How to Turn a Flowchart Into an Infographic
A flowchart is the best way to work out how a process runs, with every decision and exception. But put it on a slide and people squint at boxes and arrows. An infographic tells the same story in a form people take in at a glance. Here is how to turn one into the other without losing what matters.
Diagrams · 2026-11-09 · 6 min read
Flowchart or infographic: what is the difference?
| Flowchart | Infographic | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Work out and document exactly how a process runs | Explain the process quickly to people who do not need every detail |
| Shows | Every step, decision, loop and exception | The main steps, in order, with an icon and one line each |
| Audience | The people who run or build the process | Leadership, customers, new hires, a slide audience |
| Where it goes | SOPs, specs, wikis | Slides, one-pagers, onboarding guides, posts |
Keep both. The flowchart stays the source of truth; the infographic is a view of it for a particular audience.
Step 1: find the main story
Follow the path most cases take, from start to finish. That is your infographic. A refund flowchart might have ten boxes and three decisions, but the story is five steps: request, check, fraud check, approval, payout.
- Fold side paths into a step. "Over $500? Yes → fraud check" becomes a step called "Fraud check" with the line "Risk reviews refunds over $500".
- Drop the error handling unless the audience needs it. "Payment failed → retry" belongs in the flowchart.
- Aim for 3 to 7 parts. More than that and it stops being quick to read.
Step 2: pick the shape that matches the story
| If the process… | Use |
|---|---|
| runs once from start to finish | Steps (numbered, left to right) |
| has dates, days or phases | Timeline or Roadmap |
| repeats (feedback, incidents, sprints) | Cycle |
| narrows down (leads to customers, applicants to hires) | Funnel |
| is really about who is involved | Hub, with the process in the middle |
| is a whole system with parts | Layers |
Example infographic: A refund flowchart (ten boxes, three decisions) told as five steps.
Example infographic: The same process as a timeline, when the days matter more than the order.
Step 3: one icon and one line per part
Each part gets a short label (two or three words), an icon that says what happens, and at most one line of detail. If you need a second sentence, that detail belongs in the flowchart or the SOP.
Tip: Read the infographic out loud in ten seconds. If you cannot, cut a part or a line.
Step 4: color and style for where it is going
- Slides: bold colors and icons (an Infographic or Fluid style) read well from the back of a room.
- Documents and print: a Flat or Outline style, or a single-color theme, stays readable in black and white.
- Company decks: a corporate blue or a neutral mono theme fits most templates.
Doing it with AI in AI Flowchart
- Open your flowchart, or describe the process and let the AI draw it.
- Press ✦ Visual at the top of the board, then ✨ Make the full picture with AI.
- The AI reads the flowchart and its topic and designs the infographic: it picks the shape, the icons, the colors and the style. Anything it adds to complete the picture is marked ✦, so you can keep it or remove it.
- Switch the shape, style or color theme, edit any label or icon, then download a PNG or copy the image. Pro adds SVG and removes the small "Made with AI Flowchart" line.
The flowchart is not changed. Switch back with Diagram at the top, and remake the visual whenever the process changes. It also works on mind maps, swimlanes, system design, sequence and ER diagrams.
Draw a flowchart, then press ✦ Visual →
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert a flowchart to an infographic automatically?
Yes. In AI Flowchart, open the flowchart and press ✦ Visual, then Make the full picture with AI. The AI picks the shape, icons and colors, and you can change any of them.
What happens to the decisions in my flowchart?
An infographic tells the main story, so decisions are usually folded into the step they lead to. The flowchart keeps every branch; use it where the detail matters.
Is it free?
Yes. A free account includes 5 AI credits a month, and each AI visual uses one. PNG download and copy image are free with a small "Made with AI Flowchart" line; Pro ($9.99/month) adds unlimited AI, SVG and no watermark.
How many steps should an infographic have?
Three to seven. Beyond that, split it into two visuals or keep the detail in the flowchart.
Worked examples, explained
- Employee onboarding process flowchart
- Hiring process flowchart (recruitment swimlane)
- Purchase order process flowchart
- Customer support escalation process flowchart
- Order fulfillment process flowchart
- Leave approval process flowchart