This is a quick guide put together by a non-expert. It is not comprehensive in any way. You can copy and paste the code to make your own flowcharts quickly.

1 Resources and references

The examples in this short guide are taken or derived from the following two resources:

Documentation for DiagrammeR package:

2 Simple flowcharts

2.1 Most basic and primitive version

This is the quickest way to make a flowchart (of which I’m aware), without modifying any default options:

Tips:

  • Copy and paste the code above for your own use.
  • Change the names of Something, SomethingElse, etc for your own needs.

2.2 Slightly formatted version

graph and node configurations are added below. This makes the chart horizontal, makes the nodes rectangluar, and gives them a color. I have also included a separate process that is unconnected to the initial one.

2.3 Another simple example

This is a flowchart that I was able to make in 30 seconds and send to someone by copying and pasting the code above and quickly changing the text in the nodes:

All you need to do is copy and paste the code above and modify this part:

'Collect\ndata' -> 'Prepare data spreadsheet\n(takes a long time)' -> 'Analyze\ndata'

3 Slightly complex flowcharts

Below is a slightly more complicated flowchart.

Here are some notes about it:

  • Some nodes have their own non-default characteristics.
  • rankdir = LR – organize the flowchart from left to right; LR can be changed to TB to go from top to bottom.
  • label = 'Proposed Procedure' – add a label to the flowchart
  • labelloc = t – determine location of label; t can be changed to b or c as well.