A written procedure tells a new hire what to do. It rarely tells them what happens if a manager rejects a request, or what to do when a delivery fails inspection.
A flowchart shows both at once, which is why it works better than a policy document for onboarding anyone into a multi-step process.
Lark Docs lets you build one directly inside a document, with shapes, connectors and decision branches you can edit without leaving the page.
The Scenario
ZzenSup Sdn Bhd found that new staff kept misunderstanding its procurement and restocking process: approvals were skipped, requests went to the wrong step, and training took longer than it should have.
The company mapped the whole cycle as a flowchart inside a Lark document so anyone could see the logic at a glance, from the moment stock runs low to the moment new stock is booked in.
Inserting a Flowchart
Open a document and type / to bring up the insert menu. Choose Board for a free-form canvas you can shape into a flowchart, or Flowchart to start from a diagram-specific layout.
Note: Both routes give you the same shapes, connectors and decision nodes described below. The walkthrough here uses Board.
Drawing Your First Shapes
A blank board opens with a toolbar down the left edge. Click the Shape Tool icon, then drag and drop a box anywhere on the canvas. The Templates link in the centre of the board opens a library of pre-built layouts if you would rather start from a structure than a blank page.
Select any shape to bring up its style toolbar, where you can change its fill colour, border, and text formatting.
Connecting the Shapes
Hover over a shape’s edge until a small circle appears, then click and drag it towards the next shape to draw a connector between them.
Click a connector to open its own toolbar, which lets you add a text label directly onto the line. This is how outcomes such as “Approved” or “Rejected” get attached to the arrows leaving a decision point.
Adding Decision Nodes
The diamond shape represents a decision node, a gateway that checks a condition and sends the process down different paths depending on the answer. In the procurement flowchart, the “Request Approved?” diamond has two labelled connectors leaving it: one for Approved, which continues to the next step, and one for Rejected, which loops back to an earlier step for revision.
Tip: Colour-coding the connector text, green for the path that moves forward and red for the path that loops back, makes a flowchart readable at a glance without anyone needing to trace every line.
The Finished Flowchart
Built out fully, the procurement and restocking process looks like this:
| Step | What it represents |
|---|---|
| Trigger: Low Stock Alert | The workflow starts automatically once stock falls below the defined safety level. |
| Generate Request | A restocking request is created for the specific item. |
| Request Manager Approval | The manager reviews the request and decides whether to authorise it. |
| Request Approved? | Approved requests continue to purchasing; rejected requests loop back to Generate Request for revision. |
| Purchasing | A purchase order is issued to the supplier. |
| Awaiting Goods Receipt | The team waits for the shipment to arrive. |
| QC Check | Incoming goods are inspected. A pass moves to Inbound; a fail routes the goods back to the supplier. |
| Inbound | Qualified goods are received into the system and stock counts are updated. |
| End | The process is complete. |
There is no separate save step. As you edit shapes, connectors and labels, the diagram is embedded into the document automatically, so it stays available for anyone who opens the page later.
Practical Use Cases for SMEs and Startups
- Procurement and restocking: Map the exact path from a low stock trigger to goods received, including the approval and quality-check branches.
- Onboarding new staff: Replace a written SOP with a diagram that shows decision points and who is responsible for each one.
- Expense or leave approval: Chart the approve/reject branches so employees know what happens after they submit a request.
- Support escalation paths: Show which issues get resolved at first contact and which route to a specialist team.
- Return and refund processing: Lay out the inspection and decision steps between a customer return and a final outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I create a flowchart in Lark Docs?
Open a document, type / to bring up the insert menu, and choose either Board for a free-form canvas or Flowchart for a diagram-specific layout. Both let you add shapes, connectors and decision nodes.
Do I need to save a flowchart after editing it?
No. Changes to shapes, connectors and text are embedded into the document automatically as you make them.
How do I connect two shapes with an arrow?
Hover over the edge of a shape until a small circle appears, then click and drag it to the shape you want to connect it to.
Can I add text onto a connector line?
Yes. Click the connector to open its toolbar and add a label, which is how outcomes such as Approved or Rejected are attached to the arrows leaving a decision node.
What does the diamond shape mean in a flowchart?
It represents a decision node, a point where the process checks a condition and branches down different paths depending on the outcome.
Can I start from a template instead of a blank board?
Yes. The Templates link on a blank board opens a library of pre-built layouts, including flowchart, mind map and organisation chart structures, that you can adapt instead of building from scratch.
Can I change the colour and border of a shape?
Yes. Selecting a shape opens a style toolbar where you can change its fill colour, border and text formatting.
Making the Process the Documentation
The point of a flowchart is not the diagram itself but what it replaces: pages of written steps that people skim once and then forget. Map the process, label the decision points honestly, and the document becomes something new hires can actually follow instead of something they have to be trained on.
Ready to Power Your Business with Lark?
Lark Docs is just one part of an all-in-one platform that brings messaging, meetings, documents, approvals, and automations together for your entire team.
As the Platinum Partner for Lark in Malaysia, Exabytes offers tailored Lark plans, hands-on onboarding, and dedicated local support to help your team turn their processes into documentation people actually use.
