It’s usually a lot simpler to convey data with a well-designed diagram than to speak by a big textual content blurb. Because the previous saying goes, “an image is value a thousand phrases.”
That’s the place Microsoft Visio is available in. A part of the Microsoft 365 suite, this app helps professionals convey data by professionally designed diagrams.
What’s Microsoft Visio?
Microsoft Visio is the diagramming and vector graphics utility within the Microsoft Workplace household. If it’s worthwhile to make diagrams reminiscent of resolution timber, circulate charts, org charts, and so forth, that is the Microsoft software to do it. Visio is much less common than different Microsoft apps like Phrase or Excel, however it’s nonetheless a priceless software to know and use in on a regular basis enterprise.
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Though there’s a desktop Visio utility, this cheat sheet will stroll you thru the fundamentals of utilizing Visio in Microsoft 365 — the web-only model that’s included with Microsoft 365/Workplace 365 enterprise and enterprise subscriptions — since most enterprise professionals who use Workplace have entry to this model. The entire options within the net model of Visio may also be discovered within the desktop utility, however not vice versa.
Methods to discover Microsoft Visio inside Microsoft 365
To start this tutorial, we have to find and open Microsoft Visio. For most individuals, Visio won’t be a default utility in your Microsoft 365 dwelling web page (previously often called the Workplace dwelling web page). To seek out Visio, navigate your Microsoft 365 dwelling web page, check in for those who haven’t already, and kind visio within the search bar on the prime of the display screen.
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From the Microsoft 365 dwelling web page, seek for Visio and launch it in your browser. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Click on Visio within the outcomes record to launch the online app in your browser. You may be taken to a web page the place you possibly can see some generally used templates for creating diagrams. This contains flowcharts, primary diagrams, organizational charts, and infographic timelines. There may be additionally an icon labelled “All templates” — right here you possibly can undergo the entire record of templates accessible in Visio that can assist you discover the precise template that’s proper in your scenario.
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The Visio begin web page has a wide range of templates to begin from. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Utilizing templates is the simplest method to start making diagrams in Visio. I’ll stroll you thru two of the commonest Microsoft Visio use circumstances — creating flowcharts and org charts. If Visio doesn’t have a template that fits your small business wants, it’s fast and straightforward to make customized diagrams utilizing Visio’s drag-and-drop options; I’ll present you that course of as properly.
Methods to create a flowchart in Microsoft Visio
A flowchart is a kind of diagram that represents a workflow or course of. It’s wonderful for displaying the step-by-step course of for finishing a activity whereas providing you with the flexibleness to indicate completely different choices that should be made and representing if-then eventualities. Microsoft Visio makes it extraordinarily simple to create any such diagram.
On this instance, we are going to create a easy circulate diagram to indicate what is going to occur throughout a group assembly to debate a brand new thought for a corporation app. The group will talk about the thought, resolve in the event that they prefer it, after which take motion primarily based on that call earlier than ending the assembly.
Start by clicking the Flowchart Template icon on the Visio begin web page. You’ll be taken to the primary Visio interface, which seems quite a bit like Microsoft Phrase and different Microsoft 365 apps.
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The flowchart template opens with primary flowchart shapes within the left column and a clean canvas on the suitable, topped by the Workplace Ribbon toolbar. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Step one for any flowchart is making a begin level. Click on and maintain the oval Begin/Finish icon within the left panel and drag it onto the clean canvas space on the suitable. The oval object seems with eight “deal with” factors on the corners and sides. To resize the oval, click on and drag any of those handles; to maneuver the oval on the canvas, click on the center of the oval and drag it.
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Drag a Begin/Finish oval onto the canvas. Drag any of the “handles” across the outdoors of the oval to resize it. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
So as to add textual content to a picture, click on within the middle of it, and also you’ll enter textual content edit mode — simply kind within the textual content you wish to seem there. In our instance, we’ll name the beginning oval form “Group Assembly Begins.” You may regulate the textual content’s font and measurement utilizing the instruments within the Ribbon toolbar on the prime of the display screen.
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The beginning oval now reveals “Group Assembly Begins.” (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Subsequent, it’s worthwhile to add your processes — each step that shall be taken for the duty to be accomplished that doesn’t require a call to be made. These are represented by rectangles.
Click on the Course of icon and drag it to the canvas beneath the oval we added beforehand. As you accomplish that, a dotted inexperienced line seems that guides you to put the rectangle straight beneath the oval. Resize the rectangle as wanted, then title it “Group Discusses Concept.”
To attach the gadgets, merely hover over the underside fringe of the beginning picture, then click on and drag from the inexperienced and white button on the beginning picture to the highest of the method picture. It will create a downward-flowing arrow connecting the 2.
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Connecting the method rectangle to the beginning oval. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
In the event you make a mistake, you possibly can delete any form or line on the canvas by proper clicking-it and deciding on Delete from the pop-up menu.
Subsequent, in our flowchart, we’ll present that the group must resolve whether or not they just like the app thought. That is represented through a diamond picture and can have three potential outcomes.
Click on the Determination icon within the left panel, drag it beneath “Group Discusses Concept,” and repeat the steps outlined above to resize it, title it, and join it as proven beneath.
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Add the choice diamond and join it to the method rectangle above. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
The three potential responses to the choice shall be “No,” “Sure,” and “Not Sufficient Data.”
So as to add textual content bins for the responses, go to the Dwelling tab on the Ribbon and choose the Textual content Field icon (a sq. with an A within the center). Click on on that and your cursor will be capable of draw textual content bins on the canvas. Create a textual content field for every response, then kind the suitable phrase or phrase in each. You may work with textual content bins in the identical methods you possibly can with shapes.
