The provided text is a transcript of a Microsoft Visio tutorial led by “Joe.” The tutorial guides users through Visio’s interface and fundamental features, demonstrating how to create various diagrams. It covers building a basic flowchart, including shapes, connections (dynamic and static), text annotations, and visual modifications like color changes. Furthermore, the session explains how to use callouts and grouping to enhance diagrams. Finally, it introduces methods for constructing organizational charts (manual, using templates, and with a wizard) and designing a simple floor plan, before concluding with an explanation of using containers to organize flowchart tasks into phases.

Microsoft Visio Study Guide

Quiz

1. What is the primary purpose of Microsoft Visio? Visio is a diagramming tool that allows users to create a wide range of visuals, from simple to complex diagrams and vector graphics. It is used to illustrate various business needs through organizational charts, floor plans, pivot diagrams, and more.
2. Describe the main components of the Visio interface that are visible when you first open a drawing. Upon opening a new drawing, the main interface elements include the ribbon at the top, which houses tabs, command groups, and individual commands. On the side, there are typically stencils containing various shapes that users can drag and drop onto the drawing canvas.
3. What is the difference between a dynamic connector and a static connector in Visio? A dynamic connector attaches to any point on a shape, and the connection point will automatically adjust if the shapes are moved. A static connector, on the other hand, is “glued” to specific connection points on the shapes, maintaining that specific connection even if the shapes are repositioned.
4. How can you add text to a shape in Visio, and what basic formatting options are available? To add text to a shape, you simply select the shape and begin typing. Basic formatting options, similar to other Microsoft Office applications, are available under the Home tab, allowing you to change the font type, size, color, and other text properties.
5. Explain the purpose of the “Format Painter” tool in Visio. The Format Painter tool allows you to copy the formatting (such as fill color, outline style, font properties) from one selected shape or text element to another. This helps maintain consistency in the visual style of your diagrams efficiently.
6. Describe how to insert a callout in Visio and what it can be used for. To insert a callout, select a shape, go to the Insert tab, click on “Callout,” and choose a style. Callouts are used to add extra information or annotations that are directly associated with a specific part of the diagram.
7. What is the benefit of grouping shapes in Visio, and how can you group them? Grouping shapes allows you to treat multiple objects as a single unit, making it easier to move, resize, or rotate them together without disrupting their relative positions or connections. To group shapes, select all the desired shapes (e.g., by using Ctrl+A for all or holding Ctrl while clicking individual shapes), go to the Home tab, find the Arrange command group, and select “Group.”
8. What are the three methods discussed for creating organizational charts in Visio? The three methods discussed are: manually building an org chart using basic shapes and connectors, utilizing one of Visio’s pre-designed starter organizational chart templates, and using the Organization Chart Wizard, which can import data or guide you through manual entry.
9. Briefly describe how to start designing a floor plan in Visio. To begin a floor plan, open Visio, go to File > New, and search for or select a floor plan template (e.g., Home Plan). Once a template is chosen and a new drawing is created, you can utilize the stencils containing walls, doors, windows, furniture, and other relevant shapes to start building the layout.
10. What is the purpose of using containers in a flowchart diagram in Visio? Containers in Visio help organize and visually group related shapes or processes within a diagram, often representing phases, departments, or timelines. They provide a way to structure the flowchart and make it easier to understand the different stages or responsibilities involved.

