Org chart maker — type an indented list, get a reporting tree

How to use the org chart maker

1. In People (indent each report under their manager), type one person per line as Name, Job title. The job title is optional.
2. Indent each report under their manager with spaces or tabs. Keep the same indentation for people on the same level.
3. Add a Chart title and set the Box width (100–260 px).
4. Choose a Colour theme and Background.
5. Copy the SVG or download org-chart.svg. The People table lists each name, title, manager and level, and downloads as org-chart.csv.

What it does and when to use it

An organisation chart shows who leads whom. New staff use it to learn names and roles, teams put it in handbooks and pitch decks, and schools, clubs and charities use it to show committees and responsibilities.

Typing an indented list is faster than dragging boxes around: you write the structure once and the layout follows. For a plan over time rather than a structure, use the Gantt chart maker or the timeline maker. If you keep your staff list as a spreadsheet, the CSV column extractor can pull out the name and title columns first.

How it works

The list is read line by line. The tool keeps track of the indentation of the people above, so each new line is attached to the nearest line above it with less indentation. People on the bottom row of each branch get consecutive slots from left to right, and every manager is centred above their first and last report. This “tidy tree” layout keeps lines from crossing.

Each box is 58 px tall, with the name in bold and the job title underneath. The coloured strip on top of each box shows the level: one colour for the top, another for the next level, and so on through the theme. Long names and titles are shortened with “…” to fit the box. Characters such as & and < are escaped, so any name is safe in the SVG. The chart is drawn in your browser.

Worked examples

Leadership team (the sample). Seven people: a chief executive, three heads below her and three leads under two of them. The People table includes:

Mei Lin | Backend Lead | Daniel Okafor | 3

Special characters and a tab. A & B Ltd <Board> with Alex, CFO indented by one tab. The SVG stores the name safely as A & B Ltd <Board>, and Alex appears at level 2 under the board.

A school with two trees. A bulleted list with the head teacher, a deputy and two year teams, plus “Governors” at the top level. Governors is drawn as a separate box to the right, and the year teams appear as level 3 under Sam Lee with an empty title.

Limits and tips

• Every box has the same size; there are no photos, phone numbers or dotted-line reporting.
• Large organisations become very wide. Make one chart per department, or reduce the Box width.
• The download is SVG. Use the SVG to PNG converter if a tool needs a PNG.