Introducing the Updated SmartDraw

SmartDraw is becoming a unified app that combines diagramming, whiteboarding, and data visualization into one enterprise-friendly solution.

The new SmartDraw includes:

  • An improved, modern user interface
  • More flexible flowcharts
  • Whiteboarding
  • Improved data visualization

Everything You Love About SmartDraw is Now Even Better

Modern User Interface

The new user interface has a lighter and more modern feel, plus real usability improvements. You can now minimize more parts of the interface to help you focus on your work. You can switch the top toolbar to a more compact look with the click of a button. You can also collapse the tool palettes in the SmartPanel as needed or even hide them altogether. The new interface gives you more control over how you want to work.

Modern user interface
Intuitive tool locations

More Intuitive

Based on your feedback, we made popular tools easier to find.

Our primary goal was to reduce the need for tab-switching while performing tasks. As a result, popular tools such as aligning, grouping, spacing, and inserting are now conveniently located in the main Home tab.

Additionally, the most commonly used tools, such as adding shapes, drawing lines and walls, and writing text, are now located at the top of the SmartPanel. This allows for a more seamless workflow as you create visuals.

Better Right-Click Menu

To save you time while making visuals, we exposed more commands in an expanded right-click menu that is contextual to the type of diagram you're creating.

Right click menu
Symbol search SmartPanel

Smarter SmartPanel

In the updated app, symbols and common tools share the same view. You can control what's visible by collapsing the tools and individual symbol libraries as needed.

The symbol search is also better integrated so that both docked libraries and any search results are visible at the same time. Just type your keyword to search through SmartDraw's vast collection and add new symbols with ease.

The new recently-used symbols control will keep your most-used symbols easily accessible. The updated SmartPanel tools are also context-sensitive, so you can have different diagrams on the same page and always have the correct controls available.

More Flexible Flowcharts

We've redesigned the way flowcharts work to give you more flexibility.

We kept all the things you love about SmartDraw flowcharts:

  • Quickly add shapes with action buttons or your keyboard
  • Insert, delete, and move shapes without any manual formatting work

We also added more flexible options:

  • Flexible shape connectors let you move shapes wherever you want and they'll stay connected
  • The new right-click menu options allow you to select entire groups of shapes to move them more easily

SmartDraw's new flowcharts combine the power of automation with the flexibility of manual drawing. You get the best of both worlds in a single template.

Flexible flowcharts
Swimlane tools

Smarter Swimlanes

  • You can create grid swimlanes that have both rows and columns
  • Swimlanes will now move the shapes they contain when you move them
  • Swimlanes will expand automatically as you add shapes, or you can still resize them manually
  • You can change the format of an existing swimlane
  • There are new rotated text labels for rows

Introducing Whiteboarding to Help You Collaborate

Combine Multiple Diagrams in a Single Workspace

A whiteboard is a shared visual workspace that teams use to plan and generate new ideas. SmartDraw's new seamless workspace lets you combine free-form brainstorming with multiple diagrams. You can add and combine:

  • Sticky notes
  • Kanban boards
  • Mind maps
  • Roadmaps
  • PI boards
  • Retrospectives
  • Customer journey maps
  • Gantt charts
  • Common diagrams: flowcharts, org charts, and more
Multiple diagrams in workspace

Dynamic Controls

The controls in the left panel will change to reflect the diagram selected in the workspace, so you always have the right tools at your fingertips.

Dynamic tool panels

Automation Saves Time

SmartDraw's templates are smart, so changes are quick and easy to make. You will not waste time manually formatting connections and layout. Add new topics, new ideas, or new sticky notes and your visuals will adjust automatically. Working with SmartDraw's whiteboard blueprints will feel effortless.

Improved Data Visualization

New Data Visualizer Menu

Now, all data visualizers are in one place under the + menu. You can build over a dozen visuals from external data like org charts and class diagrams and add them in combination with other diagrams to any workspace.

Data visualizer menu
Jira import tools

Import Jira Cards to Any Workspace

You can also import single Jira cards into any workspace as part of your whiteboard. Connect to your Atlassian account and add any Jira card relevant to your discussion. You can also push ideas and tickets generated during your meetings and brainstorming sessions back into Jira.

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