Answer Key

1. Visio is a diagramming tool that allows users to create a wide range of visuals, from simple to complex diagrams and vector graphics. It is used to illustrate various business needs through organizational charts, floor plans, pivot diagrams, and more.
2. Upon opening a new drawing, the main interface elements include the ribbon at the top, which houses tabs, command groups, and individual commands. On the side, there are typically stencils containing various shapes that users can drag and drop onto the drawing canvas.
3. A dynamic connector attaches to any point on a shape, and the connection point will automatically adjust if the shapes are moved. A static connector, on the other hand, is “glued” to specific connection points on the shapes, maintaining that specific connection even if the shapes are repositioned.
4. To add text to a shape, you simply select the shape and begin typing. Basic formatting options, similar to other Microsoft Office applications, are available under the Home tab, allowing you to change the font type, size, color, and other text properties.
5. The Format Painter tool allows you to copy the formatting (such as fill color, outline style, font properties) from one selected shape or text element to another. This helps maintain consistency in the visual style of your diagrams efficiently.
6. To insert a callout, select a shape, go to the Insert tab, click on “Callout,” and choose a style. Callouts are used to add extra information or annotations that are directly associated with a specific part of the diagram.
7. Grouping shapes allows you to treat multiple objects as a single unit, making it easier to move, resize, or rotate them together without disrupting their relative positions or connections. To group shapes, select all the desired shapes (e.g., by using Ctrl+A for all or holding Ctrl while clicking individual shapes), go to the Home tab, find the Arrange command group, and select “Group.”
8. The three methods discussed are: manually building an org chart using basic shapes and connectors, utilizing one of Visio’s pre-designed starter organizational chart templates, and using the Organization Chart Wizard, which can import data or guide you through manual entry.
9. To begin a floor plan, open Visio, go to File > New, and search for or select a floor plan template (e.g., Home Plan). Once a template is chosen and a new drawing is created, you can utilize the stencils containing walls, doors, windows, furniture, and other relevant shapes to start building the layout.
10. Containers in Visio help organize and visually group related shapes or processes within a diagram, often representing phases, departments, or timelines. They provide a way to structure the flowchart and make it easier to understand the different stages or responsibilities involved.

Essay Format Questions

1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using dynamic versus static connectors in different types of Visio diagrams. Provide specific examples where one type of connector might be more beneficial than the other.
2. Compare and contrast the three methods for creating organizational charts in Visio presented in the source material. Evaluate the suitability of each method based on factors such as data availability, complexity of the organization, and desired level of customization.
3. Explain how the various features of Visio, such as stencils, connectors, formatting options, and grouping, can be utilized effectively in the process of designing a detailed and understandable flowchart for a business process.
4. Describe the process of designing a floor plan in Visio, highlighting the role of different stencils and tools in creating an accurate and visually informative representation of a space. Discuss potential applications of Visio in this context.
5. Analyze the benefits of using containers in Visio flowcharts for project management or process mapping. Explain how containers can enhance the organization and clarity of complex diagrams, and discuss alternative methods for achieving similar organizational benefits.

Glossary of Key Terms

• Vector Graphics: Images created using mathematical equations to define lines, curves, and shapes. Unlike raster graphics (which are pixel-based), vector graphics can be scaled without losing quality.
• Diagramming Tool: Software used to create visual representations of data, processes, structures, or relationships, such as flowcharts, organizational charts, and floor plans.
• Templates: Pre-designed layouts or models that provide a starting point for creating various types of diagrams, saving time and ensuring consistency.
• Stencils: Collections of related shapes that can be dragged and dropped onto the drawing canvas to build a diagram.
• Ribbon: The main command bar located at the top of the Visio interface, organized into tabs, command groups, and individual commands.
• Shape Styles: Predefined or custom formatting options that can be applied to shapes, including fill color, line style, and effects.
• Format Painter: A tool that allows you to copy the formatting from one shape or text element to another.
• Callout: A text box with a line pointing to a specific part of a diagram, used for adding annotations or explanations.
• Grouping: Combining multiple shapes into a single object, allowing them to be manipulated (moved, resized, rotated) as one unit.
• Organizational Chart: A diagram that illustrates the structure of an organization, showing the relationships and hierarchy between different positions or departments.
• Floor Plan: A diagram that shows the layout of a room or building from an overhead view, including walls, doors, windows, and furniture.
• Flowchart: A diagram that uses symbols to represent the steps in a process or workflow, showing the sequence of actions and decisions.
• Connectors: Lines or arrows used to show the relationships or flow between shapes in a diagram.
• Dynamic Connection: A connector that automatically adjusts its connection point on a shape when the shape is moved.
• Static Connection: A connector that is “glued” to specific connection points on shapes and maintains that connection even if the shapes are moved.
• Text Tool: A tool used to add and manipulate text elements within a Visio drawing.
• Container: A visual boundary that can be drawn around a group of related shapes in a diagram to organize and manage them as a unit, often representing phases or categories.
• Chart Wizard: A guided process within Visio that helps users create organizational charts by importing data or manually entering information.

