How to make a PRISMA flow diagram for your systematic review
The PRISMA flow diagram is required by most journals for systematic reviews and meta-analyses — it's what transparently shows how you went from thousands of records to the included studies. Enter the counts for each stage and get a clean, submission-ready PRISMA 2020 diagram.
What the PRISMA flow diagram is
It's the diagram that documents study selection across four phases: identification (records found in databases and registers/other sources), screening (duplicates removed; title/abstract screened; excluded), eligibility (full texts assessed; excluded with reasons), and included (studies in the qualitative synthesis and the meta-analysis). Each box carries the exact number, and full-text exclusions come with the reason.
What changed in PRISMA 2020
The 2020 version splits sources into databases/registers vs. other methods (citations, author contact) and offers two diagram variants. It also recommends listing exclusion reasons at the full-text stage. Using the old 2009 template today is a common reason for an editor to request revisions.
Common mistakes a reviewer spots instantly
Numbers that don't add up (screened − excluded ≠ full-texts assessed); missing exclusion reasons; forgetting removed duplicates; and mixing up the phases. The diagram must match what's written in your methods and results — any mismatch draws attention.
- 1Gather the counts
Records identified per database, duplicates removed, screened, excluded at screening, full texts assessed, excluded with reasons, and included in the synthesis/meta-analysis.
- 2The assistant structures the diagram
It lays out the four PRISMA 2020 phases with your counts and exclusion reasons, in the clean layout journals expect. You review it before spending a credit.
- 3Generate and export
Get the diagram in seconds and download PNG, TIFF 300 DPI, or PDF — ready for the supplement or the article body.
Build your PRISMA flow diagram now
Enter the counts for each stage and get a submission-ready PRISMA 2020 diagram. No subscription — pay only for what you use.
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