During my time at university, I used flowcharts to map out my research processes so they could be clearly understood and repeated during peer review. Lately, I’ve been using flowchart templates to organize an instructional book on floral design. Today, I’ll be exploring flowcharts as they pertain to the business sector. Flowchart templates help people easily map out business processes, improve workflows, and even clarify organizational structures. Any industry can make smart use of flowcharts for business, and templates make that work go even faster. Bulleted lists, Word documents, or even presentations can help convey a process, but they don’t offer the same level of visual clarity and readability that a flowchart does — especially when trying to map out different steps or stages. So, let’s answer the main questions first: what is a flowchart, and what can you use it for? Table of Contents What is a flowchart? How Flowchart Templates Can Help Flowchart Templates for Business Flowchart Examples for Business Free Flowchart Templates What makes a great flowchart template? What is a flowchart? Flowcharts are ideal for outlining processes, which are the backbone of a strong business. In my opinion, a clear, repeatable process has two major hurdles to successful implementation in any business: first, the development of that process, and second, getting buy-in from stakeholders on that process. (Good luck, right?) The best way to overcome both of these potential roadblocks is to transparently and logically outline a process. Many businesses use flowcharts to manage this, as flowcharts visually outline a process roadmap for a full-scope understanding. They can also be easily digested by employees who need to know and follow the process. In a business, flowcharts can be used for any of the following purposes: Team and organizational alignment. An organizational structure diagram clarifies who reports to whom in your team. Data management. A data flow diagram will help you understand how information progresses through your business up until deletion. Sales process mapping. Creating a sales process flowchart can help you shorten the sales cycle and increase revenue. Email nurturing. Email campaigns are famously dependent on workflows, which are a type of flowchart that decides who to enroll in a campaign and when. Customer journey mapping. A customer journey flowchart shows how customers find you and what their experience is like at your business. Customer or employee onboarding. A customer onboarding process flow can help you define what messaging to send and when during your customer’s first interactions with your business. A/B testing. When designing an A/B test, you’ll typically use a flowchart to figure out how many versions you’ll test and the potential results you’ll get. You can also use flowcharts for QA work, mapping out your career progression, and much, much more. Additionally, you can take advantage of templates to reduce your workload. How Flowchart Templates Can Help Pre-designed flowchart templates offer multiple benefits. I’ll take a look at them below: Saves time. The primary benefit is pretty straightforward. Using a template is quicker than building a flowchart from square one. Applicable for different purposes. Flowchart templates are available online for varied use cases, from university application workflows to loan approval processes. Search for one that fits your requirements, modify it, save/share/export it, and you’re good to go. Customizable according to individual or organizational needs. Templates usually offer numerous modification and personalization options. I’ve seen some tools that also allow you to add your brand assets to the design. To help you create actionable flowcharts for your organization, I’ve listed the best flowchart templates for you to start using today. These can help you to create a smoother process in any area of your business. The first nine come with a download link for you to start using that template right on Google Slides. Flowchart Templates for Business 1. Basic Process Flowchart Template Download this Template I feel that this basic flow chart template is a great solution for those just getting started with flowcharts. Why? The template allows its designers to specify a starting point, two potential outcomes, and then the resulting processes of those decisions. Due to its limitations, this flowchart template is best suited for simple processes. Who should use this flowchart? Anyone who needs to map out if-then processes. What I like about this flowchart template: The basic process flowchart is easy to use and follow, and it’s ideal for documenting straightforward or simple processes. Pro tip: This flowchart is helpful for those looking to design an A/B test to determine the best way to get the results they’re looking for. 2. Swimlane Flowchart Template Download this Template The swimlane flowchart template divides the steps of a process into different sectors. For your business, these different sectors could be time periods, teams, employees, or work requirements. Who should use this flowchart? Swimlane flowcharts are particularly helpful for those who oversee cross-functional processes. What I like about this flowchart template: This template visualizes the different process steps that take place across multiple teams or organizations. 3. Task Flowchart Template Download this Template A task flowchart template simplifies complex processes with unique shapes. Each shape on the flowchart represents something different, forming a quick visual key. This format is helpful when the work of several teams intertwines throughout a process. This is because it makes it easier for team members to figure out the tasks they’re responsible for. These roles are often noted in a key on the flowchart for quick reference. Who should use this flowchart? Project managers looking to keep track of various tasks and their outcomes. What I like about this flowchart template: The task flowchart visually depicts how various contributions to a product support the end result. Each stakeholder can see how their tasks impact the flow of the project. Pro tip: The shapes can also represent different types of actions, like back-end development of a new element and then front-end testing of those elements to create a QA process. 4. Complex Flowchart Template Download this Template