Add SmartDraw to Claude

Use Claude to generate editable SmartDraw drawings and diagrams without ever leaving the conversation. Once you connect SmartDraw to Claude, you can ask Claude for a floor plan, flowchart, org chart, mind map, or timeline, and SmartDraw will render the appropriate diagram, return a preview, and give you a link to open the drawing in the full SmartDraw editor.

You just need to connect Claude to the SmartDraw MCP Server. It teaches Claude how to write VSON (the format SmartDraw uses to describe diagrams and floor plans), handles a broad range of inputs including natural language, Mermaid, SVG, and pasted data, renders the drawing, and returns a preview image plus an "Edit in SmartDraw" link, all in one connector.

What You Will Need

  • A Claude account on a plan that supports MCP connectors, including Free, Pro, or Max for individuals and Team or Enterprise for businesses.
  • A SmartDraw account. You need at least a trial account to get started with the MCP.
SmartDraw and Claude logos

Connect the SmartDraw MCP Server

These instructions apply to both Claude and Claude Desktop.

  1. In Claude, go to Settings → Connectors.
  2. Click Add and choose Add custom connector.
  3. Enter the SmartDraw MCP Server URL, name, and click Add: (https://mcp.smartdraw.com/mcp). No OAuth2 token is required.
  4. On the next screen, confirm you want to connect by clicking the Connect button. The SmartDraw connector should now appear in your connections list.

If there is no option to add a custom connector, your plan or workspace settings may not allow it. Ask your workspace administrator to enable custom connectors.

You can disconnect the MCP Server at any time from the same screen.

Adding custom connector Connecting the SmartDraw MCP to Claude

Try It

In a new Claude conversation, type any of the following:

  • "Use SmartDraw to draw me a flowchart of a typical hiring process, with branches for hire and no hire."
  • "Use SmartDraw to build an org chart for a 50-person startup with engineering, design, and sales teams."
  • "Use SmartDraw to sketch a floor plan for a 1,200 square foot two-bedroom apartment with an open kitchen."
  • "Take this Mermaid diagram and rebuild it in SmartDraw: [paste your Mermaid]"

Claude responds with a preview image and a link that opens the drawing in the full SmartDraw editor. From there you can edit, share, and export like any other SmartDraw drawing.

Claude generating SmartDraw diagram from a prompt

What You Can Do

  • Use prompts. You can use a natural language prompt to generate a diagram or floor plan based on the best publicly available information.
  • Use existing data. You can also paste Mermaid blocks, SVG, CSV data, and existing VSON and have SmartDraw generate a diagram using your specific information.
  • Combine SmartDraw with other connectors. Ask Claude to "Make an org chart from my SharePoint people directory" or "Turn this Google Doc process into a flowchart" and Claude pulls the data from the other source and asks SmartDraw to draw it.
  • Iterate in the conversation. Anything you say after the first drawing refines that drawing. "Add more steps for QA." "Make the kitchen bigger." "Use a darker theme."
  • Make edits in SmartDraw. Open the drawing in SmartDraw and make edits. The generated diagram can be added to your account like any other document.
Editing generated flowchart in SmartDraw

Common Questions

Do I need a paid SmartDraw account?

A SmartDraw trial works for getting started. Paid and Enterprise accounts allow more usage of MCP and shapes per diagram.

Where does my prompt go?

Your prompt stays in Claude. SmartDraw only ever sees the VSON that Claude generates and a short title. Read SmartDraw AI Privacy and Data Handling for full details.

How long does the drawing stay available?

The VSON SmartDraw renders from is stored for 48 hours so you can open it in the editor. After that, the link expires. The drawing itself, once saved to your SmartDraw account, stays as long as you want it.

What if Claude generates something that does not look right?

Just say so. "That's not quite right, the approval step should come before the review." Claude will rewrite the VSON and ask SmartDraw to re-render.