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What are the best org chart examples to copy?
The best org chart example is the one that matches how work is actually managed: hierarchy for clear authority, functional for departments, divisional for products or regions, matrix for shared project work, flat for small teams, and network for vendors or partners.
A strong org chart example includes 4 concrete pieces: the top role, the direct reports, the teams under each report, and the reporting rule. For example, Apple’s public Leadership page, viewed June 27, 2026, lists Tim Cook as CEO and then senior leaders such as the COO, CFO, General Counsel, Services and Health, Software Engineering, Worldwide Marketing, Hardware Technologies, Hardware Engineering, and Retail + People.
For a business unit example, Microsoft’s 2025 Annual Report says the company reports financial performance using 3 segments: Productivity and Business Processes, Intelligent Cloud, and More Personal Computing. That is a useful divisional org chart example because the chart is organized around operating segments rather than only job functions.
| Example | Best for | Top node | Second level | Copy-ready rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hierarchical org chart | Clear approval lines | CEO or Director | VPs, managers, leads | Every person has 1 manager |
| Functional org chart | Departments | CEO | Sales, Marketing, Finance, HR, Operations | Group people by skill or function |
| Divisional org chart | Products, regions, customer groups | CEO or General Manager | Product A, Product B, Region A, Region B | Each division owns its own resources |
| Matrix org chart | Project teams sharing specialists | Executive sponsor | Functional manager and project manager | Some people report into 2 work streams |
| Flat org chart | Small startup or studio | Founder or team lead | Individual contributors | Keep only 1 or 2 layers |
| Network org chart | Agencies, vendors, contractors | Core company lead | External partners | Show internal and external ownership |
Which org chart example should I use?
Choose the example by the decision you need the chart to clarify. If the problem is approval, use a hierarchical chart. If the problem is team visibility, use a functional chart. If the problem is product ownership, use a divisional chart. If the problem is shared staffing across projects, use a matrix chart.
Lucidchart’s organizational-structure guide, viewed June 27, 2026, lists 10 common structures: hierarchical, functional, horizontal or flat, divisional, matrix, team-based, network, process-based, circular, and line. For most working org charts, the first 6 cover nearly every real business case without making the chart hard to read.
| Search intent | Use this example | Why it fits | Do not use if |
|---|---|---|---|
| I need a simple company org chart example | Functional | Most companies already have departments such as Sales, Marketing, Finance, HR, Product, Engineering, and Operations | Teams are organized by product, region, or market |
| I need a startup org chart example | Flat | A 5 to 20 person team usually has founders, a few leads, and individual contributors | There are formal managers across multiple levels |
| I need a project org chart example | Matrix | A project often borrows people from Engineering, Design, Finance, Legal, or Operations | Every person has only one manager and no project lead |
| I need a nonprofit org chart example | Functional plus board | A nonprofit usually needs Board, Executive Director, Programs, Development, Finance, and Operations | The board is not part of governance |
| I need a university org chart example | Hierarchical academic | Universities usually separate President, Provost, Deans, Student Affairs, Libraries, Finance, and Operations | The institution is a small training business |
| I need a government org chart example | Cabinet or agency hierarchy | Public agencies need clear authority and named offices | The chart is only for one temporary project team |
- Use 3 to 7 direct reports under one leader if the chart is for a single page or slide.
- Use department labels before individual names if roles change often.
- Use names plus titles only for leadership, board, or investor-facing charts.
- Use dotted lines only when a person has a real secondary reporting relationship.
- Split the chart into 2 charts if it needs more than 40 visible boxes.
What is a simple small business org chart example?
A small business org chart example should avoid fake corporate layers. For a 12-person service business, use Owner at the top, then 4 direct reports: Operations Manager, Sales Lead, Finance and Admin Lead, and Customer Support Lead. Put the remaining 7 people under the function where they spend most of their week.
Copy-ready small business example
| Level | Role | Reports to | Example direct reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Owner or Managing Director | Board or ownership group | Operations Manager, Sales Lead, Finance and Admin Lead, Customer Support Lead |
| 2 | Operations Manager | Owner | Scheduler, Field Technician 1, Field Technician 2 |
| 2 | Sales Lead | Owner | Account Executive, Marketing Coordinator |
| 2 | Finance and Admin Lead | Owner | Bookkeeper |
| 2 | Customer Support Lead | Owner | Support Specialist |
This example has 1 top role, 4 managers or leads, and 7 staff roles. It works because the Owner has 4 direct reports, not 11. The chart also shows where common small-business work belongs: scheduling under Operations, new revenue under Sales, invoicing under Finance and Admin, and customer issues under Support.