Briefing Document: Microsoft Visio Fundamentals

Date: October 26, 2023 Prepared For: Interested Learners Subject: Review of Microsoft Visio Introductory Course

Executive Summary:

This briefing document summarizes the key concepts and functionalities of Microsoft Visio as presented in the provided course transcript. The course aims to introduce users to Visio as a diagramming tool capable of creating simple and complex diagrams, vector graphics, organizational charts, floor plans, and pivot diagrams. The initial sessions focus on navigating the Visio interface, creating basic flowcharts, adding text and connections, customizing shapes, and utilizing features like callouts and grouping. Later sessions delve into creating organizational charts using manual methods, built-in templates, and the Organization Chart Wizard, as well as designing basic floor plans and leveraging containers for project timelines within flowcharts.

Main Themes and Important Ideas/Facts:

1. Introduction to Microsoft Visio:

• Visio is defined as a “diagramming tool to create simple as well as complex diagrams and vector graphics.”
• It enables the creation of “detailed organizational charts floor plans and pivot diagrams according to your business needs.”
• The opening page displays different templates and options to start basic diagrams or access more templates.
• Users can search for existing files and view recent work.
• When creating a new basic diagram, users are prompted to select a measurement system (metric or U.S. units).

2. Navigating the Visio Interface:

• The interface includes the familiar Microsoft “ribbon” with tabs, command groups, and commands.
• “Stencils” containing various shapes (basic, arrow, decorative, flowchart, etc.) are available on the side. Users can add or search for more stencils.
• Shapes are added to the drawing canvas via “click drag.”
• Shapes can be resized using “sizing Dots.”

3. Creating Basic Flowcharts:

• The course demonstrates building a flowchart for the process of opening a coffee shop.
• Common flowchart shapes like “start and end,” “rectangle for process,” and “diamond for decision” are introduced.
• Text can be added to shapes by simply starting to type when a shape is selected.
• Font formatting (size, style) can be adjusted via the “Home tab.”
• The “Ctrl D” keyboard shortcut allows for duplicating selected shapes.

4. Adding Connections (Connectors):

• Two types of connections are explained: “dynamic connection” and “static connection.”
• Dynamic connections, created by connecting anywhere on the shapes, will “update it as we move” the shapes.
• Static connections, created by connecting specific “connection points” on shapes, “glues the point to each other point” and maintains the connection even when shapes are moved.
• The “Connector tool” (under the Home tab) is used to draw connections.
• The “Pointer tool” is used for selecting and moving shapes.

5. Customizing Shapes and Connectors:

• Shape colors and outlines can be modified via the “Design tab” or the “Shape Styles” options in the “Home tab.”
• The “Format Painter” tool (Home tab) allows users to copy formatting from one shape to another (single-click for one-time use, double-click to keep it active).
• Connector line colors can be changed by selecting connectors (using Ctrl key for multiple selection) and adjusting the line color.

6. Adding Text to Connectors:

• The “Text tool” (Home tab) allows users to add text directly to connectors, often used to indicate flow direction based on decisions (e.g., “yes” or “no”).
• Text formatting can be adjusted similarly to shape text.
• The pointer tool is used to reposition text added to connectors.

7. Utilizing Callouts:

• “Call outs” (Insert tab, Diagram Part) provide a way to add more information to specific processes.
• Various callout styles (text, cloud, bubbles) are available.
• Callouts are connected to the associated shape and move with it.

8. Grouping Shapes:

• Grouping (Home tab, Arrange, Group) allows multiple shapes and connectors to be treated as a single unit for easier movement and manipulation.
• Shapes can be selected individually (using Ctrl key) or all at once (“Ctrl a”).
• Grouped elements can be copied and pasted into other applications like PowerPoint.