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Including textual content bins for the three potential responses. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Beneath every textual content field, add an oblong Course of form for its final result and title the end result shapes as proven beneath. Draw connector strains from the Determination form to every response and from every response to its final result. To create connector strains that go throughout after which down the canvas, merely drag from the beginning object out to the facet after which down, and the connector line will seem the place you dragged.
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Including and connecting the three outcomes. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Now we’ve added three potential outcomes to our resolution tree that may cowl the potential outcomes of the assembly. Please pay attention to the third resolution (furthest to the suitable). Typically you could have to account for choices that may lead to you going again to an earlier step within the course of and redoing some steps. (Having the third possibility return to a earlier step on this instance is for demonstration functions; in actuality, you’d conduct extra analysis outdoors the assembly after which talk about the thought once more in a later assembly.)
Now there is just one step left: add the ending to the flowchart (utilizing the Begin/Finish form once more), which is when the assembly ends.
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Add, label, and join the tip form, and the flowchart is full. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Methods to create a corporation chart in Microsoft Visio
Subsequent, we are going to take a look at methods to create a easy org chart that consists of 1 head govt, their assistant, two managers, and their corresponding groups. Return to the Visio begin web page and click on on the Group Chart template.
Creating an org chart is comparatively easy. As we did with the flowchart, drag and drop the gadgets you need — on this case, coloured rectangles akin to work roles — from the left pane onto the primary canvas and set up them in a hierarchical construction as proven beneath.
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Drag and drop placeholders for the workers in your org chart. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
All that’s wanted after that’s to attract the strains displaying the relationships between workers members. As with the flowchart, draw strains going from the higher-level workers to the lower-level workers.
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Draw connector strains displaying the connection of staff to 1 one other. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
So as to add textual content to the bins, click on on every picture, then modify the title and title of the workers member.
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Fill within the staff’ names to finish the org chart. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Methods to create a diagram from scratch in Microsoft Visio
If there aren’t any templates that fit your actual wants, you’ll need to create a diagram from scratch. Whereas we can’t anticipate each motion you could wish to absorb making a customized diagram, listed below are the fundamental steps for making a customized diagram.
To start, from the Visio begin web page click on New clean drawing.
1. Choose and place your shapes.
As when utilizing a template, you’ll see the Shapes panel on the left facet of the display screen, with a clean canvas to the suitable. The fundamental constructing blocks of your diagram shall be completely different shapes that you just use to symbolize completely different gadgets. Merely click on and drag your required form(s) onto the canvas.
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Drag any shapes you wish to use for a diagram from the shapes panel onto the canvas. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
You may transfer, resize, and add textual content to shapes on the canvas simply as we did when utilizing a template.
Along with the generic shapes that seem within the Shapes pane by default, you possibly can lookup customized icons that extra precisely describe the knowledge that you just wish to convey. Click on the plus image on the left of the panel, and also you’ll be capable of flick through a number of collections of shapes and icons you can pin to your panel, reminiscent of Cycle Diagram Shapes, Enterprise Frameworks, and Interface Icons. (In reality, Visio templates are principally focused units of those form collections.)
You can even use the search field on the prime of the Shapes panel to seek for particular icons, as proven beneath.
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Use the search field to search out extremely particular shapes or icons in your diagram. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
2. Add arrows
Subsequent, it’s worthwhile to use arrows as connectors to indicate relationships between the shapes in your diagram. These arrow pictures assist individuals to know the logical route that data is flowing. For instance, in an org chart, it’s worthwhile to present individuals who report back to these inside the group. Click on the icon with two curved arrows on the left of the Shapes panel to see the Arrow Shapes assortment.
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Visio presents an array of arrow varieties you should utilize to indicate the development of your diagram. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
3. Apply a theme
Themes could be useful to make your diagrams extra visually interesting or to replicate firm or shopper shade schemes. To pick out a theme, merely go to the Design tab within the Ribbon, click on Themes, and choose the theme of your selection.
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Making use of a theme makes your diagram extra engaging and simpler to absorb rapidly. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Methods to save, open, and collaborate on Visio diagrams
As you’re engaged on a diagram in your browser, Visio autosaves your work, calling it “Drawing” (or “Drawing2,” “Drawing3,” and many others.) by default. To vary its file title to one thing extra significant, click on its title within the title bar on the prime of the display screen and kind in a brand new title.
While you return to the Visio begin web page, you’ll see all of the diagrams you’ve created (and that others have shared with you) in a listing on the backside of the web page. Click on any file title within the record to open the diagram.
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Visio recordsdata you might have entry to are listed on the Visio begin web page. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
The diagram will open in a mode that permits you to view and touch upon it, however not edit it. To change to enhancing mode, choose Edit Diagram > Edit in Browser on the prime proper of the display screen.
Like Phrase, PowerPoint, and different Microsoft 365 apps, Visio allows you to collaborate on diagrams with co-workers in actual time. Microsoft calls this “co-authoring.” To share a diagram, click on the Share button at prime proper and choose Share from the menu that seems. The “Ship hyperlink” pane seems. Right here you possibly can kind in colleagues’ names or electronic mail addresses and an non-compulsory message. Click on the pencil icon on the proper to decide on whether or not you wish to let the individuals you’re inviting edit the diagram itself or just view and touch upon it. While you’re completed, click on Ship, and your invitees will obtain an electronic mail with a hyperlink the place they will entry the diagram.
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You may invite colleagues to collaborate on a Visio diagram. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
So as to add a remark to a diagram, click on the Feedback button on the prime proper after which click on New within the pane that seems. To touch upon a selected merchandise within the diagram, click on its form after which click on the New button within the Feedback pane. Sort your remark within the remark field (you possibly can @point out somebody to name their consideration to it) after which click on the Submit remark button (a paper airplane icon). Others can learn and reply to your feedback and/or add their very own feedback.
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