- Step 1: list every paid role, including part-time and contractor roles.
- Step 2: put the owner, founder, executive director, or general manager at the top.
- Step 3: group the next layer by work type, not by personality.
- Step 4: put each person under the manager who approves their priorities.
- Step 5: add vacancies as role boxes, such as Hire: Operations Coordinator.
What do real company org chart examples look like?
Real company org chart examples often combine 2 views: a leadership chart and an operating chart. A leadership chart shows named executives. An operating chart shows divisions, business units, or departments. Use the leadership chart for accountability and the operating chart for planning.
Apple’s public Leadership page, viewed June 27, 2026, is a leadership-style example. It lists CEO Tim Cook, 10 other CEO or senior vice president level leaders, 8 vice president or fellow profiles, and 8 board members. A copy-ready chart from that page would place CEO at the top, senior leaders in the second row, vice presidents or fellows in a third row, and the board in a separate governance lane rather than below the CEO.
Microsoft’s 2025 Annual Report is an operating-structure example. It reports 3 operating segments and gives 2025 revenue by segment: Productivity and Business Processes at $120.810 billion, Intelligent Cloud at $106.265 billion, and More Personal Computing at $54.649 billion. A divisional org chart can use those 3 segments as second-level boxes under the CEO or executive leadership team.
| Real example source | Chart style | Top node | Second-level nodes | Useful takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Leadership page, viewed June 27, 2026 | Leadership org chart | CEO | COO, CFO, General Counsel, Services and Health, Software Engineering, Marketing, Hardware Technologies, Hardware Engineering, Retail + People | Best when the reader needs named executive accountability |
| Microsoft 2025 Annual Report | Divisional operating chart | CEO or executive leadership | Productivity and Business Processes, Intelligent Cloud, More Personal Computing | Best when the reader needs to understand how the company reports and manages businesses |
| White House Cabinet page, viewed June 27, 2026 | Public-agency leadership chart | President and administration | Cabinet secretaries and Cabinet-rank leaders listed on the page | Best when the reader needs named public offices and formal authority |
| Stanford Administrative Guide 9.2.1, viewed June 27, 2026 | University academic chart | Provost | University deans and administrators reporting to the Provost | Best when the reader needs academic reporting lines |
What is a matrix org chart example for projects?
A matrix org chart example shows two kinds of accountability at the same time: the functional manager who owns the person’s role and the project manager who owns the temporary outcome. Use it when specialists are shared across departments, launches, client work, or transformation programs.
Copy-ready product launch matrix
| Person or role | Functional manager | Project manager | Project responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Manager | Head of Product | Launch Lead | Scope, roadmap, launch acceptance criteria |
| UX Designer | Design Director | Launch Lead | Wireframes, prototype, usability review |
| Frontend Engineer | Engineering Manager | Launch Lead | Web app build and release fixes |
| Marketing Manager | VP Marketing | Launch Lead | Messaging, email, landing page, campaign calendar |
| Sales Enablement Lead | VP Sales | Launch Lead | Sales deck, demo script, objection handling |
| Finance Partner | Finance Director | Launch Lead | Pricing approval and margin review |
| Legal Partner | General Counsel | Launch Lead | Terms, privacy, contract risk review |
This matrix example has 7 roles and 2 reporting dimensions. The solid-line manager owns career, workload, craft quality, and compensation input. The project manager owns deadlines, launch decisions, cross-functional tradeoffs, and status reporting. The chart should label both relationships so the reader does not confuse project coordination with permanent management.
- Use solid lines for permanent reporting relationships.
- Use dotted lines for the project relationship.
- Name the project, such as Q4 Product Launch, Client Migration, Store Opening, or ERP Rollout.
- Add a decision owner for scope, budget, quality, and launch date.
- Archive or update the matrix chart when the project ends.
What are nonprofit, university, and government org chart examples?
Nonprofit, university, and government org chart examples need governance clarity more than creative layout. They should show who has legal authority, who manages daily operations, and which offices or programs report into each leader.
