Generate Org Charts Faster with SmartDraw AI

SmartDraw AI lets you create org charts using natural language prompts or by importing your existing employee data.

You can generate a sample organizational structure based on common business practices, publicly available organizational structure for public companies, or import your own employee data to automatically create a fully editable org chart.

Scenario 1: Generate an Org Chart for a Typical Organization

If you're planning a new department and don't have employee data yet, you can describe the type of organization you want using natural language. AI will generate a typical reporting structure to help you get started.

You can also build an org chart from publicly available information about a real company. For example, if an organization publishes its leadership team on its website, provide the URL and ask SmartDraw to visualize it as an org chart.

Try these example prompts:

Create an org chart for a 50-person software startup.

Design the organizational structure for a regional hospital.

Create an org chart from Apple's leadership page: https://www.apple.com/leadership/

The AI uses publicly available information and common organizational practices to generate an editable org chart that serves as a starting point. You can then customize names, positions, reporting relationships, departments, and formatting using SmartDraw's built-in org chart tools.

Generating a mind map with AI using natural language

Scenario 2: Visualize Your Existing Organization

If you already have employee information, there's no need for AI to invent your organizational structure, but you can still use it to help generate an org chart automatically. Simply import your existing employee data and SmartDraw will automatically generate an editable org chart.

Your data can be provided as:

  • CSV
  • Microsoft Excel (XLS or XLSX)

AI will help you fix any structural issues with your data before visualizing.

Generating org chart from CSV data

Before Importing Your Employee Data

Before importing a CSV or Excel file, make sure your data follows these guidelines:

  • Each row should represent one unique employee.
  • Include a column that identifies each employee's supervisor or manager.
  • Every employee should have a supervisor except for the top executive in the organization.
  • Include every employee you want to appear in the chart, including the top-level manager.
  • Keep employee name formatting or IDs consistent. The value used to identify a supervisor must exactly match the corresponding employee record. Using employee IDs is recommended because they eliminate naming inconsistencies.
  • Save your data as a CSV, XLS, or XLSX file before importing.

Tip: For best results, keep imported org charts under 200 employees. If your organization is larger, consider generating separate org charts for each department to keep diagrams readable and easier to edit.

Check data before importing

Try this example prompt for importing existing data:

ID (Optional),Employee (Required),Position (Required),Phone Number (Required),Manager (Required),Hire Date (Optional) 83036,Paula Dahlberg,CEO,867-5309,,5/1/2008 45401,Matthew Miller,VP of Marketing,555-5355,Paula Dahlberg,8/12/2012 14319,Janis van der Hoff,CTO,555-5319,Paula Dahlberg,1/3/2011 66420,Brad Wilson,Director of Development,555-4311,Janis van der Hoff,4/4/2005 22488,Wanda Fisher,Senior Software Architect,555-2377,Janis van der Hoff,12/5/2003 80931,Diane Miller,Senior Software Architect,555-2299,Janis van der Hoff,5/6/2001 17591,Peggy Casper,Software Architect Level 1,555-9156,Janis van der Hoff,2/7/2018 50093,Carrie Jenkins,SEO Jr Specialist,555-7633,Matthew Miller,12/5/2003 34931,Paul Ryan,Digital Marketing Specialist,555-4477,Matthew Miller,1/3/2011 26506,Joshua Larsen,Social Media Intern,555-7754,Matthew Miller,1/4/2011 46844,Lenore Craftman,Content Specialist,555-9659,Matthew Miller,1/5/2011 19745,Tim Blackwell,Director of Research,555-4322,Paula Dahlberg,12/9/2003 26153,Leeland Olson,Network Administrator,555-2577,Janis van der Hoff,7/19/2018 35758,Alison St. John,Associate Director,555-1143,Tim Blackwell,7/20/2018 46120,Doug Smith,Grants/Contracts Officer II,555-8776,Tim Blackwell,7/21/2018 23196,Dan Cohen,Grants/Contracts Officer II,555-4321,Tim Blackwell,7/22/2018 80101,Petra Cobol,Staff Assistant,555-2224,Tim Blackwell,11/5/2005 81969,Greg Taylor,CFO,555-8997,Paula Dahlberg,11/6/2005 18737,Jim Olsen,Sr. Accounting Assistant,555-2200,Greg Taylor,11/7/2005 72165,Tom Brown,Accountant I,555-3057,Greg Taylor,2/15/2018 12715,Madeline Albrecht,Sr. Accountant,555-6192,Greg Taylor,3/12/2016 45926,Bill Jameson,Accountant III,555-2212,Greg Taylor,3/13/2016 81520,Scott Belany,Accountant II,555-4412,Greg Taylor,3/14/2016 70235,Sheila Tate,Accountant I,555-2001,Greg Taylor,6/1/2001 44794,Pamela Hillson,Art Designer,555-3312,Matthew Miller,9/1/2004

Org chart generated from natural language prompt

Scenario 3: Visualize Your Org Chart from Entra or SharePoint

SmartDraw also allows you to visualize employee data stored behind authentication.

Microsoft Entra

You can generate an org chart from your Microsoft directory. Launch SmartDraw's org chart data visualizer from the data tab in the SmartPanel, choose Microsoft Entra, and log in. You'll be able to select the top-level manager for the org chart you want to generate and import your data.

Generate diagram from Microsoft Entra data

SharePoint

You can also generate an org chart automatically using your SharePoint account. Launch SmartDraw's org chart data visualizer from the data tab in the SmartPanel, choose SharePoint List, and log in to SharePoint. You'll be able to choose a SharePoint site and choose a team and top-level manager to visualize.

Learn about using SmartDraw's org chart data visualizer.

Whether you use SmartDraw AI to visualize a publicly available organizational structure, import your own data, or use SmartDraw's data visualizer to import from an authenticated account, SmartDraw lets you generate an org chart in minutes you can then edit to help you restructure and redesign your organization.

Generate diagram from SharePoint data

Continue Editing Your Org Chart

Once your layout is generated, you can continue refining it in SmartDraw. This is perfect if you're considering a restructure and want to test out making changes without committing to them:

  • Move employees between departments
  • Change reporting relationships
  • Add or remove positions
  • Include employee photos and contact information
  • Display titles, departments, locations, or other employee data
  • Apply professional layouts and styles
  • Collaborate with stakeholders

Use SmartDraw AI to generate a starting point that you can turn into a polished, professional organizational chart in minutes.

Learn how to edit org charts in SmartDraw.
Editing org chart