How to Create...

Adding Color and Style to the Org Chart

Now that the org chart is built and formatted nicely, you can personalize it with colors and styles. Notice how all the members of your org chart are of the same gray color. The initial blank org chart SmartTemplate begins with the Littoral Theme - a color palette using variant shades of the colors blue and gray. You can either change the colors of individual components, using Quick Styles, or change the Theme to another.

A Theme is a set of colors that are aesthetically pleasing and appropriate for business graphics. There are several Themes to choose from within the Theme group of the Home Tab. The selected Theme affects the Quick Styles and Fill menus, which contain colors that correspond to the current theme. To view the full menu of Themes, click on the dropdown menu arrow next to the Theme gallery.

A Quick Style applies color, line styles, font types, and more to all selected items. They differ depending on which Theme is selected, but when the Theme is changed after having applied a Quick Style to an object, a corresponding Quick Style is applied. For example, in the images below, the box labeled "Quick Style Applied" has a Century Gothic font, a bevel effect, and is a rich, dark color even after the theme has been changed from Littoral to Temperat.

In order to make the org chart more readable, it is common to color each level of hierarchy differently. This is easily done in SmartDraw by selecting all boxes on a particular level and selecting a Quick Style. To apply a Quick Style, select an object (or multiple objects by holding the Shift key as you click the objects), click Quick Styles in the Shape Style group of the Home tab and choose from the menu.

For our example, select the CEO, select the Quick Styles dropdown menu from the Shape Style group of the Home Tab, and click Quick Style Style41 to apply it. Then, select the Assistant, Judith Jones, and apply Style13. Next, hold down the Shift key as you select the Vice Presidents of the organization: Jack Green and Jennifer Martin, Mary White, and Jerry Black. While they are selected, apply Quick Style Style22. Finally, select the subordinates of Green and Martin and apply Quick Style Style27. Your org chart should now reflect the contrasting levels and appear as the one below.

The completed org chart can now be instantly customized by applying a new Quick Style or Theme to it. Prefer green? Try switching to the Taiga Theme for the result below.