Recommendations of process flow chart platform/software?
Jacqueline LeeSr. Manager - Project Management| The Marketing StoreHong Kong, Hong Kong
I work on project management mainly on business solutions. SOP setup and improvement is one of my key focuses. I've been planning to put the process flow charts in a centralized location and searching for a platform to allow the flow charts to be displayed from high level to detailed levels for end-to-end process. Do you have any suggestions on the platform/software? I used to use QPR to display a small number of charts but for some reasons my company cannot continue to use it. Some flow charts created by users are in various format, e.g. Visio, Excel, etc. Ideally there is high level charts and click into one/each of the steps to go to a lower level. Then click on a step to go further down to the next lower level for more detailed processes. It would be helpful if the Visio files can be imported to the new platform. My company is in supply chain from product concepts to product development to production and shipments. Any experience to share and any recommendations? Thank you. Saving Changes...
Visio is my personal favorite for process flow charts. You can create hyperlinks in shapes that will allow navigating the way you describe.
You can also export Visio or Excel files to PDF and create hyperlinks in those files as well and anyone can access them without special software.
If you want to get a little fancier, you could create a web-based portal to manage the links but for navigating up and down a document tree, probably the most important thing is creating a standard format and file structure.
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1 reply by Jacqueline Lee
Oct 17, 2022 11:37 PM
Jacqueline Lee
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Thanks a lot for the detailed response. It helps.
If the flow charts are exported to pdf, any suggestions to include some hyperlinks on the pdf file to navigate up and down the document tree? or must I create a web-based portal to serve this purpose? Thank you.
Jacqueline LeeSr. Manager - Project Management| The Marketing StoreHong Kong, Hong Kong
Oct 17, 2022 11:14 AM
Replying to Stéphane Parent
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If you Google for "BPM modelling tools" you should find a lot of suggestions. The last such tool I used in the 90s no longer exists.
Thank you for your advice. Saving Changes...
Jacqueline LeeSr. Manager - Project Management| The Marketing StoreHong Kong, Hong Kong
Oct 17, 2022 11:39 AM
Replying to Keith Novak
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Visio is my personal favorite for process flow charts. You can create hyperlinks in shapes that will allow navigating the way you describe.
You can also export Visio or Excel files to PDF and create hyperlinks in those files as well and anyone can access them without special software.
If you want to get a little fancier, you could create a web-based portal to manage the links but for navigating up and down a document tree, probably the most important thing is creating a standard format and file structure.
Thanks a lot for the detailed response. It helps.
If the flow charts are exported to pdf, any suggestions to include some hyperlinks on the pdf file to navigate up and down the document tree? or must I create a web-based portal to serve this purpose? Thank you.
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1 reply by Keith Novak
Oct 18, 2022 11:06 AM
Keith Novak
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You can create hyperlinks in PDF pretty easily with a couple clicks.
The organization takes a little thought. Individual steps in the flow chart can be linked to supporting documentation like detailed instructions. A process flow itself can be linked to a higher level document or process by adding a link on the flow chart itself rather than on a step. Creating a consistent format like a table of key reference data helps people know where to look.
You can also create links as arrows for up and down like hyperlinking slides in PowerPoint to access content and then return to the outline.
I would also create a document tree separate from the flow charts as an indentured list. A page of process flow can be indentured like:
- High level process
- Supporting documentation for step 1
- Details of steps for lower tier
- Supporting documentation for step 2
That makes it easy to manage a document tree in a server type format so you don't have to open many pages to see the hierarchy. Word works, as does Excel or you can save that as a PDF too.
Saving Changes...
Jacqueline LeeSr. Manager - Project Management| The Marketing StoreHong Kong, Hong Kong
Thanks a lot for the detailed response. It helps.
If the flow charts are exported to pdf, any suggestions to include some hyperlinks on the pdf file to navigate up and down the document tree? or must I create a web-based portal to serve this purpose? Thank you.
You can create hyperlinks in PDF pretty easily with a couple clicks.
The organization takes a little thought. Individual steps in the flow chart can be linked to supporting documentation like detailed instructions. A process flow itself can be linked to a higher level document or process by adding a link on the flow chart itself rather than on a step. Creating a consistent format like a table of key reference data helps people know where to look.
You can also create links as arrows for up and down like hyperlinking slides in PowerPoint to access content and then return to the outline.
I would also create a document tree separate from the flow charts as an indentured list. A page of process flow can be indentured like:
- High level process
- Supporting documentation for step 1
- Details of steps for lower tier
- Supporting documentation for step 2
That makes it easy to manage a document tree in a server type format so you don't have to open many pages to see the hierarchy. Word works, as does Excel or you can save that as a PDF too.
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1 reply by Jacqueline Lee
Oct 20, 2022 5:48 AM
Jacqueline Lee
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Thank you for your advice, Keith. Good idea on the document tree!
