Word's best native org chart tool is SmartArt. It works when the chart belongs inside a report, handbook, proposal, or job description and the hierarchy fits on the page.
Create an organization chart with SmartArt
- Place the cursor where the chart belongs.
- Choose Insert > SmartArt.
- Select Hierarchy, choose Organization Chart, then choose OK.
- Open the Text Pane from the control on the SmartArt graphic's edge.
- Enter the names and titles.
Typing in a box also works. The Text Pane is faster for building the hierarchy because it keeps the structure visible as an outline.
Select a box and use SmartArt Design > Add Shape to add a role. Add Shape Below creates a direct report. Add Shape Before and Add Shape After add peers. Add Shape Above inserts a new level above the selected box. Add Assistant is available for organization chart layouts.
To delete a role, select the box border and press Delete.
Keep the chart readable in a document
Give the chart a page rather than squeezing it between 2 paragraphs. If the hierarchy is wide, choose Layout > Orientation > Landscape for that section or document, then check the page margins.
For a manager with many reports, select the manager's box and use SmartArt Design > Layout. Organization chart layouts support Standard, Both, Left Hanging, and Right Hanging. A hanging layout can trade width for height without changing who reports to whom.
Keep card text short. A name and title are usually enough in a document. SmartArt reduces text as the graphic gets crowded; that means the page is carrying too much chart.
Move and wrap the finished graphic
If the chart should sit on its own line, leave it In Line with Text so it moves with the surrounding paragraph. If prose must flow around it, select the graphic and choose an appropriate Wrap Text option.
Word's wrapping and positioning choices differ between desktop and Word for the web. Microsoft notes that the web version has fewer image-wrapping options. Open the document in desktop Word when exact placement matters.
Insert a chart made in Org Chart Studio
Use Studio when the roster starts in Excel or CSV, or when the same chart must serve more than one document.
- Import the spreadsheet and review the hierarchy.
- Set the chart theme, visible fields, and layout in Studio.
- Sign in when Studio asks. Guests must sign in before the Export dialog opens. Signing in does not buy a pass.
- Open Export.
- Choose PNG for a single image or PDF for a document-ready file.
To place a PNG in Word, choose Insert > Pictures, select the file, then resize from a corner handle. Use In Line with Text for predictable document flow or another Wrap Text choice when the page design calls for it.
A Studio PNG is an image. Names and boxes are not separately editable in Word. That keeps an approved layout together. Return to Studio, update the data, and export a fresh image when the organization changes.
Studio also exports editable PowerPoint files. Use that route when someone needs to adjust slide objects in PowerPoint, then place the approved result in the Word document as an image if required. A PPTX inserted or converted through another Office workflow can behave differently by platform, so it is not the simplest Word handoff.
An eligible PNG can be exported free with a watermark. PDF and PowerPoint need a pass or subscription. Read the current export rules before choosing a format.
Choose Word or Studio as the source
Keep SmartArt as the source when the chart is small, maintained in the document, and only needs Word's fields and styling.
Keep Studio as the source when the hierarchy comes from a spreadsheet, changes regularly, or must be exported to several destinations. Editing a pasted image in Word does not update Studio, and editing Studio later does not replace images already inserted into documents.
For presentation-native work, see the PowerPoint org chart guide. For an Apple presentation, see the Keynote org chart guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create an organization chart in Word?
Choose Insert > SmartArt > Hierarchy > Organization Chart, then build the hierarchy in the Text Pane. Use Add Shape for new roles and an organization chart layout for hanging options.
How do I stop an org chart from becoming unreadable in Word?
Try a landscape page, shorter card text, and a hanging layout beneath wide teams. If it still does not fit, split the material by department or insert a separately prepared chart at a readable size.
Can Word build an org chart from an Excel file?
Word SmartArt does not provide a spreadsheet mapping and hierarchy-review flow. Import the XLSX or CSV into Studio, review the manager relationships, and insert the exported PNG into Word.
Can I edit a Studio PNG inside Word?
You can resize, crop, and position the image, but its names, cards, and connectors are not separate Word objects. Make structural changes in Studio and export a new image.