# Flowchart widget

> Draw flowcharts, org charts and approval flows on a desk with a full diagram editor: shapes, connectors, templates, AI, auto-arrange and export.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-flowchart
Section: Widgets > Draw and diagram
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-15

The Flowchart widget puts the PlexiDiagrams editor on your desk. Draw a process step by step with flowchart shapes and connectors, start from a template, or describe the process and let AI draw it for you. Tidy the layout in one click, then export it as a picture or a PDF.

A Flowchart is a real Office file. You edit it on the desk, and the same file is listed in Office, where you can open it in the full editor.

For a quick boxes-and-arrows sketch, or a Venn diagram, the lighter [Diagram widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-diagram) may suit you better.

## Before you start

- The Flowchart widget is on every plan.
- You need a desk open.
- **AI map** needs AI to be set up: PlexiDesk credits while you are signed in, or your own Anthropic key. See [AI credits and where your AI runs](https://plexiidesk.com/help/ai-credits). Everything else works without AI.

## Add a Flowchart

1. Open the desk you want it on.
2. Click **Add widget** in the centre of the header.
3. In the **Draw & diagram** column, click **Flowchart**.

Other ways to add one:

- **Right-click an empty part of the desk** and choose **Add object** > **Files** > **Flowchart**. It appears where you clicked.
- **Press `⌘` `K`** on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows and choose **Add Flowchart**.

PlexiDesk creates a new diagram file for the widget, named **Diagram**, and opens it with one **Start** shape ready for you to build on. The widget starts at 720 × 520. Make it larger for more room: drag its edges, or use the **+** button in its title bar.

## What is in the widget

From top to bottom:

- **The menu bar:** **Insert** adds any shape, or a widget from one of your desks. **View** > **Fit to view** fits the whole diagram in the widget. **Help** > **How to diagram** is a short reminder of the basics.
- **The stencil tabs:** **Flowchart**, **Basic shapes**, **Arrows** and **Containers**. Each tab shows its own shape buttons.
- **The toolbar:** the shape buttons, colours, **Dashed**, **Templates**, **AI map**, **Arrange**, **Export** and **Fit**.
- **The diagram,** with zoom buttons at the bottom left and a small map of the whole diagram at the bottom right.

## Add shapes

Click a shape button to add that shape to the diagram. Rest the pointer on a button to see its name.

| Tab | Shapes |
| --- | --- |
| **Flowchart** | Process, Decision, Start / End, Data, Store, Prep, Manual, Text |
| **Basic shapes** | Circle, Triangle, Pentagon, Star, Cross, Callout |
| **Arrows** | Stage, Arrow |
| **Containers** | Lane |

A new shape gets a starter label, such as **Step** or **Decision?**. Drag it into place.

### Choose a colour

The colour swatches after the shape buttons set the colour for the next shapes you add (their tooltip says **Colour for new nodes**). Pick the colour first, then add the shape.

### Rename a shape

1. Double-click the shape.
2. Type its label.
3. Press `Enter` to keep it, or `Esc` to cancel.

### Resize a shape

Click a shape, then drag the handles that appear around it.

## Connect shapes

1. Find the small dots on the edges of a shape.
2. Drag from a dot to another shape, and let go.

A connector joins them, and it follows the shapes when you move them. To draw dashed connectors, turn on **Dashed** before you draw them.

### Label a connector

1. Double-click the connector.
2. In **Edge label**, type the label, such as *Yes* or *No*.
3. Click **Set label**.

## Select, delete, move around

- **Select** a shape or connector by clicking it. Hold `Shift` and drag to select several at once.
- **Delete** what is selected with `Backspace` or `Delete`.
- **Pan** by dragging an empty part of the diagram. **Zoom** by scrolling over it, or with the zoom buttons.
- **Fit** brings the whole diagram into view.

## Line things up

- **Align.** Select two or more shapes, and align buttons appear on the toolbar: left, centre, right, top, middle and bottom.
- **Distribute.** Select three or more, and **Distribute horizontally** and **Distribute vertically** space them evenly.
- **Arrange** lays out the whole diagram for you in tidy layers, following the connectors (its tooltip says **Auto-arrange the diagram into a clean layered layout**).

## Start from a template

1. Click **Templates**.
2. Choose **Flowchart**, **Org chart**, **Mind map** or **Approval flow**.

> **Note:**
> A template replaces everything in the diagram, without asking first. Use a template on a new Flowchart, and add another Flowchart widget when you want to keep the one you have.

## Draw a diagram with AI

1. Click **AI map**. The **Generate a map with AI** panel opens.
2. Describe the process, decision flow or structure. For example: *The customer onboarding process from signup to first value, with an approval step.*
3. Click **Generate**, or press `⌘` `Enter` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `Enter` on Windows.

AI writes the steps and the connections, and PlexiDiagrams lays them out. As the panel says, **This replaces the current map.** Edit the result like any other diagram.

If AI is not set up, the panel says **No Anthropic API key set. Open Settings → AI · API keys to paste one.** Sign in to use your credits, or add your own key.

## Export the diagram

1. Click **Export**.
2. Choose **PNG image**, **SVG (vector)**, **JPG image** or **PDF**.
3. Choose where to save it, and click **Save**.

The toolbar shows **Saved** and where the file went.

## Open it in Office

The diagram file is listed in Office with your other documents, as a **Map**. Open it there to work on it in the full editor. It is one file, not a copy: changes you make on the desk show in Office, and the other way round. Renaming the widget does not rename the file.

Removing the widget takes it off the desk. The file stays in Office. To put a diagram you already have on a desk, see [Put a document, spreadsheet or deck on a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-put-files-on-desks).

For everything the editor does, see [PlexiDiagrams overview](https://plexiidesk.com/help/diagrams-overview).

## Publishing a live view

When you publish a live view of a desk, people see the diagram's shapes, labels and connectors, read-only. See [Publish a live view of a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/share-live-web-view).

## Common questions

**AI map says it came back empty.** Describe the process in more detail, with the steps you expect, and try again.

**Scrolling zooms the diagram instead of moving the desk.** Point outside the widget to scroll the desk.

**Where is my file?** In Office, with your other documents, named **Diagram** unless you renamed it there.

## Related tasks

- [Draw & diagram widgets](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widgets-draw-and-diagram)
- [Diagram widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-diagram)
- [Mind map widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-mind-map)
- [PlexiDiagrams overview](https://plexiidesk.com/help/diagrams-overview)
- [Start a diagram from a template or AI](https://plexiidesk.com/help/diagrams-templates-and-ai)