After my further thoughts, for the flow charts originated in Visio, I assume the easiest way is to include hyperlinks in Visio instead of pdf and to share Visio files with audiences.
For an administrator, to avoid improper changes and to allow document owners to update, do you recommend to protect Visio files? Or any other ways? Thank you.
Saving Changes...
Jacqueline LeeSr. Manager - Project Management| The Marketing StoreHong Kong, Hong Kong
Oct 18, 2022 11:06 AM
Replying to Keith Novak
...
You can create hyperlinks in PDF pretty easily with a couple clicks.
The organization takes a little thought. Individual steps in the flow chart can be linked to supporting documentation like detailed instructions. A process flow itself can be linked to a higher level document or process by adding a link on the flow chart itself rather than on a step. Creating a consistent format like a table of key reference data helps people know where to look.
You can also create links as arrows for up and down like hyperlinking slides in PowerPoint to access content and then return to the outline.
I would also create a document tree separate from the flow charts as an indentured list. A page of process flow can be indentured like:
- High level process
- Supporting documentation for step 1
- Details of steps for lower tier
- Supporting documentation for step 2
That makes it easy to manage a document tree in a server type format so you don't have to open many pages to see the hierarchy. Word works, as does Excel or you can save that as a PDF too.
Thank you for your advice, Keith. Good idea on the document tree!
After my further thoughts, for the flow charts originated in Visio, I assume the easiest way is to include hyperlinks in Visio instead of pdf and to share Visio files with audiences.
For an administrator, to avoid improper changes and to allow document owners to update, do you recommend to protect Visio files? Or any other ways? Thank you.
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1 reply by Keith Novak
Oct 20, 2022 11:45 AM
Keith Novak
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Yes adding the hyperlinks straight to Visio is easier however generally I would not share the Visio files themselves. That would require everyone to have a license. I find it a great tool for creating and editing flow chart type graphics but I would generally export it to pdf for others.
For protecting your base files, what I tend to do is create a password protected server or other portal for all the files rather than each individual file. Then I put the PDF exports in the location accessible to anyone.
On my protected server, I can then keep the archived copies of the process flows for reference with the version number. I keep the same file name for the PDF files regardless of version. That way you can replace the accessible file versions without updating the hyperlinks, and if anyone else links the files themselves, you don't break their links when you revise a process flow.
Thank you for your advice, Keith. Good idea on the document tree!
After my further thoughts, for the flow charts originated in Visio, I assume the easiest way is to include hyperlinks in Visio instead of pdf and to share Visio files with audiences.
For an administrator, to avoid improper changes and to allow document owners to update, do you recommend to protect Visio files? Or any other ways? Thank you.
Yes adding the hyperlinks straight to Visio is easier however generally I would not share the Visio files themselves. That would require everyone to have a license. I find it a great tool for creating and editing flow chart type graphics but I would generally export it to pdf for others.
For protecting your base files, what I tend to do is create a password protected server or other portal for all the files rather than each individual file. Then I put the PDF exports in the location accessible to anyone.
On my protected server, I can then keep the archived copies of the process flows for reference with the version number. I keep the same file name for the PDF files regardless of version. That way you can replace the accessible file versions without updating the hyperlinks, and if anyone else links the files themselves, you don't break their links when you revise a process flow.
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2 replies by Jacqueline Lee
Oct 24, 2022 3:19 AM
Jacqueline Lee
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Thanks a lot for these additional information.
However, I foresee there will be a big challenge with the hyperlinks on different level of flow charts. The hyperlinks are mainly for connecting to multiple flow charts. If the PDF will be shared to everyone, I imagine the hyperlinks are connected to the PDF of charts instead of the Visio. If so, whenever any hyperlink needs to be adjusted or added in Visio, another PDF should be created that means all connected flow charts will be impacted and should be re-exported to a new PDF. If there are 50-100 inter-related flow charts and the no. of steps on each flow chart would be about 30-300 steps, the adjustment of any hyperlinks would be cumbersome. I’m not sure if my understanding in the way of managing hyperlinks is correct. That’s why my previous thought was sharing Visio files. Suggestions?
I haven’t been able to figure out whether your suggested way of excluding version no. of files could be applied to the challenge mentioned above.
BTW, are the free Visio viewer sites good for audiences to view the Visio charts so Visio license isn’t needed for everyone? Just want to explore this option.
Thank you.
Oct 30, 2022 11:23 PM
Jacqueline Lee
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Thank you. I haven't been able to figure out an "easier" way to manage revised hyperlinks on Visio and PDF. It's because the links are interdependent. Any hyperlink is changed then export to a new PDF again, the PDF url will change and will impact the dependent files.
Apologies if I make it complicated. It's the challenge that I foresee.
Thanks.