9. Creating Organizational Charts:

• Manual Creation: Uses basic shapes and connectors to build a hierarchical structure.
• Using Starter Diagrams (Templates): Visio offers pre-designed organizational chart templates (File > New > Organization Chart). These templates come with specific org chart shapes and a dedicated “Org Chart” tab with layout and formatting options.
• Using the Organization Chart Wizard: This method (File > New > Organization Chart > Organization Chart Wizard) guides users through creating charts based on entered information.
• Data can be entered directly using the wizard (choosing delimited text or Excel).
• The wizard opens a sample Excel file where users can input employee names, reporting structure, titles, departments, etc.
• The wizard can automatically lay out the chart across multiple pages if needed.

10. Designing Floor Plans:

• Visio offers templates for various floor plans (File > New > Floor Plan).
• Stencils specific to floor plan design include “Wall, Shell and Structure” (for walls, rooms, doors, windows), “Furniture,” “Bath and Kitchen Plans,” “Electrical,” and “Garden Accessories.”
• Users can drag and drop shapes onto the canvas to represent rooms, furniture, fixtures, etc.
• Room dimensions and square footage can be adjusted and viewed (via right-click > Properties or by manipulating shape handles).
• The search function can be used to find specific shapes (e.g., “stove,” “table”).

11. Utilizing Basic Flowchart Templates:

• Choosing the “Basic Flowchart” template (File > New > Basic Flowchart) provides the necessary flowchart stencils from the outset.
• “Quick access arrows” appear when hovering over flowchart shapes, allowing for the rapid addition of connected process, decision, subprocess, or end shapes.
• Connections created using these quick access arrows are typically dynamic.

12. Using Containers in Flowcharts:

• “Containers” (Insert tab) help organize flowchart elements into logical groupings, such as phases or timelines.
• Shapes and their connecting lines must be selected before inserting a container.
• Users can choose from various container styles.
• Container headings can be edited to describe the contained elements (e.g., “Phase One”).
• Containers can be moved and resized, and the contained shapes will move with them.

Quotes from Original Sources:

• “Microsoft Visio is a diagramming tool to create simple as well as complex diagrams and vector graphics.”
• “It enables you to create detailed organizational charts floor plans and pivot diagrams according to your business needs.”
• “When you first open up Vizio it’s going to bring you to this opening page this is where we’ll see different templates and where we can also start some basic diagrams.”
• “Inside of that ribbon you’ll see that we have our Tab and inside of those tabs we have our Command group and then of course our Command.”
• “There’s two types of connections we can create a dynamic connection and a static connection and the difference between both is that a dynamic connection allows us to create a connection by any of the points on our shapes and once we move our shapes it will update it as we move them a static connection glues the point to each other point.”
• “Now call outs are great to give more information to one of our processes.”
• “To do this you can group all of these shapes together move it as one so that you don’t always have to just move one single piece at a time.”
• “Even though creating an organizational chart manually is great and we can do that it’s going to take you a lot more time because we have to build out the shapes and the connectors but Vizio actually has templates for organization charts…”
• “…containers can help us to map out when we’re going to get these different tasks done so that we can open up this pizza shop.”

Conclusion:

The introductory Microsoft Visio course effectively covers the fundamental aspects of using the software for various diagramming purposes. Participants learn to navigate the interface, create and connect shapes in flowcharts, customize their diagrams visually, and leverage advanced features like callouts and grouping. The course also provides a comprehensive overview of creating organizational charts through different methods and introduces the basics of designing floor plans. Finally, the use of containers is presented as a valuable tool for project planning and visualization within flowcharts. This briefing document serves as a testament to the breadth and depth of the introductory material covered in the course.

Frequently Asked Questions about Microsoft Visio

1. What is Microsoft Visio and what can it be used for? Microsoft Visio is a diagramming tool that allows users to create a wide range of visuals, from simple to complex diagrams and vector graphics. It’s designed to help represent information in a structured and understandable format. Key uses include creating detailed organizational charts to visualize company hierarchy, developing floor plans for office spaces or homes, and constructing pivot diagrams to analyze business data. Additionally, Visio is excellent for illustrating processes through flowcharts, helping to map out workflows and decision-making steps for various business needs.

