How to Make an Org Chart in PowerPoint: 3 Easy Ways in 2026
To make an org chart in PowerPoint, go to Insert > SmartArt, choose Hierarchy, and pick the Organization Chart layout. Click OK, then type names into the boxes or into the Text pane. Use Add Shape to add people, and SmartArt Styles to change the look.
This guide covers three ways to do it, with the exact menus Microsoft lists. You can build the chart with SmartArt, start from a ready-made template, or prepare the structure from an Excel staff list with AI. It also covers the web version, formatting, an example, and common mistakes.
What an org chart in PowerPoint shows
An org chart shows who reports to whom. Microsoft describes it as a way "to illustrate the reporting relationships in your company or organization."
In PowerPoint, an org chart is a SmartArt graphic. Each box is one person or role. Lines show the reporting lines between a manager and the people below.
Org charts appear in many decks:
- Company profiles that introduce the leadership team.
- Board and investor updates that show new hires or a reorganization.
- Onboarding decks that help new staff find the right person.
- Project kickoffs that show who owns each part of the work.
Microsoft notes that "An alternative way to draw an org chart is with Visio." Visio is a separate diagramming app. For a slide in a presentation, SmartArt in PowerPoint covers the job.
Before you start: what you need
A little preparation saves time later.
- A list of people and roles. Write each person's name and job title.
- The reporting line for each person. Note who each person reports to. This decides the levels.
- A decision on depth. A slide can show two or three levels clearly. Larger teams need one slide per department.
- Photos, if you want them. Picture layouts need one image file per person.
- PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, 2024, 2021, 2019, or 2016. Microsoft's steps apply to these versions.
If the list lives in Excel, keep three columns: Name, Title, and Manager. That layout works for all three ways below.
Which way to choose
Each way suits a different starting point.
| Way | Best when | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Way 1: SmartArt | You want full control and a small team | Low to medium |
| Way 2: Template | You want a designed look fast | Low |
| Way 3: AI from Excel data | Your staff list is long or changes often | Low |
All three end with a SmartArt org chart in PowerPoint that you can edit. The difference is how you get the names and levels in.
Way 1: Insert an org chart with SmartArt
This is Microsoft's main method. It works in PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook.
- On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click SmartArt.
- In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic gallery, click Hierarchy.
- Click an organization chart layout, such as Organization Chart, then click OK.
- Enter your text. Click in a box and type, or click [Text] in the Text pane and type.
Microsoft adds a tip about typing in the boxes: "For best results, use this option after you add all of the boxes that you want." So build the structure first, then fill in the names.
To add a box, click the box closest to where the new one should go. On the SmartArt Design tab, click the arrow next to Add Shape. Then pick one of the options:
- Add Shape After or Add Shape Before adds a box at the same level.
- Add Shape Above adds a box one level up.
- Add Shape Below adds a box one level down.
- Add Assistant adds an assistant box, which Microsoft says is "available only for organization chart layouts."
To add a box from the Text pane, place the cursor at the end of a line and press Enter. Then type the new name.
To delete a box, click its border and press Delete.
You can also paste names in. Microsoft lists this option: "Copy text from another location or program, click [Text] in the Text pane, and then paste your text." That is handy when the names already sit in an Excel column.
Way 2: Start from an org chart template
A template gives you a designed org chart in PowerPoint with placeholder names. You replace the text and adjust the shape count.
- On the File tab, click New.
- In the Search for online templates and themes box, type org chart, then click the search icon.
- Choose an org chart from the results.
- Click Create.
Microsoft says "Many aspects of the chart can be customized, so don't hesitate to pick one just because of its color or layout." Pick by structure first, such as how many levels it shows.
To replace the placeholder text, click inside each shape, highlight the text, and type your own.
To move the slide into another deck, copy and paste it. In Paste Options, choose Use the Destination Theme so it matches the new presentation.
To customize the template, click a shape so the SmartArt tools appear. On the Design tab, you can add shapes, change the style, change colors, or switch the layout. On the Format tab, you can restyle text and shapes, rearrange them, and change sizes.
Way 3: Build an org chart from Excel data with AI
The first two ways assume you type or paste names by hand. That gets slow with fifty people, several departments, and frequent changes. An AI tool can read the staff list, sort out the levels, and give you text that drops straight into SmartArt.
Here is the method in three steps, using Powerdrill Bloom.
Step 1: Upload the staff list
Start with the file that holds the people data. That might be an Excel export from your HR system or a CSV file.
The Free plan on the pricing page lists "Upload Excel, CSV, PDF, and docs." The Excel AI Assistant page says it can "automatically analyze data, uncover insights, and create visual reports." Remove columns you do not need, such as salaries, before you upload.
Step 2: Ask for the hierarchy and a team summary
Describe what you need in natural language. For example: "Using the Manager column, list everyone as an indented outline under their manager. Then count headcount by department and chart it."
The indented outline is the useful part. Each indent level becomes one level in the org chart. The headcount chart makes a second slide that shows team sizes at a glance.
Ask the tool to flag problems too. A person with no manager, or a manager who does not appear in the list, breaks the chart. Fix those rows in the source file.
Step 3: Check the structure and move it into PowerPoint
Check the outline against the source file before you use it. The homepage makes a clear promise: "Every number comes back with the page, the row and the figure behind it." That lets you trace each headcount to its rows.
Count the boxes in the outline and compare the total with the number of rows in your file. A gap can point to a duplicate name or a missing manager.
Then move it into PowerPoint. Insert a SmartArt org chart as in Way 1, open the Text pane, and paste the outline. Adjust any levels that land in the wrong place. For the headcount slide, the Excel to PPT tool says you can "export to PowerPoint in one click."
