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Create flowcharts and block diagrams using Microsoft Office Visio 2007
 

Microsoft Office Visio 2007 is the diagramming tool of choice for business and technical professionals who need to quickly and easily visualize, explore, and communicate information. With Office Visio 2007, creating a wide range of diagrams such as flowcharts, business process diagrams, block diagrams, and data flow diagrams is a snap.

Office Visio 2007 includes diagram-specific shapes and tools that enable you to quickly and easily create good-looking flowcharts, block diagrams, and data flow diagrams. You can then easily share these diagrams with colleagues in a variety of ways and integrate them into other Microsoft Office applications.

Download a free trial and see first-hand how quickly and easily you can create effective great-looking diagrams.

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In this article


Create flowcharts and block diagrams

ShowLet Office Visio create the flow for you

Office Visio 2007 includes shapes designed specifically for basic flowcharts, cross-functional flowcharts, and data flow diagrams. As you drag the shapes onto the drawing page, let Office Visio connect, align, and evenly distribute the shapes for you.

ShowDescribe the flow with any kind of connector

In Office Visio 2007, connectors can be simple 1-D lines with arrowheads, 2-D arrows, or even specialty shapes for some diagram types. You can even add text to connectors to describe different routes in a flow.

ShowCreate flexible flowcharts

Make your flowcharts more flexible by using only one shape — called Flowchart Shapes — for all of those steps in your diagrams. With only one click of the Flowchart Shapes shape, you can change it to a Process, Decision, Document, or Data shape. Then, if you change your mind about the shape you want to represent a step, there’s no need to replace it with another shape. Just click it and choose the shape you want.

ShowAutomatically number process steps

Automatically number all or select shapes that represent the steps in your process diagrams by using the Number Shapes wizard. Specify the number interval, sequence, placement, and renumbering options and decide whether to show or hide the numbers in the diagram and whether to continue numbering shapes automatically as they’re dropped onto the drawing page.

ShowDiagram and resize flowcharts and block diagrams

Diagram a process or data flow on one page and enlarge it as much as you like, or divide it onto separate pages in the same drawing file. Keep the separate sections of the process diagram linked by using Off-Page Reference shapes that can include a hyperlink to the next section of the process on another page. Also specify whether you want to keep the text in the reference shapes synchronized.

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Revise flowcharts and block diagrams

ShowAutomatically reroute connectors to preserve integrity

When you move shapes in your flowcharts, block diagrams, and data flow diagrams, Office Visio 2007 automatically reroutes the connectors to keep the process or data flow intact. Office Visio can either reroute the connectors for you, or you can decide the exact position, look, and route of the connectors in your flowcharts and block diagrams.

ShowEasily change diagram layouts

Easily rearrange individual shapes in your flowchart, change the entire layout, or resize the drawing page to fit your diagram with just one click. Specify the layout style, direction, alignment, and spacing, in addition to the connector style and appearance.

ShowAnnotate flowcharts, block diagrams, and data flows

Choose from the wide variety of callout shapes to annotate process diagrams.

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Share flowcharts and block diagrams

ShowVisually track data with each step of a process

Manually add process information, such as cost, input, output, and status to each step of a process to not only visualize your business processes but also to use your diagrams as data tracking tools. With Office Visio Professional 2007, use the new Data Link and Data Graphics features to easily link process diagrams to external data sources and visualize data by using attractive graphics. Even generate pre-formatted reports on the data that you can print or share with others.

ShowIntegrate business process diagrams into other Microsoft Office applications

It’s easy to integrate Visio diagrams with other Microsoft Office files. For example, include business process diagrams in your Microsoft Office PowerPoint presentations or Microsoft Office Word documents so your audience can understand complex business processes at a glance.

ShowCollaborate with colleagues

Easily collaborate with colleagues to create business process diagrams and streamline them by using revision marks to track each person’s changes. If you’re using Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services, easily check diagrams in and out directly from Office Visio.

ShowConvert process diagrams to other formats

Make your diagrams available to all people in your organization by saving them as Web pages and posting them to your organization’s intranet. Save Visio diagrams in PDF or XPS file format to make them more portable and to reach additional audiences. For more information, see Install and use a PDF or XPS add-in.

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Get started with Visio process diagrams

Downloadable templates
Project flowchart (linked to project budget data)
Bid/no bid decision process flow
Process improvement
Direct marketing process flow
Message processing flowchart
Medical office process flowchart
Current charge-capture process flow
Help and how-to
Create a basic flowchart Create flowcharts to document procedures, analyze processes, indicate work or information flow, track cost and efficiency, and more.
Create a cross-functional flowchart Use cross-functional flowcharts to show the relationship between a business process and the functional units (such as departments) responsible for that process.
Create a block diagram Block diagrams use block and raised block shapes to brainstorm, plan, and communicate.
Create a data flow diagram Use a data flow diagram to document the logical flow of data through a set of processes or procedures.
Demos
Build your flowchart in no time with AutoConnect The new AutoConnect feature in Microsoft Office Visio 2007 makes it a snap to accurately and quickly connect shapes.
See Office Visio 2007 in action See how Visio 2007 is an extraordinary tool for IT and business professionals who need to visualize systems, processes, and other information for insight and communication.
Connect data to your Visio diagram Analyze how a process or other area is actually performing by connecting data to the shapes in your diagram.
Let data tell its story with data graphics By using data graphics in your Microsoft Office Visio 2007 diagram, you can be sure that you're presenting the right data in the right way and making your points clearly.
Give your diagram a makeover by applying a theme Use themes in Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007 to add color and style to your diagram with just a few clicks.

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