Microsoft Visio tips: Become an expert with these secret tips and advice – 2022 List

In 1990, the Visio program became known as a product offered by Shareware Corp. But, later in 2000, such software was acquired by Microsoft and included in the MS Office family . Which is basically a program suitable for drawing a variety of diagrams.

In general, Microsoft Visio allows you to create flowcharts, flowcharts, floor plans, construction plans, process flow diagrams, data flow diagrams, lane diagrams, modeling Business processes, 3D maps and much more. Reason why, has gained remarkable popularity in the world .

However, although many people know how to handle this software, the truth is that they don’t know absolutely everything they can do . Therefore, it is necessary to have in which some of the best features of Microsoft Visio, in order to get the most out of it. So, later, we will detail the most interesting tricks around this Microsoft product .

Microsoft Visio vs Illustrator Which is better to create vector images?

Before starting with the main tips to know about Microsoft Visio, we consider it important to make a brief comparison of this recognized program with Illustrator . Which, is an Adobe product and is defined as a vector graphics editor that works on a drawing board and is attached to the artistic creation of drawing and painting for illustration, specifically.

In this sense, it is usually related to Microsoft Visio and therefore, many users do not know which program is the best, between them, for the creation of vector images .

That is why, below, we mention its most relevant differences:

In short, knowing which one is best between both softwares, will depend on your needs and competencies . Well, if you prefer to create vector images from existing symbols, the best program for you will be Microsoft Visio. However, if you are a more advanced user, Adobe Illustrator provides you with all the necessary tools for you to create each item, yourself.

List of the best Microsoft Visio tricks to get the most out of it

Now, it’s time to start listing the top 15 tricks to manage the Microsoft Visio program in the best way. Since, from all these tips, you can make the most of this software, especially if you are a beginner; to become an expert in diagramming and creating vector images .

That said, let’s start:

Select and open a template

It should be noted that the templates add galleries of symbols, shapes and grid measurements that can help you start working in a very quick and easy way to create a diagram.

Now, what you have to do is:

• First, start the Visio application.
• Then, click on “File” and then on “New” .
• Now, it’s time to choose the template you want or select “basic diagram” , if you prefer to start from scratch.
• If you are using the desktop link, you will surely have to specify a specific type of template and then click on “Create” .

Note: You can search for more templates, just by clicking on “Categories” and apart, write terms to locate the templates you want.

Drag and connect shapes

In order to create a diagram, you need to drag the shapes directly from the symbol gallery in the “Shapes” window to the canvas and proceed to join them. Although there are several ways to do it, the simplest of all is through the auto-connect arrows.

Next, the step by step to follow:

• Access the “Forms” window and choose a way to drag it to the canvas.
• Depending on the location, you have to keep the mouse on one of the arrows so that a “minibar” of tools appears with the top four shapes that are in the quick shapes area.
• Now, select the shape you want and it will connect to the arrow you have chosen, automatically.
• If you prefer to drag all shapes to the canvas, you must hold the mouse over a shape until the arrows are shown, in order to drag a arrow and take it to the way you want to connect it .

Note: To activate self-connection, you have to click on “Connect” in the “Tools” section in the “Start” tab . This function is available, by default, when the drawing is based on a template of a type that requires connections (a flowchart, for example).

Add text to shapes and connectors

If you want to add more details to the diagram, you can add text and best of all, is that it is extremely easy:

• To start, select a form .
• Then, type the text you want . It is appropriate to note that, when you start writing, the Microsoft program changes the way you select the text editing mode as shown in the image.

• Then, click on an empty area of ​​the page to exit text editing mode .

To do this with a connector, is very similar to the previous procedure:

• Once you click on an empty site on the page or press the ESC key, choose the connector again and you will see a text box.
• that box, click and proceed to drag it down, up or next to the connector. It’s all.

Link several rows to forms

For drawings with shapes, this approach is the best in Microsoft Visio. It is important to note that, in the earlier versions of the program, this function is known as “Automatic linking” .

Next, the required steps:

• In the “Advanced data linking” group, go to the “Data” tab .
• Now, click on the option Link data ” and follow the instructions of the Automatic Link Wizard.
• Once you get to the box“ Automatically link a row to the form ”, you will have to undertake a procedure that is based on:

• Located in the list of the Data Column , choose the column at the source that contains unique values ​​for each row.
• In Form fields , select the text of a form or a form field previously created in the same diagram.

• Finally, when the Wizard finishes, the program links the rows and shapes that have matching values ​​.

Plan and draw a basic Visio diagram

Clarified the tricks detailed earlier in this list, we can start planning and drawing a basic diagram in this software.

