PRISMA Flow Diagram Generator (PRISMA 2020)

A PRISMA flow diagram accounts for the path from search results to included evidence. Keep your screening log beside the editor: the figure summarizes those decisions and cannot reconstruct them from totals alone.

1. Choose the structure. Select a new or updated systematic review, then indicate whether you used other sources such as websites or citation searching. For a scoping review, use the ScR adaptation.
2. Enter each stage. Start with records identified, record removals and screening. Continue with reports sought, reports retrieved, eligibility decisions and included evidence.
3. Resolve the count checks. Compare each discrepancy with the original log. An empty field means unknown; enter zero only when you know that nothing belongs in that category.
4. Review and export. Check the units, study identities, exclusion reasons and final figure. Save the project file as well as the figure if you expect to revise it.

Compare the four templates or walk through a completed example.

Record

A search entry, usually a title and abstract. Two databases can return separate records for the same report; those duplicate records should not be screened as two different reports.

Report

A document describing research, such as a journal article, dissertation or registry result. A report can cover one study or several studies.

Study

The underlying investigation. One study can have a protocol, an initial results paper and a follow-up paper. Link those reports to the same study in your review records.

For example, 30 reports can describe 24 studies. That difference is not an arithmetic mistake. Counts alone do not establish the relationship: verify it against your study identifiers. See the terminology and selection guidance in the PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration.

The editor checks arithmetic within the workflow you enter. These are transparent product checks, not an official PRISMA certification procedure. For example, suppose you identify 1,200 records, remove 200 duplicates and remove another 50 records before screening:

1,200 − 200 − 50 = 950 records screened

Entering 960 leaves 10 records unaccounted for. Check the source log rather than changing a number just to make the equation pass. Other checks reconcile reports sought with reports not retrieved, eligibility decisions with included reports, and retained evidence with additions in an updated review.

The checker does not certify complete PRISMA reporting, the quality of the search, the accuracy of eligibility decisions or the validity of a review. Use the full reporting checklist alongside it.

Reports not retrieved are documents you tried to obtain but could not access. They were not assessed for eligibility. An assessed report that fails an eligibility criterion belongs in the exclusion-reasons box instead.

Use a reason that matches your protocol, such as an ineligible population, design or outcome. In this editor, assign one primary reason to each excluded report so the reason counts add up without counting the same report twice. Retain the fuller decision trail in your screening log.

Similarly, explain any conversion from several search records to one sought report. If an overlap has already been removed earlier, do not subtract it again from the combined included count. Keep any ongoing or awaiting-classification reports in their own stated categories.

For the untouched blank Word documents, use the official template downloads.

Where are my review counts stored?

The editor processes project content in your browser and can save a draft on this device. Download a project file for your own backup; clearing browser storage can remove the draft. The editor does not put your title, counts or exclusion reasons into a shareable URL.

Can I leave an unfinished count blank?

Yes. A blank is unknown, not zero. Save the project while you work and resolve incomplete fields before preparing the final figure.

Do I need meta-analysis results to use the diagram?

No. Selection and inclusion are separate from the choice of synthesis method. Your diagram should reflect the evidence included in the review.

How do I cite this generator?

Always cite the PRISMA 2020 statement (Page et al., BMJ 2021;372:n71) for the diagram itself. If you also want to credit the tool in your methods or figure legend, use: Journal Metrics. PRISMA Flow Diagram Generator [Internet]. 2026. Available from: https://www.journalmetrics.org/prisma-flow-diagram

Does passing the checks mean my manuscript follows PRISMA?

No. Arithmetic checks cover a small part of reporting. The PRISMA 2020 reporting guide explains how to work through the broader checklist.

Journal Metrics provides an independent implementation of the PRISMA flow diagram. The original PRISMA 2020 templates are available under CC BY 4.0. Our editor adapts their layout and adds count checks; it is not endorsed by the PRISMA group.

• Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021;372:n71.
• Page MJ, Moher D, Bossuyt PM, et al. PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration. BMJ. 2021;372:n160.
• Official PRISMA 2020 checklist and expanded checklist — use these to review the full manuscript.

Content updated October 13, 2026. Count examples are illustrative.