click on the three dots on the toolbar; other options for formatting the text will come up, such as font, size, color, etc. Select the one you want. Copy-paste text will retain the format.
Step 6. Save And Close
After finishing, press on the Save and Close button, it will be added to your Google Document. Double click on the flowchart; it will appear again for further edit or changes.
