How to make an org chart

1. List your people

Start with names, one per row, in the people sheet's Name column. Order does not matter: the chart is arranged by reporting line, not by row order. Names must be unique, because the Reports To column finds managers by name; if two people share a name, add an initial.

Already have a list? Copy it from Excel, Google Sheets, or an HR export and paste it into the sheet. Pasted columns land in order: Name, Department, Role, Reports To.

2. Add each person's role

The Role column is the job title shown under the name on the chart. Keep titles short and consistent ("Head of Sales", not "Sales department head and regional lead") so the boxes stay readable.

3. Set who reports to whom

In the Reports To column, name each person's manager. Leave it blank for the person at the top. Each name you enter becomes a reporting line, and the tree re-lays itself out immediately, whether the manager's row is above or below.

For a secondary manager (an interim lead, a matrix project owner) set the Reporting line column to Dotted. The person keeps their primary manager; the line into them is drawn dashed.

4. Group people into departments

Give each department head a Department (Sales, Operations, Product). Their reports inherit it unless they name one of their own, so one cell colours a whole branch and groups it in the Departments tab.

Planning hires? Add a row for the position and set its Seat to Open role: it is drawn as an empty, dashed seat so the plan and the current team sit on one chart.

5. Save, download, or share

The chart saves automatically in your browser, so you can close the tab and come back. To download it as a PNG for a deck or handbook, share it, or keep it up to date with a team, create a free QueryChart account from the editor; the chart moves into your account intact.

Frequently asked questions