// free tool - process map maker

Process Map Maker Free swimlane and workflow diagram maker

List the steps and who does each one, and get a swimlane process map with automatic layout. Handoffs between lanes are highlighted and counted, so you see where work waits. Export PNG or SVG with no watermark.

  • Free - no sign-up
  • Runs in your browser
  • Swimlanes by role
  • PNG + SVG export
Samples
# Step Lane Next Label Shape Delete

You can paste several rows from a spreadsheet straight into any cell.

100%

Pink arrows are handoffs between lanes. Fewer handoffs usually means a faster process.

PNG and SVG are free with no watermark. Save, share links, PDF and PPTX come with All-Access Pro ($9) or Team ($29).

    Go past the map

    The map shows the workflow. Fixing it is the job.

    A process map shows where work slows down. These AI skills and agents plug into Claude, ChatGPT or any AI chat and help you cut handoffs, automate steps and run the new process.

    AI Skill Process Mining Analyst Finds bottlenecks and rework in your process and ranks the steps worth automating. See the skill -> AI Skill Lean Consultant Applies lean methods to spot waste, cut waiting time and design a leaner future-state process. See the skill -> AI Agent AI Operations Agent Turns the new process into checklists, owners and status updates and helps keep it running. See the agent ->

    What is a process map maker?

    A process map shows who does what, in which order, and where work passes from one person or team to another. The classic format is the swimlane diagram: each role gets its own lane, and every step sits in the lane of whoever does it. This free process map maker builds that swimlane diagram from a simple table. Write the steps and the lane for each one, and the workflow diagram lays itself out, with handoffs between lanes highlighted.

    It runs in your browser with no sign-up. Your draft is autosaved in this browser, and you can export PNG or SVG with no watermark.

    How to make a process map in four steps

    1. List the steps and owners. Fill in the table, paste rows from Excel or Google Sheets, or load a sample: Employee onboarding, Purchase approval or Support ticket.
    2. Connect the flow. Leave Next empty and the step flows to the row below. Put step names (separated by commas) in Next for branches, and - where the process stops.
    3. Choose the lane direction. Lanes run horizontally as rows or vertically as columns. Rows suit wide screens and slides; columns suit long processes and documents.
    4. Check and export. Read the Checks panel, look at the handoff count, then download PNG or SVG.

    Process map input format

    The table has five columns: Step, Lane (the role or team), Next, Label and Shape. Shape can be auto, start, end, process, decision or io. With auto, the tool picks the shape for you. The Text tab accepts the same data as CSV with a header row, or one line per step in this form:

    Employee | Submit purchase request -> Manager reviews
Manager | Manager reviews -> Approved?
Manager | Approved? -> Finance pays: yes
Manager | Approved? -> Request rejected: no
Finance | Finance pays -> Order placed
Procurement | Order placed

    Each line reads as Lane | Step -> Next: label. Decisions list more than one next step, and the label after the colon names the branch.

    Handoffs: the part that matters

    Every arrow that crosses from one lane to another is a handoff: work waits in someone else's queue, context gets lost and errors creep in. The process chart maker draws handoff arrows in an accent color and counts them in the Checks panel, for example "4 handoffs between lanes". When you redesign a process, that number is a simple way to compare the old map with the new one. Fewer handoffs usually means a faster process with fewer mistakes. This is the same lens a lean consultant or a process mining analyst uses to spot waste and automation candidates.

    The Checks panel also runs the flowchart checks: decisions with fewer than 2 exits, dead-end steps that are not an end, and steps that cannot be reached from the start.

    Process mapping best practices

    • Map what happens today first. Draw the real current process, including workarounds, before you design the ideal one.
    • Use roles, not names. Lanes like Finance or Team lead stay valid when people change jobs.
    • One verb per step. Approve invoice, Send contract. If a step has two verbs, it is probably two steps.
    • Mark where it stops. Use - in Next or an end shape for every way the process can finish, including rejections.
    • Question every handoff. Ask whether the same lane could do the next step, or whether the handoff can be automated.

    Use cases

    Teams use swimlane diagrams for employee onboarding, purchase and invoice approval, customer support escalation, content review and release processes. An operations manager can take the finished map and turn it into checklists and SOPs, and the map itself makes a clear page in any process document or audit pack.

    Free version vs Pro

    Building, checking and exporting PNG or SVG are free, with no account and no watermark. Your draft lives only in this browser. With the All-Access subscription (Pro $9 per month, Team $29 per month for 5 seats) you can save diagrams to your account, share a read-only link you can revoke at any time, and export PDF or PPTX for slide decks.

    Do not need lanes? The Flowchart Maker uses the same steps without roles.

    More free diagram tools

    Same editor, same free exports, different diagram:

    Or browse all free AI tools and generators.

    FAQ

    Is this process map maker free?

    Yes. Building, editing and exporting PNG or SVG are free with no sign-up and no watermark. Saving to an account, share links, PDF and PPTX export are part of the paid All-Access subscription.

    What is the difference between a process map and a flowchart?

    A flowchart shows the order of steps. A process map adds swimlanes, so each step sits in the lane of the role or team that does it and you can see every handoff between them.

    How do I enter the steps?

    Use the table with Step, Lane, Next, Label and Shape columns. An empty Next flows to the row below, a - means the process stops, and several steps separated by commas create a branch.

    What is a handoff and why is it counted?

    A handoff is an arrow that crosses from one lane to another, where work passes to a different person or team. Handoffs are highlighted and counted because they are where delays and errors usually happen.

    Can I paste a process from Excel?

    Yes. Paste rows into the table, or paste CSV with a header row into the Text tab. You can also write one line per step as Lane | Step -> Next: label.