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How to create flowcharts in Confluence: 3 methods compared

· 3 min read
ngpilot

Flowcharts are one of the most common diagrams teams add to Confluence pages — for process documentation, onboarding, decision trees, and troubleshooting guides. This article shows three ways to create them using NGPILOT apps.

Method 1: Mermaid Plus (text-based flowcharts)​

Mermaid Plus for Confluence renders flowcharts from a simple text syntax. It's fast, versionable, and supports complex branching.

Copy-paste example:

graph TD
  A[User submits request] --> B{Auto-validation}
  B -- Valid --> C[Route to team]
  B -- Invalid --> D[Return to user with errors]
  D --> A
  C --> E{Team review}
  E -- Approve --> F[Process request]
  E -- Reject --> G[Notify user]

Steps:

  1. Edit a Confluence page
  2. Type /mermaid and select the Mermaid Plus macro
  3. Paste your flowchart code
  4. Preview and save

Mermaid supports styled nodes, subgraphs, click events, and themes. See the full syntax guide: Create Mermaid diagrams in Confluence.

Method 2: Excalidraw Plus (visual drag-and-drop)​

Excalidraw Plus for Confluence gives you a visual canvas where you drag shapes, connect them with arrows, and add labels. It ships with built-in shape libraries for flowcharts.

Steps:

  1. Edit a Confluence page
  2. Type /excalidraw and select the macro
  3. Drag shapes from the flowchart library onto the canvas
  4. Connect shapes with arrows and add labels
  5. Save

Best for: Teams that prefer visual editing over code, brainstorming sessions, and early-stage process mapping.

See also: Excalidraw best practices FAQ.

Method 3: Graphviz Charts (auto-layout graphs)​

Graphviz Charts for Confluence uses the DOT language to generate flowcharts with automatic layout. The engine handles node positioning, so you focus on relationships.

Copy-paste example:

digraph {
  rankdir=TD
  A [label="Start"]
  B [label="Process"]
  C [label="Decision", shape=diamond]
  D [label="End"]
  A -> B -> C
  C -> D [label="Yes"]
  C -> B [label="No"]
}

Best for: Complex graphs with many nodes where automatic layout saves time, or when you need consistent styling across many diagrams.

Which method should you use?​

NeedBest choice
Quick flowcharts with standard shapesMermaid Plus
Freeform brainstorming and sketchesExcalidraw Plus
Complex auto-laid-out graphsGraphviz Charts
Version control and diffsMermaid Plus or Graphviz
Non-technical team membersExcalidraw Plus