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PRISMA 2020 flow diagram generator
Create and export a PRISMA 2020 flow diagram in your browser. Enter identification, screening, full-text exclusion, and inclusion counts — no account or payment required.
Sample counts are pre-filled so you can see the layout. Replace them with your review.
Full-text exclusion reasons
Save to EvidenceFlowPRISMA 2020 Flow Diagram
Need screening to drive these numbers? See the systematic review workflow.
Need help completing your PRISMA diagram?
Learn what each PRISMA 2020 field means, how to distinguish records from reports and studies, how to document exclusions, and how to reconcile screening counts.
Read the step-by-step PRISMA 2020 flow-diagram guide →Methods write-up: PRISMA 2020 reporting guide
What this generator follows
The layout matches the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for new systematic reviews: identification via databases and registers, identification via other methods, screening, eligibility, and included studies. Counts you type are rendered into the standard boxes; nothing is sent to a server.
Journals typically expect these numbers to match the narrative methods section. If you later import records into EvidenceFlow, the in-project PRISMA workflow can keep the same boxes in sync with screening decisions instead of retyping them.
For a walkthrough with worked example figures, see the EvidenceFlow PRISMA 2020 Flow Diagram Generator user guide on Figshare (CC BY 4.0).
Still screening? Use the title and abstract screening guide to reach your included-studies count, then the data extraction template to record results before pooling them with the I² heterogeneity calculator.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is this PRISMA 2020 compatible?+
It follows the PRISMA 2020 flow-diagram structure used in published systematic reviews (identification, screening, eligibility, included). Always check the current PRISMA 2020 statement and your target journal's instructions before submission.
What is the difference between records, reports, and studies?+
A record is a bibliographic entry found through a search (e.g. a database citation). A report is a full-text document - one study can have several reports (a registry entry, a primary paper, a follow-up paper). A study is the underlying investigation those reports describe. Keep these separate so a single study is not double-counted as several included studies.
Can I export the diagram?+
Yes. Export the diagram as PNG or PDF directly from your browser once your counts are entered, with no account needed.
Do I need an account?+
No. The generator and PNG/PDF export run entirely in your browser. An account is only needed if you want EvidenceFlow to track counts automatically as you screen.
Can I add full-text exclusion reasons?+
Yes. Add labelled reasons with counts so the eligibility box matches what you report in the manuscript.
How do I save this into a real review?+
Use Save to EvidenceFlow to start a free project. Screening decisions in the workspace update the same PRISMA boxes instead of a one-off diagram.
Is there a citable guide to this tool?+
Yes - the EvidenceFlow PRISMA 2020 Flow Diagram Generator User Guide is published on Figshare under a CC BY 4.0 license (doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.33717355), with example figures and synthetic demonstration data.
Once records are in a project, EvidenceFlow fills these boxes from screening instead of a spreadsheet. The core import–screen–extract–PRISMA path does not require payment.
Save to EvidenceFlow