Make an org chart in PowerPoint for the web
The steps are shorter in the browser version. Microsoft lists them like this:
- On the Insert tab, click SmartArt.
- Under Hierarchy, select a chart layout.
- Use the text editor on the left border of the chart to add labels.
- To change a level, select an item, and on the SmartArt tab, select Promote or Demote.
- Use the SmartArt tab to change the style or color.
Microsoft explains how the text editor works: "The text editor contains a multi-level bullet list." It adds: "Each bullet item represents a separate person in the org chart."
That bullet list makes the web version a good fit for Way 3. Paste the indented outline, then promote or demote any line that needs it.
How to format an org chart in PowerPoint
A clean org chart is easy to scan. These are the formatting tools Microsoft documents.
Change the colors. Click the chart. On the SmartArt Design tab, in the SmartArt Styles group, click Change Colors, then pick a combination. Microsoft says the combinations "are derived from the theme colors."
Color one box. Right-click the border of a box and click Format Shape. Under Fill, click Solid fill, then choose a color. Use this to highlight a new hire or an open role.
Apply a SmartArt Style. In the SmartArt Styles group, pick a style. A style combines effects "such as line style, bevel, or 3-D."
Show a dotted-line report. Right-click the line between two boxes and click Format Shape. Click Line or Line Style, then choose a Dash type.
Change the hanging layout. Click a manager's box. In the Create Graphic group, click Layout. Choose Standard, Both, Left Hanging, or Right Hanging. Hanging layouts stack the boxes below a manager vertically, which saves width.
Add photos. Choose Picture Organization Chart or Circle Picture Hierarchy from the Hierarchy gallery. Click the picture icon in each box to add an image.
Nudge a box. Microsoft says you can hold Ctrl and press the arrow keys to move a box in small steps.
Keep the text short. Name on the first line and title on the second is enough for most charts.
An org chart example
Here is how one company might plan an org chart in PowerPoint. Willow Lane Bakery is an invented example with 13 people across three teams.
| Name | Title | Manager |
|---|---|---|
| A. Moreno | Chief Executive Officer | None |
| B. Chen | Head of Production | A. Moreno |
| C. Patel | Head of Retail | A. Moreno |
| D. Okafor | Finance Manager | A. Moreno |
| E. Silva | Executive Assistant | A. Moreno |
| F. Novak | Baker | B. Chen |
| G. Rossi | Baker | B. Chen |
| H. Kim | Pastry Chef | B. Chen |
| I. Dubois | Store Lead | C. Patel |
| J. Haddad | Store Lead | C. Patel |
| K. Larsen | Sales Associate | I. Dubois |
| L. Ito | Sales Associate | J. Haddad |
| M. Brown | Accounts Assistant | D. Okafor |
The plan for the slide:
- Level 1 is the CEO, with the executive assistant added through Add Assistant.
- Level 2 holds the three department heads.
- Level 3 holds the team members under each head.
- Level 4 holds the two sales associates under the store leads.
Four levels with 13 boxes fit on one slide. For a larger company, put the top two levels on one slide. Then give each department its own slide.
A second slide can show headcount by team: Production 4, Retail 5, and Finance 2. The CEO and assistant sit outside the teams. That chart gives the audience the size of each team before they read names.
Common org chart mistakes
These problems come up often, and each has a simple fix.
Too many boxes on one slide. Text shrinks until no one can read it. Split large teams across several slides.
Missing reporting lines. A person without a manager floats loose. Check the Manager column before you build the chart.
Mixing layouts by hand. Drawing extra boxes outside SmartArt makes the chart hard to edit. Microsoft notes you cannot automatically connect two top-level boxes. Its workaround is to draw a line with Insert > Shape instead.
Long titles. Full job descriptions crowd the boxes. Use short titles and explain roles in your speaker notes.
Outdated names. An org chart goes stale fast. Keep the source list in one place and rebuild the chart from it each quarter.
Filling boxes before the structure is done. When you type directly into the boxes, Microsoft's advice is to add all the boxes first. Build the levels, then add the names.
Colors that mean nothing. If you color boxes, use color for one purpose, such as open roles. Explain it in a small legend.
An org chart often sits inside a larger deck. Our guide to company profile presentations shows where the team slide fits, and our PowerPoint timeline guide covers the milestone slide that often follows it. If your staff list is long or changes often, try Powerdrill Bloom with one Excel export from your HR system.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make an org chart in PowerPoint?
Go to Insert > SmartArt, click Hierarchy, and choose Organization Chart. Click OK, then type names into the boxes or the Text pane. Use Add Shape on the SmartArt Design tab to add people above, below, or beside a selected box.
Can I make an org chart in PowerPoint from Excel data?
Yes. Copy the names from Excel, click [Text] in the SmartArt Text pane, and paste them. Then adjust the levels. For long lists, an AI tool can turn the Manager column into an indented outline you can paste in one go.
How do I add an assistant to an org chart?
Select the box of the person who has the assistant. On the SmartArt Design tab, click the arrow next to Add Shape, then click Add Assistant. Microsoft says this option is available only for organization chart layouts.
Is there an org chart template in PowerPoint?
Yes. Click File > New, type "org chart" in the search box for online templates, and pick a result. Click Create, then replace the placeholder text. You can change the theme, colors, and layout afterward.
How do I show a dotted-line relationship in a PowerPoint org chart?
Right-click the line between the two boxes and click Format Shape. Click Line or Line Style, then choose a Dash type. A dashed line shows a secondary or informal reporting relationship.
Sources: Microsoft Support, Create an organization chart in Office by using SmartArt · Microsoft Support, Create an org chart in PowerPoint · Microsoft Support, Create an org chart in PowerPoint by using a template · Microsoft Support, Create an org chart in PowerPoint for the web. Details read on November 3, 2026.