This, from the next step by step :

• Initially, define what you want to achieve in Visio and gather all the appropriate details to add to the diagram ; It also determines what type of diagram can best illustrate the information to be raised.
• Second, start Visio and select the template indicated for your type of diagram.
• Once you open the template in question, drag and connect the symbols or figures to show all the elements and their flow . These could vary from rectangles, ovals and arrows; even fully specialized figures and symbols and you can even import your same figures.
• Now, it’s time to introduce labels and text to the figures.
• To conclude, verify that your diagram is correctly and does not contain duplication errors.

Add a background to a Visio diagram

In order to customize your Visio diagram, you can add a background to it. If you want to do it, execute the following steps from the Microsoft software :

• First of all, click on the optionDesign•.
• Now, among all the alternatives, click on “Funds” .
• After that, select a background by clicking on it.
• Finally, the diagram in question will get a new background and you can view it in a new background page called “fondodevisio-1” , which is at the bottom of the canvas.

Apply a border or a title to a diagram

In order to customize your diagram in Visio, one of the best features you can use is applying a title or border to it .

Here’s how to do it:

• Start by clicking on the “Design” section and then go to “Borders & titles” .
• After do so, click on the title style you prefer . This, you can see on the background page.
• Then, access the “background-1” tab that is at the bottom of the layout area and since then, press About the title text. Although the entire border will be selected, when you start typing the title text will change.
• Next, enter the title and press the ESC key .

To modify other text on the border:

• Choose, first, the full border and after that, click on the text you want to change. Now, start typing whatever you want.
• Then, click on “Page 1” in the lower right corner of the page, to be able to return to the drawing in question.

Fix a topic to a diagram

Another way to customize your diagram is to apply a theme to it. Which, you also do directly from the “Design” section of Microsoft Visio. This is one of the simplest tricks and here, the steps to execute :

• When you access the “Design” tab, place the mouse pointer over the various topics that are displayed. This, because the program applies each theme as the mouse pointer moves over them, temporarily.
• If you want to see other themes available in the software, simply click on the “More ”.
• Finally, choose the topic you want to adhere to the diagram and click on it .

Minimize the Forms window to allow more space for drawing

In case you didn’t know, you can adjust the Forms window to a smaller size, in order to get more space for the diagram .

Taking into account that, even with the Forms window minimized, you can drag these elements to the drawing and also change the galleries of the symbols, as well as search more by simply pressing its icon at the top of the window minimized What you have to do for that, is :

• Simply click on the date of “Minimize the Forms window” that is identified with the following sign “ and is located in the corner top of the Forms window.
• Now, that window will be minimized and is transformed into a single vertical row .

In case you want to expand the window in question, just click on the arrow in the Forms window that is characterized by a “>” sign and is located at the top.

Move or rotate the text

If you still do not know how to move or rotate the text entered in Visio, it is valuable to note that the procedure is different depending on whether it is a form or if it is on the page . In the case of what you have to do to move or rotate the text in one way , is based on the following steps:

• Located on the Home tab, enter the “Tools” group and click on the option that says “Text block” .

Next, click on the form to select its text lock . If this text is in a group, press to select the group and click to choose the text of the form.

• Next, you have to drag the text to to move the text block.
• At this point, access Start and in the “Tools” group, click on the Pointer tool . With this, the text will retain the same position relative to the form.

In case you prefer to move the text independently of the form, you have to use the “Text block” tool.

On the other hand, to move the text on the page, the procedure requires the following:

• Enter the Start section of the program, go to the Tools group and click on the Pointer tool .
• Second, click on the text and drag it where you want to move it or, drag the rotation controller if you want to rotate it. It should be noted that, when the pointer is over a rotation control, it shows the way an arrow in a circle.

Apply formatting to text in a drawing

This is a procedure used to define text formatting in a text box, a form or on the drawing page in Microsoft Visio.

The steps to be executed are the following:

• The first thing is to click on the text you want to modify and then make use of the text tool to which you want to apply the format .
• Done above, click on the text and this will apply any format change to the entire block of text you have pressed. Also, highlight the specific sections of text that you want to format.
• You can use the text formatting commands on the Home tab, either in the Paragraph group or in the Source group . If you want to see additional or advanced options, click on the dialog box launcher to open the dialog box that prints Text .
• To save your changes , press the ESC key or click on a blank area of ​​the page.

Link without dragging

As, in many cases, dragging a row over a shape is extremely complicated in Microsoft Visio, it is important to know this trick. Which is also very useful when you need to link to a container form.