2. How do I get started with a new diagram in Visio? When you first open Microsoft Visio, you will land on an opening page that displays various templates. You can either select one of the pre-designed templates or start with a basic diagram. To explore more template options, click on “More Templates” located on the right side of the opening page. This will show you the full range of diagram types Visio offers. You can also search for recently accessed files from this page. To begin a new, blank diagram, select “Basic Diagram.” Upon doing so, you’ll be prompted to choose a measurement system, either metric or U.S. units, before clicking “Create” to enter the Visio interface.

3. Can you explain the basic interface elements of Visio? The Visio interface, similar to other Microsoft Office applications, features a ribbon at the top. The ribbon is organized into tabs (e.g., File, Home, Insert, Design), and within each tab, commands are grouped logically (e.g., Font, Shape Styles, Arrange). On the side of the interface, you’ll find stencils, which are collections of shapes categorized by type, such as basic shapes, arrow shapes, decorative shapes, and specific diagramming elements like flowchart shapes. You can browse and add more stencils by clicking “More Shapes.” To use a shape, simply click and drag it from a stencil onto your drawing page. Once placed, you can manipulate its size using the sizing dots.

4. What are the different types of connectors in Visio and how do I use them to show flow in a diagram? Visio offers two main types of connectors: dynamic and static. To use them, you first need to switch from the default “Pointer Tool” to the “Connector Tool” located under the “Home” tab.

• Dynamic connectors attach to any point on a shape. When you move the connected shapes, the connector automatically adjusts its path and attachment points.
• Static connectors allow you to glue the connector to specific connection points on a shape. These connection points appear as small blue ‘x’s when a shape is selected with the Connector Tool. When you move a shape with a static connector, the connection remains anchored to those specific points.

To create a connection, select the Connector Tool, then click and drag from one shape to another. For a dynamic connection, click anywhere on the first shape and drag to anywhere on the second shape. For a static connection, click on a specific connection point on the first shape and drag to a specific connection point on the second shape. After drawing connectors, you’ll typically switch back to the Pointer Tool to manipulate shapes.

5. How can I customize the appearance of shapes and connectors in Visio? Visio provides extensive options for customizing the visual style of your diagrams. To modify shapes, select one or more shapes, and then you can use the formatting tools available under the “Home” tab. This includes changing the fill color and outline of shapes using the “Shape Styles” group, as well as altering font properties like size and color in the “Font” group. For consistent formatting across multiple shapes, you can use the “Format Painter” tool. Select a shape with the desired formatting, click the Format Painter (single click for one-time use, double click to apply to multiple shapes), and then click on the shapes you want to format. Similarly, you can customize connectors by selecting them (you can select multiple connectors by holding down the Ctrl key) and then changing their line color and style, typically found in the “Shape Styles” or “Line” options under the “Home” or “Format” tab.

6. What are callouts in Visio and how can they be used to add more information to a diagram? Callouts in Visio are text boxes linked to a specific point on a shape, used to provide additional context or annotations. To insert a callout, select the shape you want to add a note to, go to the “Insert” tab, and in the “Diagram Parts” group, click on “Callout.” You can choose from various callout styles, such as text boxes, cloud shapes, or speech bubbles. Once you select a style, a callout will appear, connected to the selected shape by a line. You can then type your additional information into the callout. The connection ensures that the callout stays associated with the shape even if you move it. Callouts are useful for explaining specific parts of a process, noting details about an element in a floor plan, or adding comments to an organizational chart.

7. How can I group shapes in Visio, and why would I want to do that? Grouping shapes in Visio allows you to treat multiple individual shapes as a single unit. This is useful for several reasons, such as moving a set of related shapes together without disrupting their arrangement or the connecting lines, resizing them proportionally, or copying and pasting them as one object into other documents or presentations (like PowerPoint). To group shapes, you can select the desired shapes in a few ways: click and drag a selection box around them, or select the first shape and then hold down the Ctrl key while clicking on additional shapes. Once the shapes are selected, go to the “Home” tab, find the “Arrange” command group, click on the “Group” dropdown, and choose “Group.” The selected shapes will now be combined into a single movable object. To ungroup them later, select the grouped object, go back to the “Arrange” group, and choose “Ungroup.”

