Home > Articles > Home & Office Computing > Microsoft Applications

Working with Basic Diagrams in Microsoft Visio 2013

This chapter looks at templates and the drawing window in detail, providing a foundation to see how the many other features of Visio can be used later in your diagrams.
This chapter is from the book

Visio is all about making great visuals, and you will spend a lot of time focused on the drawings themselves. This chapter provides a good point to step back and see all the other features of Visio that will help you later as you work on those drawings. Consider how choosing the right canvas and frame can make a great work of art look awesome.

Templates, file formats, pages, backgrounds, and your work area are all fundamental to having the right canvas and frame for the drawings you create. We look at templates and the drawing window in detail in this chapter. Chapter 4, “Taking Control of Your Diagrams,” considers how pages and backgrounds further accentuate your work.

Making Diagrams

I enjoy building cabinets from scratch. Despite how satisfying the final product can be, finding the right wood and materials can be time consuming, and the project can also take much longer than expected (sorry, dear). For that reason I have on occasion been quite happy with purchasing a cabinet from IKEA and spending a fraction of the time assembling a very nice-looking cabinet.

Templates serve a similar purpose. No one questions your imagination and artistic abilities, and you certainly can create drawings from scratch in Visio if that is your preference. You will quickly appreciate the many advantages of using templates when you see how they save you time.

What Is a Template?

We’ve thrown this term around quite bit, but what is a template? Templates refer to the overall framework that determines appearance, purpose, and even the tools that are used to make your diagram. They include the sets of shapes and stencils present in the Shape panel; the size and scale of the page you work on; the paper size for printing; settings related to font, color, and many others that dictate the default behavior of shapes and connectors in your diagram. You might even see additional Ribbon tools unique to that template, as in the case of an Organization Chart template.

Find the Right Template

We used a Basic Flowchart template in Chapter 1, “Getting to Know Visio 2013,” and you no doubt were tempted to check out some of the other templates in the Template Gallery (see Figure 3.1). Visio 2013 Standard includes many predefined templates, and Professional has even more. The included templates have a very modern look with shapes and content that have been selected to reflect the times we live in.

FIGURE 3.1

FIGURE 3.1. Right away, you may recognize a few interesting-looking choices in the Template Gallery.

When you choose to start a new Visio diagram, you are presented with featured templates by default. You can refine the choices by using categories, which presents eight groups of templates as shown in Figure 3.2 (Business, Engineering, Flowchart, General, Maps and Floor Plans, Network, Schedule, and Software and Database).

FIGURE 3.2

FIGURE 3.2. There are eight categories of templates.

In addition you can search for online templates. We’ll come back to this feature later in this chapter.

Take a look at the purpose of these categories and what sets them apart from each other.

  • Business templates include Organization Charts, Marketing, and Charts and Graphs. You find tools for analyzing processes such as Cause and Effect or Fault Tree. Many people have learned to use mind mapping or brainstorming diagrams.
  • Engineering offers several templates, including Basic Electrical and Part and Assembly Drawing (see Figure 3.3).
    FIGURE 3.3

    FIGURE 3.3. Looking at a category of templates provides an array of choices, as these engineering templates illustrate.

  • Flowchart templates include the Basic Flowchart, BPMN Diagram, and Workflow Diagrams.
  • General includes Basic Diagram and Block Diagrams. This is a good area to start with if the diagram only needs very basic shapes and stencils.
  • Maps and Floor Plans include many types of templates. You can create 2D or 3D map graphics for advertising, floor plans and layouts, detailed HVAC, ceiling grids, and site plans.
  • Network templates include ways to represent the physical network, rack diagrams, and more conceptual diagrams to visualize Active Directory or LDAP Directories.
  • Schedule templates provide tools for calendars, Gantt charts, and timelines.
  • Software and Database has many templates, such as Data Flow, Database Notation, Program Structure, and Web Site Map.

When you select a specific template, a small window appears (see Figure 3.4) with a few details related to the purpose of the template and its origin. You can choose to use Metric or U.S. units of measurement and then select Create. You can also scroll to the left or right, clicking arrows to browse other templates.

FIGURE 3.4

FIGURE 3.4. Selecting a template provides you with an explanation of how you would use this template.

To learn how to create your own templates in Visio, see page 252.

Working Without a Template

You can start with a blank drawing if you decide not to use the templates for the sake of a quick diagram. You simply choose Blank Drawing from the selection of templates featured when you first open Visio.

If you have been working in Visio and want to create a new drawing, follow these steps:

  1. Select the File tab to open the Backstage area.
  2. Select New from the vertical menu to the left. You see the list of featured templates to the right.
  3. Select Blank Drawing and Create on the pop-up window that appears. Blank drawings open with no shapes, stencils, or any other configuration settings (see Figure 3.5). You can still work right away, selecting shapes and such from the Home tab and the Tools menu.
    FIGURE 3.5

    FIGURE 3.5. Starting a drawing from scratch using a blank drawing.

Clone Your Drawing

When you have invested blood, sweat, and tears into a diagram, you might not want someone else to tamper with it. Imagine that you need to make an updated version of an organization chart after a promotion has occurred in your company. Maybe you want to present a couple of similar variations of a diagram in a proposal with your customer. Rather than grabbing the original and modifying it, it might be wiser to clone the original and modify the copy. That way, you always have an intact original to refer back to.

Use a Recent Drawing

If you need to tweak a diagram or present variations of the same diagram, a nice feature is the capability to easily create a copy of an existing drawing from the Recent Drawings list in Visio.

  1. Open Visio and look for the list labeled Recent off to the left.
  2. Right-click a file and select Open a copy as shown in Figure 3.6. (The link at the bottom of Recent files labeled Open Other Drawings will take you to the Recent Drawing list discussed in the next set of steps.)
    FIGURE 3.6

    FIGURE 3.6. Use Open a Copy to protect your original diagram from accidents.

  3. Notice a copy has opened with a name like Drawing1. Any alterations to this drawing will have no effect on the original; they are completely separate.
  4. To save this copy, Select File and Save As to assign a unique name and location.

If the drawing is not listed in the Recent Drawing list, open it first so you have the option to right-click as described.

There is another way to get to this list of recent drawings:

  1. Select the File tab and then select Open.
  2. As shown in Figure 3.7, helpful thumbnails display when you view the list in this way.
    FIGURE 3.7

    FIGURE 3.7. The Recent Drawings list can also display thumbnails of your diagrams.

  3. Right-click a drawing and select Open a copy.

If you anticipate using a drawing as a base for future copies or just want to keep it handy, you can also pin the drawing to the Recent Drawing list. As you hover your mouse over the document in the Recent list, you see a pushpin to the right. As shown in Figure 3.6, when you click the pin you see the document pinned to the top of this list until you unpin it.

Find Online Templates and Samples

As mentioned earlier, when you look at the Template Gallery you see at the top of the page a field that allows you to search for templates from office.com. In addition, you can search other websites and then download templates and samples to use as a starting point for your own diagrams. Try to download from trusted sources to avoid unexpected surprises.

To find recommendations for online templates and samples, see page 311.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020