Flowcharts, organization charts, and other types of nonnumerical diagrams are used to illustrate a variety of relationships in pictorial format.
Flowcharts show a sequence of events or steps in a process. They are made up of flowchart AutoShapes and other AutoShapes that are connected to each other with connector lines.
Connector lines can be straight, curved, or angled lines and can be formatted in any line style. They have special endpoints that lock onto connection sites on AutoShapes.
When a connector endpoint is locked onto an AutoShape, it is red. When it is not attached, it is green. To disconnect a connector, select the connector line; then drag one of its red connectors.
Use the Align and Distribute commands to arrange a flowchart in a symmetrical layout.
Organization charts are used to describe a hierarchical structure, showing who reports to whom, and who is responsible for what function or task. They are made up of the same AutoShapes and connector lines as flowcharts.
The Organization Chart toolbar has commands to insert shapes and modify the layout. The position of shapes is determined by a predefined layout, but you can turn off the AutoLayout feature to arrange and resize shapes to suit your needs.
When AutoLayout is turned off, org chart connectors and shapes can be freely inserted, deleted, repositioned, resized, and reformatted in the same way as flowchart shapes.
A traditional org chart is a tree structure, branching out to multiple divisions in each lower level. When you use the keyboard to navigate in an org chart, you follow a branch with your arrow keys.
You move an org chart box and all its selected subordinate boxes by dragging it on top of the box that will be its superior. To promote a box, you move it up a level. To demote a box, you move it down a level.
When a large number of org chart boxes are on a single level, you can rearrange the boxes in one of three vertical layouts.
In addition to numerical charts, flowcharts, and org charts, PowerPoint offers five additional types of diagrams to illustrate your thoughts and ideas in a pictorial format.
You start a diagram in the same way as you start an org chart. You insert and delete shapes, key text, apply formatting, and size it in the same way.
