Distribution Network Sankey Diagram: Editable Template
Show how volume moves from plants through distribution centres to retail, wholesale and e-commerce channels. Replace the pallet counts to see which lanes carry the load.
A distribution Sankey is a map of volume, not of geography. Plants, distribution centres and channels are columns, and each ribbon is the number of pallets moving between them.
Two plants ship ten thousand pallets to three distribution centres, which serve retail, wholesale and e-commerce. Each plant serves all three centres, but the ribbons are very uneven.
That unevenness is the finding: the East centre is fed mostly from the North plant, the West centre mostly from the South plant. The volumes are invented, and the diagram shows volume rather than distance or cost.
How to read this diagram
- 10,000 pallets move: 6,000 from the North plant and 4,000 from the South.
- The Central DC handles 4,500 pallets, the most of any centre.
- 80% of the East DC's volume (2,000 of 2,500) comes from the North plant, and 83% of the West DC's (2,500 of 3,000) from the South plant.
- Retail takes 63% of volume, wholesale 21% and e-commerce 16%.
The data behind it
Invented figures for illustration. Not data about any real business.
| From | To | Amount (pallets) |
|---|---|---|
| North plant | Central DC | 3500 |
| North plant | East DC | 2000 |
| North plant | West DC | 500 |
| South plant | Central DC | 1000 |
| South plant | East DC | 500 |
| South plant | West DC | 2500 |
| Central DC | Retail | 3000 |
| Central DC | Wholesale | 1000 |
| Central DC | E-commerce | 500 |
| East DC | Retail | 1500 |
| East DC | Wholesale | 400 |
| East DC | E-commerce | 600 |
| West DC | Retail | 1800 |
| West DC | Wholesale | 700 |
| West DC | E-commerce | 500 |
The same data as CSV
source,target,value
North plant,Central DC,3500
North plant,East DC,2000
North plant,West DC,500
South plant,Central DC,1000
South plant,East DC,500
South plant,West DC,2500
Central DC,Retail,3000
Central DC,Wholesale,1000
Central DC,E-commerce,500
East DC,Retail,1500
East DC,Wholesale,400
East DC,E-commerce,600
West DC,Retail,1800
West DC,Wholesale,700
West DC,E-commerce,500How it works
Pick the unit and period
Use one volume unit, such as pallets, tonnes or orders, for one period.
Count shipments between each pair of nodes
Use shipment records or your transport system.
Enter the flows
Type each plant-to-centre and centre-to-channel volume.
Check the balance
Each centre should send out what it received, allowing for stock changes you note on the chart.
Frequently asked questions
What about inventory changes?
If stock rises or falls over the period, add a node for the change so that the centre still balances.
Can I show cost instead of volume?
Yes, if you have it per lane. Say which one the widths represent.
Edit this distribution Sankey
Open the example as your own chart and enter your lane volumes.