You can position shapes by visually aligning them with the grid, by measuring the distance between them on the drawing rulers, or by using x and y coordinates.

The location of a shape or group on a drawing page is described in page coordinates, which have their origin at the lower-left corner of the page. Horizontal positions are specified on the x-axis; vertical positions are specified on the y-axis. Page coordinates are displayed in ruler measurements.

A square whose center is located 1 unit up on the y axis and 1 unit to the right on the x axis.

The x and y coordinates for a shape specify the location of the shape's pin. For most shapes, such as flowchart shapes, the pin is in the center of the shape. You can change the pin for many shapes.

View coordinates