Visio – How to Add, Change, and Delete Swimlanes in Flowcharts

In this Visio tutorial, we show you how to add swimlanes to a flowchart.

Want to add swimlanes to your flowchart?

Here’s how to move them, change their size, and create the flowchart.

Business Process Flowchart – 3 Swim lanes with SOX Controls

[Read More about Business Process Design Templates]

Visio – How to Add Swimlanes to a Flowchart

1. Open Visio.
2. In the Shapes window, in the Cross-Functional Flowchart Shapes stencil, drag a Swimlane shape onto the diagram.
3. The label bar says Function by default. Double-click it and change the text.
4. Drag more swimlanes onto the diagram.
5. Drop them when you see the orange connection indicator appear where you want the swimlane to go.
6. Drag process shapes into the correct swimlanes. When the shape is contained in the swimlane, it shows a green highlight.

How to Change a Swimlane’s Width

If you need to change the width of any swimlane:

1. Drag the swimlane’s separator line.
2. Drop when it’s the width you want.

Tip: Drag the swimlane’s end line to make it longer or shorter.

How to Change a Swimlane’s Position

Here’s how easy it is to move swimlanes up or down on the flowchart.

Ready?

1. Click the label bar – a grey highlight appears around the swimlane.
2. Drag the swimlane until the orange connection indicator appears.
3.  

Tip: Shapes in the swimlane are also moved with it.

How to Delete a Swimlane

Bad swimlane?

Let’s get rid of him.

To delete a swimlane:

1. Click the label bar. A grey highlight appears around the swimlane.
2. Press Delete.

Tip: This also deletes the shapes it contains.