Understanding Diagram Types
StructureGram automatically generates two types of visual diagrams from your data: Family Tree diagrams and Ownership diagrams. Understanding when to use each type will help you communicate complex structures more effectively.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Family Tree | Ownership Diagram |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | Show family lineage and relationships | Show business ownership and control |
| Entity Types | Individuals only | Individuals, Companies, Trusts, Assets |
| Relationships | Spouse, Parent, Child, Former Spouse | Shareholder, Director, Trustee, Beneficiary, Unitholder, Ownership |
| Layout | Hierarchical (generations) | Hierarchical (ownership levels) |
| Best For | Estate planning, family succession, genealogy | Corporate structures, trust structures, asset ownership |
Family Tree Diagrams
What They Show
Family Tree diagrams visualize family lineage and personal relationships between individuals. They display how people are related through marriage, parentage, and adoption.
Key Features
- Individuals Only: Only shows people, not companies or trusts
- Family Relationships: Spouse, parent, child, adopted relationships
- Generational Layout: Parents above, children below, spouses side-by-side
- Avatars: Gender and age-appropriate avatars for each person
- Deceased Indicators: Grayscale styling for deceased individuals
- Marriage Nodes: Small connection points showing spouse relationships
When to Use Family Tree
✅ Use Family Tree diagrams when you need to:
- Explain family succession and inheritance
- Show multi-generational family structures
- Identify family members for estate planning
- Clarify who is related to whom and how
- Present genealogical information
- Plan testamentary trust distributions
Example Scenarios
Estate Planning: "Show me all the descendants of John Smith so we can plan how his estate will be distributed."
Family Office: "Create a family tree showing three generations of the Johnson family to understand who should be involved in family governance decisions."
Succession Planning: "We need to visualize the family structure to determine who will inherit the family business."
Ownership Diagrams
What They Show
Ownership diagrams visualize business ownership, control structures, and asset ownership. They display how entities (individuals, companies, and trusts) own and control other entities and assets.
Key Features
- All Entity Types: Shows individuals, companies, trusts, SMSFs, partnerships, and assets
- Business Relationships: Shareholder, director, trustee, beneficiary, unitholder, ownership
- Ownership Percentages: Displays percentage ownership on shareholder and unitholder relationships
- Trust Types: Color-coded by trust type (discretionary, unit, hybrid, testamentary)
- Control Structure: Shows not just ownership but also control (directors, trustees, appointors)
- Hierarchical Layout: Ultimate owners at top, owned entities below
When to Use Ownership Diagrams
✅ Use Ownership diagrams when you need to:
- Show corporate ownership structures
- Visualize trust structures and beneficiaries
- Display asset ownership (who owns what)
- Explain control structures (who directs, who is trustee)
- Identify ultimate beneficial owners
- Present complex business structures to clients or regulators
Example Scenarios
Corporate Restructure: "Show me who owns what percentage of each company so we can plan the restructure."
Trust Administration: "Create a diagram showing the Smith Family Trust structure - who is trustee, who are the beneficiaries, and what assets does the trust own."
Due Diligence: "We need to see the complete ownership structure of Target Company, including all related entities and beneficial owners."
Asset Protection: "Visualize how our client's assets are held across different trusts and companies for asset protection purposes."
Switching Between Views
The Same Data, Different Perspectives
Both diagram types use the same underlying data (your entities and relationships) but filter and display them differently:
- Family Tree filters to show only individuals and family relationships
- Ownership includes all entity types and business relationships
How to Switch
-
On any entity detail page:
- Click the "Family Tree" or "Ownership View" button
- Your preference is saved for each entity type
-
On saved diagrams:
- The diagram type is fixed when you create the diagram
- Family tree diagrams always show family view
- Ownership diagrams always show ownership view
-
On the diagrams page:
- Choose "Create Family Tree" or "Create Ownership Diagram"
- The button you click determines the diagram type
Combining Both Views
Why You Need Both
Many real-world structures require both perspectives:
Example: Family Business Structure
Family Tree perspective shows:
- John and Sarah are married
- They have two children: Michael and Emma
- John's father Robert (deceased) left a testamentary trust
Ownership perspective shows:
- John owns 50% of Smith Holdings Pty Ltd (shareholder)
- Sarah owns 50% of Smith Holdings Pty Ltd (shareholder)
- John is director of Smith Holdings Pty Ltd
- Estate of Robert (testamentary trust) owns investment properties
- John is trustee of Estate of Robert
- Michael and Emma are beneficiaries of Estate of Robert
Workflow Tip
- Start with Family Tree to understand the family relationships
- Switch to Ownership to see business and asset structures
- Create saved diagrams of each type for different purposes (family meetings vs. business meetings)
Relationship Types by Diagram
Family Tree Relationships
| Relationship | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | Married or de facto partners | John Smith is spouse of Sarah Johnson |
| Parent | Parent-child relationship | John Smith is parent of Michael Smith |
| Child | Child-parent relationship (reciprocal) | Michael Smith is child of John Smith |
| Former Spouse | Previously married/partnered | John Smith is former spouse of Mary Williams |
Ownership Relationships
| Relationship | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Shareholder | Owns shares in a company | John Smith is shareholder of ABC Pty Ltd (100%) |
| Unitholder | Owns units in a unit trust | Smith Trust is unitholder of Property Trust (50%) |
| Director | Company director | Sarah Johnson is director of ABC Pty Ltd |
| Trustee | Trustee of a trust | John Smith is trustee of Smith Family Trust |
| Appointor | Can appoint/remove trustees | Sarah Johnson is appointor of Smith Family Trust |
| Beneficiary | Beneficiary of a trust | Michael Smith is beneficiary of Smith Family Trust |
| Ownership | Owns an asset | Smith Family Trust owns Property Asset |
Creating Your First Diagram
For Family Trees
- Create individuals representing family members
- Add family relationships (spouse, parent, child)
- Navigate to any individual's detail page
- Click "Family Tree" tab - the diagram generates automatically
- Optional: Save as a custom diagram with a name
Tip: Start with the oldest generation and work down. Add spouses first, then children.
For Ownership Diagrams
- Create all entities (individuals, companies, trusts, assets)
- Add business relationships (shareholder, director, trustee, etc.)
- Add ownership percentages where applicable
- Navigate to any entity's detail page
- Click "Ownership View" tab - the diagram generates automatically
- Optional: Save as a custom diagram with a name
Tip: Start with the ultimate owners (individuals) and work down through ownership levels.
Common Questions
Can I see both family and business relationships in one diagram?
Not simultaneously. Each diagram type focuses on one perspective for clarity. However, ownership diagrams do show individuals, so you can see who owns what - you just won't see their family relationships in that view.
Which entities appear in which diagram type?
- Family Tree: Individuals only
- Ownership: All entity types (individuals, companies, trusts, assets, SMSFs, partnerships)
Do I need to create the diagram?
No! Diagrams generate automatically from your entities and relationships. You only need to "create" a diagram if you want to:
- Give it a custom name
- Save a specific view or layout
- Filter to a specific group or set of entities
Can I show only part of the structure?
Yes! Use entity filters to focus on specific parts:
- "Core Family" entity filter for immediate family
- "Business Entities" entity filter for operating companies
- "Investment Structure" entity filter for investment holdings
Which diagram should I export for my client?
For family/estate planning discussions: Family Tree
For business/tax/legal discussions: Ownership Diagram
For comprehensive presentations: Export both!
Next Steps
- Learn more about diagrams: Read the Diagram Export Guide
- Understand entities: Learn about Entity Types
- Understand relationships: Learn about Relationship Types
- Get started: Follow the Getting Started Guide