PPT - Creating Professional Integration Architecture Diagrams Using PowerPoint

Creating Professional Integration Architecture Diagrams Using PowerPoint

When Visio Isn’t Available, PowerPoint Becomes Your Best Friend

In many enterprise projects, solution architects and integration developers must document system flows clearly. While tools like Visio or Lucidchart are commonly used, they are not always available in corporate environments due to licensing or security restrictions.

In such situations, Microsoft PowerPoint becomes a powerful and reliable alternative for creating clean, professional architecture and integration diagrams.

This blog demonstrates a real integration use case and shows how PowerPoint can be used to design high-quality diagrams.

Use Case: Source System to Target System File Integration

Business Scenario

A payment file is generated by a Source System and manually uploaded to the OIC SFTP location. Oracle Integration Cloud processes the file and finally uploads it into a Target System for downstream financial processing.

The business requires:

• Clear process visibility
• Batch job tracking
• Error monitoring

A simple but professional architecture diagram

Integration Flow Overview

The integration follows these steps:

• File is generated by the Source System.
• File is manually uploaded to OIC SFTP.
• OIC Scheduler picks the file.
• File is transformed into Target System format.
• File is uploaded to OCI Object Storage.
• Faults are logged in monitoring tools.

Solution: Creating This Diagram Using PowerPoint

Step 1: Create Swimlane Structure

• Use Insert → Table (1 row, 3 columns) to represent:
• Source System
• Oracle Integration Cloud
• Target System
• Format the header row with a blue background and white text.

This instantly creates a swimlane layout similar to professional architecture tools.

From Table design >> take a standard table style.

Step 2: Add Process Blocks

Use Rounded Rectangles for each processing step:

• Scheduler
• Get file from OIC SFTP
• Transform to Target format
• Upload to OCI Object Storage

Use light orange or yellow color for process clarity.

Step 3: Add System Objects

Use distinct colors:

Green → Input File 

Orange → Target System 

Color coding improves readability.

Step 4: Use Connectors (Not Lines)

Always use:

Insert → Shapes → Connector → Right Angle Arrow

This ensures connectors stay attached when shapes move.

Step 5: Add Supporting Notes

Use text boxes for:

“Manually uploaded by business team”

“Upload file to Target System”

These clarify ownership.

Step 6: Add Fault Handling Layer

At the bottom, insert a full-width rectangle:

Fault Handler – Monitoring Tool

This highlights error handling.

Step 7: Align & Distribute

Select shapes → Align → Align Center → Distribute Vertically

This gives a Visio-quality look.

Best Practices

Use consistent colors per layer

Keep uniform shape sizes

Follow swimlane structure

Avoid crossing arrows

Keep text action-oriented

Conclusion

PowerPoint is more than a presentation tool. With the right techniques, it becomes a powerful architecture diagramming solution that works perfectly for integration, data flow, and system design documentation.

This approach is ideal for:

Integration solution design

Technical documentation

Client walkthroughs

Knowledge transfer sessions