How to Create an Org Chart in Excel (4 Methods, SmartArt First)
There are four real ways to build an org chart in Excel. SmartArt for a quick 10-person team, manual shapes for fine control, a free browser tool for anything bigger, and a 1-click VBA template for repeat updates. This guide walks through each, with the exact steps, so you can pick what fits your team size and stop overthinking it.
The fastest built-in method in Excel is Insert > Illustrations > SmartArt > Hierarchy > Organization Chart. Type names in the side text pane. Tab demotes a line, Shift+Tab promotes it. It works well up to about 15 people. For bigger teams, scroll to Method 3 (free online builder) or Method 4 (1-click Excel template).
Method 1: SmartArt (built-in, up to 15 people)
SmartArt is the feature most people miss. It is built into Excel since 2010, free, and produces a clean hierarchy chart in under 10 minutes for a small team. No add-in, no install, no plugin.
Open a blank Excel workbook
Launch Excel and open any blank workbook. SmartArt is available on Windows Excel 2010 and later, and on Mac Excel from 2016 onward.
Open the SmartArt picker
Click the Insert tab in the ribbon. In the Illustrations group, click SmartArt. A dialog called Choose a SmartArt Graphic opens.
Pick the Organization Chart layout
In the left column of the dialog, click Hierarchy. The first option, top-left, is Organization Chart. Click it, then click OK. A placeholder chart with five boxes appears on your worksheet.
Type names in the Text Pane
A panel called Type your text here opens to the left of the chart. Each line in this panel becomes a box on the chart. Type a name, press Enter for a new box at the same level. Press Tab to push a line one level deeper (a subordinate). Press Shift+Tab to promote a line one level up.
Customize colors and style
Click any box, then click the SmartArt Design tab in the ribbon. Change Colors picks a brand-friendly palette. SmartArt Styles adds depth or 3D feel. Layouts swaps between top-down, left-aligned (org chart), or radial.
Add more boxes or roles
To add a peer to a selected box, click Add Shape > Add Shape After. To add a direct report, click Add Shape > Add Shape Below. To add a manager above, use Add Shape > Add Shape Above. You can also right-click any box and pick Add Shape.
Save or export
Save the workbook (Ctrl+S) to keep the chart editable. To paste into a deck, select the SmartArt, copy, and paste into PowerPoint as a picture or as an editable SmartArt. For a clean print, use File > Export > Create PDF/XPS after selecting the SmartArt or printing only the relevant sheet area.
SmartArt looks great for 5 to 15 people. Past 20, the boxes shrink, names truncate, and adding a new layer often reshuffles half the chart. There is no way to import names from a sheet, color-code by department automatically, or filter to show one team only. For a 50-person company, plan another method.
Method 2: Manual shapes (full control, slow)
If SmartArt does not give you the visual control you want, the second built-in option is to draw the chart from scratch using shapes and connectors. This is what consultants do when they need a one-pager that prints cleanly on A3.
- Click Insert > Shapes and pick a rectangle (rounded rectangle works well for org charts).
- Drag to draw the first box. Type the name inside, then format the fill, border and text.
- Copy and paste the box for each employee. Position each one manually.
- Use Insert > Shapes > Lines > Elbow Connector to draw lines between manager and report. Connector endpoints will snap to the box edges, so the line stays attached if you move the box.
- Group everything once you are done (Ctrl+A after clicking inside the drawing area, then right-click and pick Group) so you can move the chart as a single unit.
The upside is total control over typography, spacing, and color. The downside is that you redraw every time someone joins or leaves. A 25-person manual chart typically takes 2 to 3 hours the first time, and at least 30 minutes to update.
Method 3: Free online org chart builder (any size, no install)
If SmartArt feels too rigid and manual shapes feel too slow, the next step is to use a free browser tool. You paste your team data once and the layout, connectors, and color coding by department are handled automatically. No subscription, no software install.
ClicknFile Org Chart Builder, free in your browser
Paste your team list from Excel, edit names inline, color-code by department, add photos, switch between 5 visual styles, export to PNG. Runs entirely in your browser, no account needed, no node limit. The chart auto-saves locally so you can come back to it tomorrow.
The free browser tool covers the vast majority of cases: it scales to a few hundred people, exports a high-resolution PNG for slide decks, and produces a shareable link with the entire chart encoded in the URL. The one limitation is that the file lives in your browser, not in a spreadsheet you fully own. If you need offline editing, lifetime ownership and a real Excel file, jump to Method 4.
Method 4: 1-click VBA Excel template (repeat updates)
This is the method built for HR managers and ops leads who update their org chart every quarter. The template uses a VBA macro to read your employee data table and generate the full hierarchy in about 10 seconds, with smart connectors, color-coded departments, and a live legend.
You do not write any code. You open the file, paste your roster into the data sheet, click Generate Org Chart, and the macro lays out the entire tree on a separate worksheet. To update next quarter, you change a few rows and click the button again. The chart redraws from scratch in seconds.
Manual SmartArt org chart for 30 employees: about 30 to 45 minutes the first time, then 15 minutes per update. Automated VBA template for the same 30: 4 minutes the first time, then under 1 minute per update. Past 50 people, the gap widens dramatically.
Which method should you pick?
| Method | Best for | Setup | Easy to update? | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SmartArt | Up to 15 people, one-off use | Built-in | Manual | Free |
| Manual shapes | Custom print-ready chart, design-heavy | Built-in | Painful | Free |
| Free online builder | Any size, fast iteration, polish | Open the page | Paste, click | Free |
| 1-click Excel template | HR teams, quarterly updates, ownership | Download once | 1 click | $25 one-time |
Preparing your employee data (for any method)
Whatever method you pick, the chart will be as clean as the data behind it. For methods 3 and 4 (the ones that read a list), the structure that always works is:
| Column | Required? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Name | Required | Sarah Johnson |
| Job Title | Required | HR Manager |
| Manager Name | Required | John Smith |
| Department | Recommended | Human Resources |
| Optional | sarah@company.com | |
| Photo URL | Optional | https://... |
The Manager Name column is the key field. The CEO or top-level person should have a blank Manager field. Everyone else must have their direct manager's name spelled exactly as it appears in the Employee Name column. Mismatches like "John Smith" vs "J. Smith" break the hierarchy detection.
Keep department names consistent. "HR" and "Human Resources" will generate two separate colors in any color-coded view. A quick Find and Replace before you paste saves a lot of cleanup.
FAQ
Need to update your org chart every quarter?
The Org Chart Generator Excel template builds the chart from your data table in one click. Paste your roster, click Generate, export. Update next quarter in under a minute. Works offline on Windows Excel 2016 and later.
Get the Excel template → $25Instant download · Sample data + user guide included · One-time payment, no subscription
Related reads: The complete guide to skills matrices in Excel · How to create a RACI matrix in Excel · Best Excel HR templates for small business.