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At Visio, we are constantly working on new features to enhance the Visio for the web experience. In this blog, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to design a flowchart leveraging some of the latest capabilities in Visio for the web. Learn how to create and coauthor professional-looking flowcharts for effective decision making and process execution.
Let’s start with the home page—which, if you’re new to Visio, can be accessed at visio.office.com. Visio for the web provides a variety of flowchart and diagram templates so you can get started fast. Choose from a variety of templates for basic and cross-functional flowcharts and start creating your desired flowchart in a single click. It’s that simple!
Create data-driven diagrams directly in Excel
Alternatively, you can use the Visio Data Visualizer add-in to create your flowchart in Excel. To do this, create a new Excel spreadsheet or insert a new worksheet in an existing file and follow the steps below:
- Under the Insert tab, click on Get Add-ins.
- Search for “Visio Data Visualizer” and click on Add. Once you’ve completed this step, a dedicated button will appear in the Excel ribbon.
- Click on the dedicated button and select from any of the available basic or cross-functional flowchart samples to get started. created along with the underlying data presented in a tabular format in the Excel sheet.
Update the data in the Excel table and click Refresh to see your changes reflected directly in the flowchart. If you have a Visio Plan 1 or Visio Plan 2 license, you can do even more with your flowchart—like add text, apply a design theme, or resize and reposition the shapes in your flowchart—using either Visio desktop or Visio for the web. If you don’t already have a license, we recommend Visio Plan 1 for basic diagram creation and editing and Visio Plan 2 if you need advanced features, like two-way sync and data graphics. You can compare plans to decide which option is best for you or try Visio Plan 2 free for 30 days.
To edit your flowchart in Visio for the web, for example, click Edit in the add-in menu bar. Then, click on Design and select one of the available Themes from the drop-down. You can also choose from the various Theme Colors.
Insert pictures into your Visio diagram
To further illustrate and personalize your flowchart, click on the recently added Stock Images option available from the Insert tab. Here, you can search through a variety of images. Select the image that is most appropriate for your flowchart and click Insert. The selected image can also be resized and reoriented to serve as a background for your flowchart.
Automatically resize the canvas to fit the shapes on the page
If you need to resize the canvas to fit your flowchart, click on the Size drop-down under the Design tab and select Fit to Drawing. The canvas will automatically resize to the outermost content borders, leaving some space for margins on all sides, but removing unnecessary blank space.
Need to embed your flowchart in a presentation or document?
Click File > Save As > Download as Image. Here, you can select the type of image file you want and desired resolution. Click on Download to save the image to your local machine and easily insert it into your files.
Share your diagram with others
Alternatively, you can share your Visio diagram as a link or via email by clicking the Share button in the top right corner. Choose from the various link settings to restrict the audience and allow/prohibit editing access to your file.
Keep visiting Tech Community and follow us on Twitter to stay current on the latest releases. We also hope you’ll submit ideas for features through our UserVoice site. Lastly, if you have specific questions or comments about any of the abovementioned capabilities, please send a note to tellvisio@microsoft.com.
Brought to you by Dr. Ware, Microsoft Office 365 Silver Partner, Charleston SC.
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