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From whiteboard to editable source

Turn a photo into an editable diagram

Use a photo or screenshot as the starting point for a diagram you can change. flowss's photo recognition reads labels and connections into diagram source. Review the result against the image: unclear handwriting, crossing arrows and cropped content can change what the AI reads.

Open the editable example Explore the example

From starting point to finished diagram

  1. Prepare a readable image

    Keep the full diagram in frame, photograph it straight on and make the labels legible. The import guide lists supported image formats and size limits for each entry point.

  2. Choose the photo reader

    Use Studio → Import → Photo, camera or clipboard for ordinary recognition. On Plus or above, Photo → Engine adds Faithful, Clean up and Extend modes, a target-engine choice and a preview before insertion.

  3. Check, insert and edit

    Compare each label and connection with the original. Advanced Photo → Engine inserts into the open figure and replaces its source, so start with a new figure for a separate diagram. Undo can reverse the insertion.

Mermaid · Editable template

Practice example: an order moving between teams

This hand-authored swimlane template shows a customer order moving through Sales and Warehouse. It illustrates the editable structure to look for after recognition; it is not presented as the output of a photo conversion.

  • When checking a photograph of a similar process, verify the Customer, Sales and Warehouse groups and trace the six steps in order.
  • A useful hint is: Preserve the lane names, labels and arrow directions; do not add steps that are not visible. Check the result yourself even when recognition reports high confidence.
Rendering…
Swimlane / Cross-functional. View the template and related examples.
Read and copy the editable source
flowchart LR
    subgraph Customer
      C1[Place order]
      C5[Receive item]
    end
    subgraph Sales
      S1[Confirm order]
      S2[Send invoice]
    end
    subgraph Warehouse
      W1[Pick item]
      W2[Ship item]
    end
    C1 --> S1 --> W1 --> W2 --> S2 --> C5
Edit in Studio Mermaid syntax reference

Match the mode to the purpose

Faithful asks the reader to preserve what is visible. Clean up asks for presentation and wording improvements. Extend may add inferred elements, so it is unsuitable when the task is a literal transcription. These are instructions to an AI reader, not guarantees of perfect recognition.

Keep an image and a diagram for different jobs

The photo records what was on the board. The editable diagram is a working interpretation that can be corrected and developed. Keep the original when the precise wording or meeting record matters, and avoid uploading content you are not authorised to send for AI processing.

Before you start

Access and limits

  • Opening the Studio requires an account. Free includes the Studio and keeps up to 3 saved figures in it and 3 cloud Library projects.
  • AI needs your own provider key on Starter or above, or hosted AI points on Plus and above. Free includes no AI. Provider charges and usage limits apply.
  • Ordinary photo recognition works on Starter with your own key. The Studio's advanced Photo → Engine requires Plus, Ultra or Enterprise, even when you bring a key.
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