How do I add an admin assistant to my org chart in Lucidchart?

Hi Tim 

Thanks for posting in the community! Just to make sure I understand your question correctly you are trying to add a new employee shape to your org chart? If that's the case please follow these steps to add a shape for an admin assistant:

1. Hover over the admin shape. This will make red + signs to appear on each side of it. 
   
2. Those red + icons function similarly to regular connection points. Click on the icon at the botton to create a direct report for the original shape; click on the icon at one of the sides to create a new shape on the same level of the original shape; and click on the icon at the top to create a supervisor for the original shape. 

To learn more about how to make changes to your org chart and go over the details of how add move and delete employees please read through our Org Chart article from the Lucidchart Help Center. 

Hope this helps! Please let me know if I have misunderstood your question. 

Thanks for the reply.  This does not answer my question.  If I had a team of 4 direct reports and one admin assistant supporting me how do I create the admin assistant?

Hi Tim 

Could you elaborate on why those steps don't work for you? You mentioned that you want to create an admin assistant – where should this employee be in your organizational structure? E.g. should they report to you? Would you mind sending a screenshot of the issue you are experiencing to help me better understand your question?  

I am the VP I have a director below me and an admin that reports to me but the admin should not be on the same line as the director? How can I move the admin either next to me on the right or left or move below the director? We want to create a director line for all directors. 

Hi Mel 

Thanks for continuing this thread! To verify both the admin and the director report to you and are currently on the same level but the admin should be on a higher hierarchical level as compared to the director?

If so what you are trying to do is not directly supported in Lucidchart. However we're always looking for ways to improve Lucidchart and your feedback is the best way for us to do that. If you’d like to share additional details about your use case or what you’d like to see in this experience to this thread, we’d love to hear more. 

As a workaround I'd recommend “moving” the director down by creating a dummy employee between you and the director. Please follow the steps below to do that: 

1. Click on red + sign on top of the director shape. 
   
   
2. Select the dummy employee > Click on the Shape Options menu > Set opacity to 0%.
   
   
3. Double-click on the canvas outside of the org chart to leave the group editing mode.
    
4. Hit the L key on your keyboard (or drag a line from the shape menu) to draw a line from your shape to the director employee shape crossing the now transparent dummy employee shape. 
   
   
5. If needed click on the “Line Options” icon in the Properties bar to format your line so it matches the rest of your org chart. For more information please review our Work with Lines article.
   
   
6. Click on the "Line Color" option in the Properties bar denoted by a pencil icon to change the color of your line so it matches the rest of your org chart.
   
   
7. You should achieve this result.
   
   

To learn more about our org chart experience please read through our Org Charts article from the Lucidchart Help Center. 

Hope this helps! Thanks for your request and I apologize for any inconvenience this causes you.

it is the simpliest request we just want to create a lateral line.  admin assistants are extremely common in org structures and other platforms allow a latteral line for that person. 

Why do you insist on ONLY lines going up or down we want a line going to the side!  the admin does not report to the same person you report to which is the only way you will put them next to me. nor does everyone below me report to them 

I can't believe this is so hard for you guys to understand

I too have the same question.  Does Lucid not understand this simple concept.  The assistant is an off shoot of the person they are reporting to.  Excel powerpoint vizio has this feature.  It is simple A CEO has an assistant that is not as the same level of the C-suite that reports to them.  Lucid reach out to your HR team and get educated on how this org charts SHOULD look.  

Hey Damaris

Thank you for continuing this thread and for the constructive criticism!! We always want to do our best to listen and understand how we can address pain points and improve based on what would be best for our user's use-cases and workflows. I will ensure this feedback is pushed to the proper team for their consideration. 

In the meantime Addie has provided a simple workaround (shown above) that will allow you to add assistants to your Org Chart. I understand this isn't perfect but voicing your thoughts is the best way to advocate for this change in the future. 

Again thank you so much for allowing us the opportunity to help improve your workflow--firm handshakes 🤝

Thank you Philip That did work.  I would still like more freedom to manipulate distances from each box.