PRISMA 2020 flow diagram generator
Enter the counts from your systematic review search (records from each database and register, duplicates and other records removed, records screened and excluded, reports sought, not retrieved, assessed and excluded with reasons, and the studies and reports included) and the generator draws the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram as you type. Switch on the “other methods” column for websites, organisations and citation searching. It checks that every step adds up, fills derived counts for you, and exports an editable SVG, a 300 or 600 dpi PNG and plain text.
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At a glance
| Template | PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for new systematic reviews (Page et al., BMJ 2021;372:n71, doi:10.1136/bmj.n71) |
|---|---|
| Versions | Databases and registers only, or with “other methods” (websites, organisations, citation searching) |
| Stages | Identification, screening, included |
| Checks | Records screened, reports sought, assessed and included recomputed from the counts above them; reasons = their box; studies ≤ reports |
| Output | Editable SVG, PNG at 300 or 600 dpi with the DPI recorded, plain text |
| Runs in | Your web browser; nothing is uploaded |
| Price | Free, no account needed |
What it does
How to use the PRISMA flow diagram generator
- Enter the searchList the records found in each database and register (“Embase: 1587”), and the records removed before screening: duplicates, those marked ineligible by automation tools and those removed for other reasons.
- Enter screening and inclusionType the records screened and excluded, the reports sought, not retrieved and assessed, the reasons reports were excluded, and the studies and reports included. Tick “other methods” if you also searched websites, organisations or reference lists.
- Check and exportUse “Calculate missing counts” to fill derived numbers, fix anything the checks flag, then download the SVG, a 300 or 600 dpi PNG, or the text.
How it works
The diagram follows the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for new systematic reviews (Page et al., BMJ 2021), in its two versions: databases and registers only, or with a second column for studies identified via other methods. It has three stages:
- Identification. Records identified from databases and registers, ideally one count per database or register searched, and the records removed before screening: duplicates, records marked as ineligible by automation tools, and records removed for other reasons. Records screened = databases + registers − removed.
- Screening. Records screened (titles and abstracts) and records excluded; the reports sought for retrieval (full texts) and those not retrieved; the reports assessed for eligibility and the reports excluded, with each reason and its count. Reports sought = records screened − excluded (unless one record led to several reports), and assessed = sought − not retrieved.
- Included. Studies included in review and reports of included studies. Reports included = reports assessed − reports excluded, summed over both columns; a study can have several reports, so studies ≤ reports.
PRISMA 2020 separates records (a title or abstract indexed in a database or register) from reports (a document supplying information about a study, such as a journal article, preprint, conference abstract or register entry) and studies (an investigation, which may have several reports). The other-methods column has no duplicate-removal or screening boxes: records found on websites, from organisations or by citation searching go straight to retrieval, and their included reports join the same Included box. With “Template footnotes” on, the asterisked notes and the source line of the official template are added under the diagram.
Source: Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372:n71, doi:10.1136/bmj.n71.
Worked example: a PRISMA 2020 flow diagram with other methods
The generator’s example: a systematic review of randomised trials, with database, register and other searches.
- Identification. Databases gave 3858 records (MEDLINE 1204, Embase 1587, Cochrane CENTRAL 412, Web of Science 655) and registers 154 (ClinicalTrials.gov 96, WHO ICTRP 58): 4012 records. Before screening, 1236 duplicates and 14 records for other reasons were removed (none by automation tools).
- Screening. 4012 − 1236 − 0 − 14 = 2762 records screened; 2601 were excluded on title and abstract, so 2762 − 2601 = 161 reports were sought, 7 could not be retrieved and 161 − 7 = 154 were assessed in full text. 132 were excluded: wrong population 41, wrong intervention 29, wrong comparator 12, wrong outcome 23, not a randomised trial 18, conference abstract only 9 (41 + 29 + 12 + 23 + 18 + 9 = 132).
- Other methods. Websites 6, organisations 4 and citation searching 23 gave 33 reports sought; 2 were not retrieved, 31 assessed and 26 excluded (not a randomised trial 14, wrong population 9, duplicate report 3), leaving 5.
- Included. 154 − 132 = 22 reports from databases and registers plus 31 − 26 = 5 from other methods: 27 reports of included studies, describing 21 studies (some trials had several reports).
| Step | Databases and registers | Other methods |
|---|---|---|
| Records identified | 3858 + 154 = 4012 | 6 + 4 + 23 = 33 |
| Removed before screening | 1236 + 0 + 14 = 1250 | — |
| Records screened / excluded | 2762 / 2601 | — |
| Reports sought / not retrieved | 161 / 7 | 33 / 2 |
| Reports assessed / excluded | 154 / 132 | 31 / 26 |
| Reports included | 22 | 5 |
Total: 22 + 5 = 27 reports of 21 included studies.
Frequently asked questions
What is a PRISMA flow diagram?
A PRISMA flow diagram shows how the studies in a systematic review were found and selected: the records identified in databases, registers and other sources, the records removed and screened, the reports retrieved and assessed in full text with the reasons for exclusion, and the studies and reports finally included. It is part of the PRISMA 2020 reporting guideline.
Is the PRISMA flow diagram required?
Most journals that publish systematic reviews require a PRISMA 2020 flow diagram (or ask for PRISMA reporting, which includes it: item 16a asks for the results of the search and selection process, ideally with a flow diagram). Cochrane reviews and PROSPERO-registered reviews use it too. Check the journal’s instructions for authors.
What is the difference between records and reports in PRISMA 2020?
A record is a title or abstract indexed in a database or register; a report is a document that supplies information about a study (journal article, preprint, conference abstract, register entry, dissertation); a study can have several reports. Screening is done on records, full-text assessment on reports, and the Included box gives both studies and reports.
What goes in the “other methods” column?
Studies found outside the database and register searches: websites (such as grey literature or manufacturer sites), organisations (contacting experts or companies) and citation searching (reference lists and forward citation tracking). They go straight to retrieval and assessment, and their included reports join the same Included box.
What changed from the PRISMA 2009 to the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram?
PRISMA 2020 counts records from databases and registers separately, adds records removed by automation tools and for other reasons, separates reports sought, not retrieved and assessed, distinguishes studies from reports in the Included box, and adds an optional column for other search methods. The 2009 boxes for qualitative and quantitative synthesis were removed.
How do I count duplicates and records excluded by automation tools?
Duplicates are records removed by de-duplication before screening, in reference managers or screening software. Records marked as ineligible by automation tools are those a tool (for example a randomised-trial classifier) removed without human screening. If tools were also used during screening, say how many records were excluded by a human and how many by a tool, as the template’s footnote asks.
Can I use it for a scoping review or an updated review?
For a scoping review, yes: PRISMA-ScR uses the same flow of records and reports. For an updated systematic review, PRISMA 2020 has a separate template with a column for studies included in the previous version; this generator draws the templates for new reviews.
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