Go digital
Convert your paper genogram to digital
You've got a hand-drawn genogram that needs to live in the digital world. Here's the fastest way to make that happen.
Why convert to digital?
Easy to update
Family situations change — divorces, new children, deaths. Digital genograms update with a click instead of requiring a complete redraw.
Easy to share
Send a PDF to colleagues, include in reports, or share on screen during telehealth sessions. No scanning, photographing, or physical mail.
Secure backup
Paper can be lost, damaged, or misfiled. Digital genograms are safely backed up and accessible from anywhere.
Professional appearance
Clean lines, standardized symbols, perfect spacing. Digital genograms look polished in client files and presentations.
Your options for going digital
There are a few ways to convert paper genograms to digital. Here's what actually works.
Option 1: Scan and trace (not recommended)
You could scan your genogram and trace over it in a drawing app. But this is tedious, and you end up with an image file — not something editable. Any future changes still require starting over.
Option 2: AI image recognition (not yet reliable)
Theoretically, AI could read your paper genogram and recreate it. In practice, genogram symbols are too complex and varied for current image recognition to handle accurately. You'd spend more time fixing errors than recreating from scratch.
Option 3: Recreate in digital software (recommended)
Use your paper genogram as a reference and recreate it in genogram software. With drag-and-drop tools and pre-made symbols, this takes 15-30 minutes — and you end up with something fully editable, not just an image.
How to convert your genogram step by step
Follow this process for the fastest, cleanest conversion from paper to digital.
Gather your paper genogram
Have your paper genogram ready as a reference. You can keep it beside you or take a photo to reference on another screen.
Open GenogramCreator
Go to GenogramCreator and create a free account. No credit card required.
Start with the index person
Add your main subject (client, patient, or focal person) to the canvas first.
Add family members generation by generation
Work systematically — add parents, then grandparents, then siblings, then children. This matches how paper genograms are typically organized.
Draw relationship lines
Connect family members with the appropriate relationship types — marriages, divorces, parent-child connections.
Add emotional relationships and markers
Include the clinical information — emotional bonds, medical conditions, mental health markers — that make genograms clinically useful.
Export and save
Download your finished genogram as PDF or PNG. Your digital version is now complete and editable for future updates.
Time investment comparison
Scan and trace in drawing software
AI conversion (+ manual fixes)
Recreate in GenogramCreator
Pro tips for faster conversion
Take a photo for reference
Snap a photo of your paper genogram and display it on a second screen or tablet while you work. This makes referencing easier than handling paper.
Work generation by generation
Start with the index person, then add their parents, then grandparents, etc. This systematic approach prevents missed connections.
Add basic info first, details later
Get the structure right first — names and relationships. Then go back to add birth years, conditions, and emotional relationships.
Don't aim for identical
Your digital version doesn't need to match the paper layout exactly. Focus on capturing all the information — the software will make it look professional.
Common questions
Can I scan my paper genogram and convert it automatically?
Unfortunately, automatic conversion from scanned images isn't reliable yet — genogram symbols are too complex for current image recognition. The fastest method is recreating your genogram in digital software, which typically takes 15-20 minutes.
How long does it take to recreate a paper genogram digitally?
Most paper genograms can be recreated in 15-30 minutes using GenogramCreator's drag-and-drop interface. Complex multi-generational genograms may take up to an hour, but you'll end up with a much cleaner, editable result.
Will my digital genogram look exactly like my paper one?
It will contain all the same information but will likely look cleaner and more professional. Digital tools use standardized symbols and perfect lines that are hard to achieve by hand.
What if I need to keep updating my genogram?
This is where digital genograms shine. Once you've converted to digital, making updates is trivial — just click and edit. No erasing, no redrawing, no starting over.
Ready to go digital?
GenogramCreator makes it easy to recreate your paper genograms digitally. Free to start, no credit card required.
Start Converting — FreeMost paper genograms convert in under 30 minutes