Org Chart (2000)

[OCM]

I was trying to update an Org Chart that was created by some one else. I need to add new box and also add a new link (line) but didn't know how to go about making those changes.

Thanks in advance,
OCM

[HansV]

You may need to double click the organization chart to edit it. Select the box you want to connect the new box to, then use the toolbar to add a subordinate, coworker or assistant. The attached screenshot is for PowerPoint 2002, it may look slightly different in 2000.

[Echo Swinford]

Do you know which version of PPT the Org Chart was created in? I ask because you may see errors if you try to edit a PPT 2002 or 2003 Org Chart using PPT 2000 or 97. This is because, as of PPT 2002 (aka PPT XP), Org Chart was redesigned and included in a new "diagramming" applet instead of the old Org Chart program we all <cough, cough> know and love.

Since you don't mention error messages, I'll assume that the Org Chart was created in PPT 2000 or 97, and you're also trying to edit it using PPT 2000. That actually makes your life a little easier, believe it or not!

To add a box in the Org Chart, double-click to activate Org Chart. Then select the type of box you want to add (subordinate, coworker, etc.) by clicking on its icon on the toolbar in Org Chart. Then simply click the box you want to attach it to in the main part of the Org Chart window. The line which connects that new box to the old box will be added automatically.

To add a line manually, you can click the line icon on the toolbar when you're in Org Chart, then just draw with your mouse (basically, just click and drag) in the main part of the window.

Alternatively, you can ungroup the Org Chart on the PPT slide (Draw/Ungroup) to change it to a bunch of autoshapes/lines. Then use autoshapes and the smart connectors (available in the autoshapes menu under Connectors options) to add to the Org Chart.

[OCM]

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[Echo Swinford]

It sounds to me as if someone's ungrouped the Org Chart (or created it in PPT 2002 or 2003), as it should activate when you double-click it. If you're getting a Format Object dialog when you double-click, it's not still in the actual Organization Chart format. You can double-check this, actually. If you right-click your Org Chart, do you have an option "MS Org Chart Object"? If so, click that and choose Edit Object to get to the Org Chart interface and toolbar I mentioned in the first post.

If you don't have this option, then you basically have a bunch of autoshapes and lines that are probably grouped together. Click on the object on your slide and go to your Drawing toolbar in PPT. (It's usually at the bottom of your screen.) Click on Draw, and then at the top of that toolbar select "ungroup." Do this as many times as you need to until you can select the individual objects which make up the organization chart.

To add a box and line to that, you'd just draw an appropriate autoshape (also on the Drawing toolbar) and connector (on the autoshapes menu on the Drawing toolbar). Or you can use a regular line instead of a connector, but the connectors "lock" themselves to the autoshapes and move when you move the shapes. So they're particularly useful for drawings like yours.