How to change flowchart connector or flowline

Excel 2016
As the standard defines, process flow diagrams, flowcharts, and workflow charts must connect steps and process elements with elbow connectors. Excessive use of connector lines of the same type and style makes the chart confusing. Often, changing the flowchart and linking some elements with a different connector type or style makes the chart more expressive and easier to understand.

I there are no strict requirements, you can employ different types and styles of connectors (also known as flowlines) that represent semantically different transitions.

Flow chart with connectors in Excel 365

Change the connector or flowline type

To change the connector type, it is not necessary to take several steps like changing shape (see How to change flowchart shapes in Excel); you just need to:

   1.   Select the connector you want to change:

Flow chart connector for change in Excel 365

   2.   Right-click on the connector, then in the popup menu, from the Connector Types list, choose the connector type you prefer:

Connector types popup in Excel 365

See more about different connector or flowline types.

Excel changes the connector type:

Changed connector in Excel 365

See also How to add text to the connector.

Reroute the connector or flowline

To change the direction of the connector arrow, select the connector (or several connectors) you want to reroute, then do one of the following:

  • On the Shape Format tab, in the Insert Shape tab, click the Edit Shape button. From the Edit Shape dropdown list, select Reroute Connectors:
    Reroute Connectors in Excel 365
  • Right-click the selection, then click Reroute Connectors in the popup menu:
    Reroute Connectors in Excel 365

Change the connector or flowline style

To apply a connector or flowline fill formatting, select it, then do one of the following:


Apply predefined line style

To apply a predefined style for the selected connector, on the Format Shape tab, in the Shape Styles group, choose any of the predefined styles from the gallery:

Shape Style gallery in Excel 365

To see more styles, click the More button next to the gallery:

More Shape Style gallery in Excel 365

Excel opens the full gallery of the predefined styles for lines:

Line Style gallery in Excel 365

Connector or flowline formatting using the ribbon tab

To apply an outline formatting for the selected connector, on the Format Shape tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the Shape Outline dropdown list, then do any of the following:

Line Shape Outline in Excel 365
  • Select a different color from the Theme Colors palette. Colors in this palette depend on the current Theme.
  • Select one of the 10 standard colors available in all Microsoft documents in the Standard Colors palette, regardless of the theme. The colors in this palette are the same on all computers.
  • Select any non-standard colors you have used recently if there are any in the Recent Colors palette.
  • Select the No Outline check box to hide the connector.
  • Click More Outline Colors... to use non-theme colors (see how to apply a solid color for more details).
  • From the Weight list, select the line weight you prefer:
    Weight list in the Format tab Excel 365

    Or select More Lines... to open the Format pane with more options for outline width, compound type, etc.

  • From the Dashes list, select the desired dash type, or click More Lines... to open the Format pane with more options:
    Dashes list in the Format tab PowerPoint 365
  • From the Arrows list, select the style you prefer, or click More Arrows... to open the Format pane:
    Arrows list in the Format tab PowerPoint 365

Connector or flowline formatting using the Format pane

To change the style of the selected connector, do the following:

   1.   Right-click the selection and choose Format Shape... in the popup menu:

Format Shape popup in Excel 365

   2.   On the Format Shape pane, on the Fill & Line tab, in the Line group:

  • The No line option hides an object border.
  • The Solid line option contains the following options:
    Line Format Shape pane in Excel 365
    • The Color and its Transparency - see how to apply a solid color,
    • The Width of the border,
    • The Compound type list contains a predefined set of parallel lines that comprise the overall line and their relative thicknesses:
      Compound type for Solid line formatting in Excel 365
    • The Dash type list contains the predefined styles of a line (solid, dashed, dotted, etc.):
      Dash type for Solid line formatting in Excel 365
    • The Cap type list allows coosing one of the styles for the ends of the line (applicable to lines only):
      Cap type for Solid line formatting in Excel 365
    • The Join type list allows choosing the style for the corners:
      Join type for Solid line formatting in Excel 365
    • The Arrow settings contain different variants for types and sizes of the arrow heads (applicable to lines only):
      Arrow lists for Solid line formatting in Excel 365
  • The Gradient fill option allows creating a gradient fill.

See how to work with gradients for more details.

See also this tip in French: Comment changer le type de connecteur pour un diagramme.

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