Best Workflow Diagram Software List
Here’s my list of the best workflow diagram software:
- 6. Camunda Platform — Best workflow diagramming platform to automate processes across people, systems, and devices
In any organization, you'll need to understand many complex processes. From marketing and accounting to production and HR, workflows need to be documented for a wide range of purposes. Creating visual data in workflow diagram software makes concepts much easier to understand.
Long gone are the days when we needed to diagram flowcharts on huge flipchart sheets or get creative with smaller sheets and tape. Today’s workflow diagram software offers advanced features that help us visualize even the most complicated business processes in infinite canvases.
In this article, I’m reviewing the top choices in the world of workflow diagram software.
Overviews Of The 10 Best Workflow Diagram Software
Here’s a brief description of each workflow diagram software solution to showcase each tool’s best use case and standout features. Feel free to read how I picked the tools on this list at any time.
Wrike
Best workflow software to develop diagrams showing project progress and process flow
Wrike is a cloud-based project management platform that helps you define and track any project's progress in your organization.
Why I picked Wrike: You can create custom workflow diagrams that lay out steps, assign tasks to team members, track progress in real time, and collaborate on projects from anywhere. This makes it easy to identify areas where processes need improvement or need to meet expectations. The entire process takes place within a single dashboard, allowing you to access all the data you need in one place.
Wrike’s workflow diagrams help you better visualize a project and keep everyone in the loop on progress, allowing for better communication between team members, as everyone will have access to the same information at any given time. Once created, these charts can be modified at any time by simply dragging and dropping items into new positions or adding new elements as needed. This allows teams to quickly adjust their workflows as new tasks arise or old ones are completed without redrawing every time changes occur.
Workflow automation can be configured, allowing you to set up automated responses that are triggered when certain conditions are met. This includes setting reminders and deadlines and waiting for approval responses. Workflow automation gives you more control over your team's work and can save time on tedious manual processes. It helps businesses ensure that employees stay within the scope of their job assignments and follow through with their tasks efficiently.
Wrike comes with built-in collaboration tools so users can share documents and data securely with other team members or stakeholders involved in the project. These include real-time communication, making it easier for teams to coordinate and manage their projects more efficiently, file sharing and collaboration, cloud storage, virtual whiteboards for collaboration on ideas, and advanced analytics so that users can analyze data quickly to make better business decisions.
Wrike Standout Features & Integrations
Features include project management, task scheduling/tracking, resource management, expense tracking, API, budgeting, Gantt charts, marketing automations, collaboration support, and reporting.
Integrations include 400+ pre-built native integrations, including integrations with the most popular file management software from Microsoft, Google, and Dropbox, along with sales and marketing software from Salesforce and Marketo.
Lucidchart
Best workflow diagram software to share process maps with colleagues
Lucidchart is a cloud-based intelligent diagramming application that helps you visually represent processes and systems.
Why I picked Lucidchart: This centralized platform helps you quickly create flows of your business processes, then share process maps with colleagues. Key features include feedback management, graphs, data import, and customizable templates—and Lucidchart's intelligent diagramming allows you to spin up complex diagrams in no time.
You can also use the software to build organizational charts and upload employee data, identifying the requirements of various team members. Critical documents can be managed by configuring user access and providing view-only licenses.
Lucidchart Standout Features & Integrations
Features include multiple device support, a drag-and-drop interface, real-time co-authoring, in-app chat, shape-specific comments, data linking, and live cursors that you can use to see what your team is working on.
Integrations include popular applications such as Slack, Salesforce, GitHub, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and fits in with Lucid's entire suite of visual collaboration products for ideation and project planning (Lucidspark) and cloud architecture visualization (Lucidscale).
Miro
Best with a template gallery for different industries and business functions
Miro is a collaborative online whiteboard platform that allows users to work together in real time. It helps teams ideate, plan, and execute projects virtually.
Why I picked Miro: This software is flexible and can be used to accomplish various team needs, including charting your processes with workflow diagrams. Users can select from different shapes, lines, and icons to craft their diagrams and indicate specific tasks, team members, timeframes, or other details. Text and sticky notes can be added for additional context or feedback exchange. A range of templates are included, tailored to different industries and functions.
The software is cloud-based, meaning users can access their workflow diagrams from anywhere with an internet connection. This benefits remote, hybrid, and globally dispersed teams. The interface is also intuitive and friendly, making it accessible to people with all levels of experience using such systems. Whiteboards and workflows can be shared among teams and with external parties, and various access levels can be configured easily.
Miro Standout Features & Integrations
Features include a large template library, clustering, voting, timer, mind maps, freeform drawing, developer platform, access control, and GDPR and CCPA compliance.
Integrations include Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Workspace, Asana, monday.com, Jira, Dropbox, OneDrive, Notion, Airtable, ClickUp, and Unito, among others.
