Excel to process map — paste your spreadsheet, get a swimlane diagram

How Excel rows map to the diagram

Each Excel row becomes one step on the diagram. The columns in your spreadsheet map to the editor's columns directly:

• Step name → Box Text column.
• Step type → Shape column (Start, Process, Decision, End).
• Connections → Line To column (comma-separated step numbers).
• Who does it → Horizontal Swimlane or Vertical Swimlane column.

Three ways to get Excel data into the editor

Pick whichever matches how you already keep the data:

• Copy-paste — select rows in Excel, paste into the editor's spreadsheet. The clipboard format from Excel (tab-separated) drops in cleanly.
• Type directly — open the editor and type your steps row by row. Same workflow as a fresh Excel sheet.
• CSV export — save your Excel sheet as .csv, drop it into the editor. Useful for very large processes.

What about Visio Data Visualizer?

Microsoft's Visio Data Visualizer was the closest competitor — it generated a Visio diagram from a structured Excel template. Microsoft retired it: the add-in was removed from Excel in January 2026 and its service shut down on March 2, 2026, so existing embedded diagrams no longer load. The official replacement is a paid Visio Plan 2 subscription.

ProcessMapping.app keeps the workflow Data Visualizer users chose it for, without the license or the install. Edit the spreadsheet in the browser; the diagram is right next to it. When the process changes, change the spreadsheet. Existing Data Visualizer tables paste in almost unchanged — see the migration guide.

Limits of the free editor

The free editor handles Excel-driven diagram creation. What it does not include — and what QueryChart adds — is the platform layer:

• Cloud save across devices and browsers.
• Sharing the diagram with teammates via a link.
• Version history, checkpoints, and roll-back.
• Comments and discussion threads on individual steps.
• Approval workflow with named reviewers and audit trail.

When to upgrade to QueryChart

When you outgrow saving in a single browser, that's the upgrade point. QueryChart is the paid platform we built ProcessMapping.app on top of — cloud save, version history, sharing, approvals, audit trail. Save a chart on ProcessMapping.app, sign up, and the chart migrates to your QueryChart account.

Frequently asked questions