What a PRISMA flow diagram shows
A PRISMA flow diagram is the picture of how you went from a pile of search results to the studies you ended up including. It records how many you found, how many you discarded at each stage and why. Readers use it to judge whether your review missed anything, and most journals in health research require it.
The 2020 version replaced the 2009 diagram. The practical differences: trial registers are counted separately from databases, records removed before screening are broken down (duplicates, automation tools, other reasons), and studies found through other routes, such as citation searching, get a column of their own.
Which of the four templates you need
PRISMA 2020 publishes four variants. Two questions decide which is yours, and this generator switches between them with one dropdown and one checkbox, so you never start from a blank PRISMA flowchart template.
- New review or update. An update adds a column for the studies already included in the previous version, and a final box with the combined totals.
- Databases only, or other methods too. If you also checked websites, wrote to organisations or followed the citations of other papers, you need the second column, which keeps that count separate.
How to fill it in
- Choose the template that matches your review.
- Enter what each database and register returned. Add one row per source if you want them itemised, or leave the two totals.
- Enter the records removed before screening, then the screening counts, then the reports sought and assessed.
- List every reason you excluded full-text reports, with its count. Reporting those reasons is a PRISMA 2020 requirement.
- Resolve the warnings and export.
The labels inside the drawing can be switched to Spanish from the Template section; both wordings quote the published standard.
Why the numbers are checked
Peer reviewers see many diagrams with counts that cannot be true: records screened that do not match records found minus duplicates, or exclusion reasons that do not add up to the reports excluded. This generator does that arithmetic as you type and tells you which figure contradicts which. It warns, it does not block: some gaps have a legitimate explanation, and you may want to save a half-finished diagram.
Exporting for a journal
Use PDF or SVG when the journal asks for vector artwork; both keep the text sharp at any size and selectable. Use PNG at 4x when the submission system demands a high-resolution bitmap. The Word export is for manuscripts that embed the figure directly.
You can also export your numbers as CSV in the format used by the official PRISMA2020 R package and its Shiny app, move between tools, and import that CSV back here later.
What you download carries a revisia mark at the bottom right, outside the diagram. Sign in to a revisia account with a verified email and the figure comes out clean, in the preview and in every format. The account is free.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PRISMA flow diagram generator free?
Yes, with no limit on diagrams and no paid tier. What you download carries a small revisia mark at the bottom right; it goes away when you sign in to a revisia account, which is also free.
How do I remove the revisia watermark?
Sign in to revisia and verify your email: the mark disappears from the preview and from everything you download, for as long as you stay signed in. Creating the account is free. We ask for a verified email because it is the only thing we ask in exchange for the tool.
Does my review data get uploaded anywhere?
No. The diagram is built entirely inside your browser and nothing is sent to a server. Your work is saved on your own device, so it is still there when you come back. If you share a link, the numbers travel inside the link itself, after the # sign, which browsers never send to the server.
Which file format should I send to the journal?
PDF or SVG when the journal accepts vector artwork, because the text stays sharp at any size. PNG at 4x when the submission system insists on a high-resolution bitmap. The Word export is for manuscripts that embed the figure directly.
Does it follow the official PRISMA 2020 statement?
The diagram follows the structure published with the PRISMA 2020 statement (Page et al., BMJ 2021;372:n71) and offers all four templates: new reviews and updated reviews, each with or without studies identified via other methods. The box wordings are quoted from the statement. This is an independent tool, not endorsed by the PRISMA initiative.
Can I import numbers I already have in the PRISMA2020 R package format?
Yes. Import CSV reads the same template the PRISMA2020 R package and its Shiny app use, and Export CSV writes it back, so you can move between the two tools in either direction.
What is the difference between the PRISMA 2020 and the 2009 flow diagram?
PRISMA 2020 counts trial registers separately from databases, breaks records removed before screening into duplicates, records marked ineligible by automation tools and other reasons, and gives studies found through other methods, such as citation searching, a column of their own. It also asks you to report why full-text reports were excluded.
Why does it warn me that my numbers do not add up?
Some figures in a PRISMA diagram depend on others. Records screened, for example, should be the records identified minus those removed before screening. When one figure contradicts the ones it depends on, the tool names both so you can see which to fix. The warnings never block you.
Do I have to report the reasons for exclusion?
Yes, for reports excluded after reading them in full. PRISMA 2020 asks the review to state how many reports were excluded at that stage and why, so add one row per reason with its count.
Can I edit the diagram after downloading it?
Yes. The SVG opens in Illustrator, Inkscape or Affinity Designer with every box and label still editable. The PDF keeps live text rather than outlines. You can also come back to the tool later: your numbers stay saved in your browser.
Can the diagram be in a different language from this page?
Yes. The labels inside the drawing can be switched between English and Spanish from the Template section, independently of the page. Both wordings quote the published PRISMA 2020 statement and its official Spanish translation.