Qntrl
Best workflow diagram software for to automate and optimize business processes
Qntrl is an intuitive cloud-based workflow automation software that helps organizations optimize workflows and increase productivity. It offers both collaborative and individual capabilities, allowing users to share tasks, files, and ideas with others in real-time.
The software allows users to create detailed diagrams with numerous nodes, connections, and annotations. Process maps can help improve employee communication by visually representing the steps involved in a particular process. This can be especially helpful when onboarding new employees or introducing new processes. Once a process has been executed, the software provides users with powerful tools to analyze the results.
Users can see detailed reports on process performance, including cycle time, throughput, and yield metrics. This information can be used to improve the efficiency of business processes and identify bottlenecks or areas for improvement.
The software provides a graphical user interface that offers an intuitive way of creating visuals associated with complex processes. This allows users to quickly draw diagrams and charts, meaning they don't have to spend hours studying complicated coding languages. Users can drag shapes onto the canvas to represent different parts of their process, like tasks, roles, and milestones, then connect them with lines or arrows representing relationships between other elements.
Creately
Best for its data-connected visual workspace for brainstorming and planning
Creately is a cloud-based work management platform based on a smart visual canvas.
Why I picked Creately: You can use it to brainstorm, plan projects, or capture knowledge. The software combines diagramming with visual collaboration and workflow features.
Creately also supports wiki, note-taking, and project management in a no-code environment. Team members can model and build things their own way according to their business needs. They can also create custom databases with the same items visualized in multiple contexts.
Creately Standout Features & Integrations
Features include an infinite canvas, spotlight so you can follow someone's work, real-time mouse pointers, links for navigational flows, templates, embedded notes, and advanced workflows with multiple boards.
Integrations include Confluence, Jira, Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, and Slack.
Camunda Platform
Best workflow diagramming platform to automate processes across people, systems, and devices
Camunda Platform is an open source workflow management solution that offers great flexibility and control to its users. The platform helps users manage their business processes and streamline their workflows through various features and capabilities. Camunda gives developers the ability to automate their processes, simulate workflows and key business processes, as well as integrate with third-party business solutions with relative ease and efficiency.
One of the main features that make Camunda Platform the ideal workflow diagram software for charting people and processes is its built-in modeler. The Camunda Modeler is a diagramming tool that allows users to design their business processes and decision models. It adheres to the Business Process Model Notation (BPMN), a universally understood standard that helps keep everyone on the same page.
The Camunda Modeler is useful in designing complex workflows and processes through clear visual diagrams. The tool uses visual BPMN and DMN (decision model and notation) languages, making it easier for non-technical and technical stakeholders to work together and collaborate on designing a business process and/or workflow model.
The Camunda Modeler is tailored so that users can easily design and deploy their models in the same interface. All they have to do is prepare a DMN decision table or a BPMN model for execution using the modeler. They can then modify the key properties, set the error handling, and incorporate their code from a clean and easy-to-use interface. Dev teams can use the modeler to effortlessly work with any source code repository, design environment, and other existing tools in their toolkit.
Key features include workflow management, BPMN modeling, automations, task management, process monitoring, user management, and third-party integrations/add-ons.
Integrations include Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft SharePoint, Alfresco, Apache Kafka, RabbitMQ, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Signavio, Bizagi, and ProcesMaker.
Camunda is free for up to five modeling users, while the SaaS Professional Edition starts from $49/month with a 30-day free trial available.
MindManager
Best workflow diagram software for structuring plans and processes
MindManager is a visual mind-mapping tool that helps teams plan and communicate ideas.
Why I picked MindManager: You can visualize data and information from any source and in almost any format. Using interactive diagrams and maps, you can share ideas for business strategy.
Workflow diagrams can be turned into high-quality presentations that will engage and impress any audience. MindManager makes it easy to capture, structure, and organize all kinds of information. You get a 360-degree view that improves understanding and enhances communication.
MindManager Standout Features & Integrations
Features include a drag-and-drop interface, priority markers, filtering, topic info cards, multiple diagram types and layouts, a template library, multiple viewing modes, co-editing, project planning, task management, and in-app tutorials.
Integrations include Trello, Evernote, and Todoist.
Cardanit
Best for decision modeling and business analysis
Cardanit is business process management software designed to help you map processes and model decisions. The platform features an intuitive visual editor to provide a clear view of complex business processes. A cloud-based solution, Cardanit allows you to access workflows from anywhere.
The automatic layout option organizes workflows at the click of a button. This results in orderly and readable diagrams, ready for sharing with colleagues.
There are no known current integrations.
Cardanit costs from $13.89/user/month. A free 30-day trial is available.
EdrawMax
Best for an all-in-one online diagramming tool
EdrawMax is an intelligent diagramming tool that offers over 280 diagram types, from flowcharts to circuit diagrams.
Why I picked EdrawMax: The software allows you to build a real-time synchronous cloud workspace to keep everyone on the same page. Thanks to the drag-and-drop interface, it's easy to get started with workflow designs.
