The Easiest Way to Create an Organizational Chart: A Personal Experience

Creating an organizational chart (org chart) can seem like a daunting task, but trust me, it’s easier than you might think. Whether you’re looking to visualize your team structure or just want a clear picture of your company’s hierarchy, all you need are lists of people and their managers. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the best and simplest way to create an org chart, complete with customizable styles and options for adding photos. Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Gather Your Data

First things first, you need some data with clear relationships. No, I’m not talking about office romances—unless that’s what you’re trying to map out (hey, no judgment!). What you really need is data showing who reports to whom in your organization. For this example, I’ve got all my org data neatly stored in a Microsoft Excel file.

In my Excel sheet, I’ve listed everyone’s name and their reporting managers. Titles are optional, but they can be helpful. For instance, Patti is our company president, so she’s at the top of the chart. She has four direct reports, including me, and one of her reports, Nestor, also has his own team.

If you don’t have Excel, don’t worry! This data could come from Word, an email, or even a Notepad file. The key is making sure the relationships are clearly defined.

Step 2: Copy Your Data

Once your data is ready, it’s time to copy it. Simply select your data, press Ctrl + C, and you’re good to go. The data will be placed on your clipboard, ready to be used.

Step 3: Head to Bricks.com

Now, let’s put that data to work. Go to Bricks.com (I’ve included a link for your convenience). Bricks is a fantastic tool that leverages AI to help you create org charts and many other visuals quickly and easily.

If you haven’t heard of Bricks before, it’s a new service that integrates AI into spreadsheets and documents, making it super simple to generate an org chart. Trust me, it’s way easier than doing it in Word, PowerPoint, or Visio!

Step 4: Create Your Org Chart

Once you’ve signed up and logged in to Bricks, you’ll find yourself in a new chat. On the left-hand side, you’ll see various options, including the ability to create roadmaps, timelines, lists, tables, and more. But for now, let’s focus on our org chart.

At the bottom of the chat, type “make an org chart” and hit Shift + Enter. Then, paste the data you copied from Excel. Bricks will recognize the data and generate your org chart automatically.

Step 5: Customize the Style

Now that your org chart is generated, you can have some fun with it! Bricks offers various styles to choose from. You can swap styles with a simple click and see what works best for your organization. Want to add photos? No problem! Choose a style that includes placeholders for images and upload them directly.

Step 6: Edit and Update

What if there’s a mistake or you need to make changes? Easy! Just click on any part of the org chart to edit. For example, my title was mistakenly listed as “Cookie Monster” (which, let’s be honest, is somewhat true), but I needed to update it to “Content Creator.” It’s as simple as clicking, typing, and hitting enter.

You can also add new employees or update existing ones. Bricks keeps all your data in a spreadsheet format, so any changes you make in the org chart will be reflected in the underlying data, and vice versa.

Step 7: Export and Share

Once you’re happy with your org chart, it’s time to export it. Click the download icon in the top right corner, and you can choose to save it as an image (PNG) or a PDF. This is perfect for sharing in presentations or sending out to the team.

Extra Features: Advanced Customization and Presentation Mode

Bricks also allows you to add more context to your org chart by sending it to a “board” view, where you can add text, charts, and other elements. This feature is great for presentations where you need to provide additional information. You can even enter presentation mode directly from Bricks, making it a one-stop solution for all your org chart needs.

Conclusion: A Quick and Easy Solution

Creating an org chart doesn’t have to be a chore. With Bricks, it’s quick, easy, and even a little bit fun. Whether you’re updating your team structure or preparing for an all-hands meeting, Bricks has the tools you need to create a professional and visually appealing org chart in minutes. Give it a try, and you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.

FAQs: Creating an Organizational Chart Easily