Nonprofit org chart example
| Level | Role | Reports to | Common direct reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governance | Board of Directors | Members, founders, or appointing authority | Board Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Committees |
| Executive | Executive Director | Board of Directors | Programs Director, Development Director, Finance Manager, Operations Manager |
| Programs | Programs Director | Executive Director | Program Managers, Case Workers, Volunteers |
| Fundraising | Development Director | Executive Director | Grant Writer, Donor Relations, Events Coordinator |
| Administration | Finance and Operations | Executive Director | Bookkeeper, HR, Office Coordinator |
University org chart example
Stanford Administrative Guide 9.2.1, viewed June 27, 2026, describes the Provost as the chief academic and budget officer who administers the academic program and university services in support of that program. A university example can therefore put President at the top, Provost under the President, and Deans, Student Affairs, Libraries, Information Resources, and Institutional Planning under the Provost.
Government org chart example
A public-agency org chart should use office names before individual names because appointments change. The White House Cabinet page, viewed June 27, 2026, is a named-leader example: it lists Cabinet and Cabinet-rank officials by office, such as Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Education, and Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
How can I turn org chart examples into my own chart with AnyGen?
Use AnyGen when you already have an example but need it converted into a clean, editable org chart. Paste the roles, reporting lines, and chart type, then ask for a hierarchy, matrix, or department chart. AnyGen is especially useful when the source is messy, such as a spreadsheet, staff list, meeting notes, or copied leadership page.
Copy-and-do prompt
Create an editable org chart from this example. Chart type: functional. Top role: CEO. Direct reports: COO, CFO, VP Sales, VP Marketing, Head of Product, Head of Engineering, Head of People. Under COO: Operations Manager and Customer Support Lead. Under Head of Product: Product Manager and UX Designer. Under Head of Engineering: Engineering Manager, Frontend Engineer, Backend Engineer, QA Lead. Use solid reporting lines only, keep the chart to 3 levels, and add a short legend.
- Step 1: choose one example from this page: small business, functional, divisional, matrix, nonprofit, university, or government.
- Step 2: replace example roles with your real roles and remove any box with no owner.
- Step 3: mark each relationship as reports to, dotted-line supports, or governance.
- Step 4: ask AnyGen to create the chart and keep names editable.
- Step 5: review the result by checking every box against 1 question: who approves this person’s priorities?
| Input you give AnyGen | What AnyGen should produce | Quality check |
|---|---|---|
| Role list | Clean boxes with titles | No duplicate people unless matrix lines are intentional |
| Reports-to list | Solid reporting lines | Every person has one primary manager |
| Project support list | Dotted project lines | Every dotted line has a label or legend |
| Department names | Grouped lanes or color-coded teams | The chart still works in black and white |
| Vacant roles | Vacancy boxes | Open roles are clearly labeled Hire or Open |
Frequently asked questions
What is an org chart example?
An org chart example is a sample structure that shows roles, reporting lines, and team grouping. A useful example includes the top role, direct reports, lower-level roles, and the rule behind the chart, such as functional, divisional, matrix, flat, or hierarchical.
What is the best org chart example for a small business?
The best small business org chart example is usually 2 to 3 layers: Owner or Managing Director at the top, 3 to 5 leads beneath, and staff under each lead. A 12-person service business might use Owner, Operations Manager, Sales Lead, Finance and Admin Lead, and Customer Support Lead.
What is a company org chart example?
A company org chart example can be leadership-based or operating-based. Apple’s public Leadership page is a named executive example. Microsoft’s 2025 Annual Report is an operating example with 3 segments: Productivity and Business Processes, Intelligent Cloud, and More Personal Computing.
What is a functional org chart example?
A functional org chart groups people by department. A typical example puts CEO at the top, then Sales, Marketing, Finance, HR, Operations, Product, and Engineering beneath. Each department lead manages people who share a similar function or skill set.
What is a matrix org chart example?
A matrix org chart example shows both functional reporting and project reporting. For a product launch, a UX Designer may report permanently to the Design Director but work temporarily under the Launch Lead. Solid lines show permanent management; dotted lines show project accountability.
What is a nonprofit org chart example?
A nonprofit org chart example usually separates governance and operations. A common structure is Board of Directors, Executive Director, Programs Director, Development Director, Finance Manager, and Operations Manager, with program staff, grant writing, donors, finance, and volunteers under the right leaders.
What is a university org chart example?
A university org chart example often places the President at the top, the Provost under the President, and Deans, Student Affairs, Libraries, Information Resources, and Institutional Planning under the Provost. Stanford’s Administrative Guide describes the Provost as chief academic and budget officer.
How do I make an org chart from an example?
Start by copying the example’s structure, then replace every sample role with a real role. Confirm who each role reports to, remove empty boxes, mark dotted-line project relationships, and keep the chart to 3 to 5 levels unless it is a full enterprise directory.