The package includes over 1500 templates and 26,000 symbols, plus a range of user-generated charts. Edraw Max allows you to export visual plans easily, either publicly or privately. Users can also share ideas through the EdrawMax online community.
EdrawMax Standout Features & Integrations
Features include diagram types with visual previews, an infinite canvas, sharing on social media platforms, file backup & recovery, Visio import and export, and access on multiple platforms.
Integrations include platforms such as Google Workspace and Dropbox.
iGrafx
Best for performing process modeling and improvement
iGrafx is a business process management (BPM) solution.
Why I picked iGrafx: With both cloud-based and on-premise (Windows/Mac/Linux) options available, this platform helps create business process models and notation diagrams. Using a drag-and-drop interface, users can define workflows, rules, and process flows.
iGrafx Standout Features & Integrations
Features include process automation, risk and compliance tools, performance management, whiteboard, and SAP optimization.
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The 10 Best Workflow Diagram Software Comparison Chart
Here is a convenient table where you can see the tools we just covered side by side. If you would like to expand your research, we have more options below.
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wrike Best workflow software to develop diagrams showing project progress and process flow | Free plan available | From $9.80/user/month | Visit Website |
2 | Lucidchart Best workflow diagram software to share process maps with colleagues | 7-day free trial + free plan available | From $7.95/user/month | Visit Website |
3 | Miro Best with a template gallery for different industries and business functions | Free plan available | From $10/user/month | Visit Website |
4 | Qntrl Best workflow diagram software for to automate and optimize business processes | 15-day free trial | $8/user/month | Visit Website |
5 | Creately Best for its data-connected visual workspace for brainstorming and planning | Free plan with limited features | From $4/user/month | Visit Website |
6 | Camunda Platform Best workflow diagramming platform to automate processes across people, systems, and devices | 30-day free trial | From $49/month | Visit Website |
7 | MindManager Best workflow diagram software for structuring plans and processes | 30-day free trial | From $229 for a perpetual license | Visit Website |
8 | Cardanit Best for decision modeling and business analysis | 30 day free trial | From $13.89/user/month | Visit Website |
9 | EdrawMax Best for an all-in-one online diagramming tool | Free trial plan | From $8.25/user/month | Visit Website |
10 | iGrafx Best for performing process modeling and improvement | 30 days free trial | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
Other Options
Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list but are worth your consideration if you want to expand your research.
- Gliffy
Best for teams in the Atlassian ecosystem
- Visio
Best for visual collaboration for teams
- SmartDraw
Best for getting up to speed fast with templates
- Cacoo
Best workflow diagram software to create every kind of diagram, from flowcharts to wireframes
- ClickCharts
Best for versatile diagram drawing and editing
- MindMeister
Best for collaborative mind-mapping
- Samepage
Best for a mobile-first workflow diagramming solution
- Stormboard
Best for brainstorming ideas for possible workflows
- MyDraw
Advanced diagramming software with multiple applications
- Diagrams.net
Diagramming for teams that emphasizes security
How I Picked The Best Workflow Diagram Software
In coming up with this list, I researched which were the most popular workflow diagram tools on the market based on user ratings and reviews. Then, I narrowed down my choices using my years of experience in project management and factors I consider important for diagramming tools. Finally, I evaluated the tools on this list based on the following criteria:
User Interface (UI)
I look for ease of use, with a highly visual interface that makes it simple to create flow diagrams. A tool that is meant to help us represent complex processes visually has to be easy on the eye. This is a tool that you will frequently use and it should be intuitive to navigate.
Usability
Regarding navigation, I’m seeking flowchart software that any team member can use without special design or software skills. This is influenced by the user interface, but also by the knowledge support behind it. Therefore, I look at all the ways in which you can learn to use the tool. This includes training, knowledge bases, customer support, and learning academies.
Integrations
I look for flowchart tools that have compatibility with mainstream business applications. These integrations come mainly in three types. Built-in integrations help you connect a tool in minutes. Then, web-based third-party software connects to other apps through a subscription. Finally, custom integrations let you build your integrations using APIs and webhooks.
Pricing
I expect the per-user cost to be affordable for organizations of any size. Therefore, I look for pricing per month on a monthly plan (when available). I also find information on free trials, free versions, and any relevant discounts.
Workflow diagram software FAQs
Find answers to common questions other people ask about this topic.
What is a workflow diagram?
How do you create a workflow diagram?
What is the difference between a workflow diagram and a flowchart?
What is the best software for workflow diagrams?
What key features should I look for when selecting workflow diagram software?
What's Next?
Once you have software that helps you diagram workflows you might want to look into workflow automation. To learn about this topic, we have a guide to workflow automation that gives you examples and the reasons why it's important. I will also leave you links to workflow-related lists.
Related tool lists:
- Best Workflow Automation Software
- Free Workflow Software For Small Teams
- Best Process Workflow Software
- Approval Workflow Software For Project Managers
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