Create a Flowchart by Using Word 97/2000

You can create a flowchart to show steps and types of processes that projects go through by drawing standard flowchart symbols such as squares, diamonds, and ovals in Microsoft Word 97/2000. You can also connect the symbols with lines and arrows to show flow from one point to another and label both the symbols and connectors.

To draw flowchart symbols

  1. On the Drawing toolbar, click AutoShapes, point to Flowchart, and then select a flowchart shape.
  2. To insert a shape with a predefined size, click the document.
  3. Repeat steps 1-2 until you have all the flowchart elements positioned in the document.
    To insert a different size, drag the shape to the size you want. To maintain the shape's width-to-height ratio, hold down SHIFT while you drag the shape.

To label flowchart symbols

  1. Right-click the AutoShape and then select Add Text from the shortcut menu.
  2. Type the text.
  3. Repeat steps 1-2 for each AutoShape in your flowchart.

To connect flowchart symbols

  1. Do one of the following:
  1. Position the pointer at the border of one flowchart symbol and drag to where you want the arrowhead or the end of the line to appear.

To label flowchart connectors

  1. On the Drawing toolbar, click Text Box.
  2. Position the pointer where you want one corner of the text box to appear and drag to draw the text box.
  3. Type the text.
  4. To make outside borders invisible on the text box, right-click a border, select Format Text Box on the shortcut menu, and then click the Colors and Lines tab.
  5. Under Line, click No Lines in the Color list.

Tip  You can group the symbols and connectors together so that you can easily copy or move the flowchart from one location to another. Hold down SHIFT as you click each object, point to Draw on the Drawing toolbar, and then click Group.

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