8. What are containers in Visio, and how can they help organize a flowchart? Containers in Visio are visual boundaries that you can apply to a set of shapes to group them thematically or by phase in a process. They help to organize and structure your diagrams, making them easier to understand and manage. To use containers, first select the shapes you want to include in a container (you can select multiple shapes and their connectors). Then, go to the “Insert” tab and in the “Containers” group, choose a container style from the gallery. Visio will then draw a container around the selected shapes. You can resize and reposition the container as needed, and the shapes within it will move with the container. You can also add a title to the container to indicate the phase, department, or category of the tasks or elements it encloses. Containers are particularly useful in flowcharts for visually separating different stages of a process, such as phases in a project timeline.

Microsoft Visio: Diagramming Fundamentals

Microsoft Visio is a diagramming tool used to create simple and complex diagrams as well as vector graphics. According to the source, it enables users to create detailed organizational charts, floor plans, and pivot diagrams according to their business needs. The course outlined in the source aims to cover the basics of creating these different diagrams.

When you first open Visio, you are presented with an opening page displaying various templates from which you can start, or you can begin with basic diagrams. There is also an option to access more templates and search for recently used files. To create a basic diagram, you click on the ‘basic diagram’ option, and the program will first ask you to choose a measurement system (metric or U.S. units).

The Visio interface, like other Microsoft products, features a ribbon at the top, which is organized into tabs containing command groups and individual commands. On the side, you will find different stencils containing various shapes, such as basic shapes, arrow shapes, and decorative shapes. You can add more stencils, including ones for flowcharts, graph and math, and even decorative shapes. You can select multiple stencils to work with simultaneously.

To use a shape, you simply click and drag it from a stencil onto the drawing page. Once a shape is on the page, you can manipulate its size by clicking and dragging the sizing dots. To add text to a shape, you just need to start typing while the shape is selected. You can then format the text using the options available in the Home tab, such as changing the font and size. Visio also provides a duplicate function, accessible via the Ctrl+D keyboard shortcut, which allows you to quickly create copies of selected shapes without having to resize or reformat them.

The source highlights the creation of flowcharts, demonstrating the use of universal shapes like rectangles for processes and diamonds for decisions. To connect these shapes and illustrate a workflow, Visio offers connectors. There are two types of connections: dynamic and static. A dynamic connection links entire shapes, and the connection point will automatically adjust as you move the shapes. A static connection glues specific connection points on shapes together, ensuring the connection remains between those points regardless of shape movement. You can switch to the connector tool (located under the Home tab) to draw these connections. After creating connections, you can switch back to the pointer tool to manipulate shapes.

To enhance the visual appeal and clarity of diagrams, Visio allows you to modify shape colors and outlines via the Home tab and the Shape Styles options. The format painter tool can be used to quickly copy formatting from one shape to another. You can also change the color of the connector lines by selecting them (holding Ctrl to select multiple) and using the line color options. The text tool, also found in the Home tab, enables you to add text to connectors, which is useful for labeling different paths in a flowchart (e.g., “yes” or “no” branches from a decision). You can move the added text using the pointer tool.

Visio also offers callouts, which are useful for adding more information to specific processes or shapes. These can be inserted via the Insert tab under ‘Diagram Part’. Callouts remain connected to the shape they are associated with, even if the shape is moved. For managing larger diagrams, you can group shapes together using Ctrl+A to select all elements or by holding the Ctrl key to select specific shapes, and then using the ‘Group’ option in the Arrange command group under the Home tab. Grouping allows you to move multiple elements as a single unit.

The source details three methods for creating organizational charts:

• Manually: Using basic shapes and connectors to build the hierarchy from scratch.
• Using starter diagrams: Selecting pre-designed organizational chart templates available under File > New > Organization Chart. These templates often come with specific organizational chart shapes and a dedicated ‘Org Chart’ tab with options for layouts, picture insertion, and data import.
• Using the Organization Chart Wizard: Accessible via File > New > Organization Chart > Organization Chart Wizard. This wizard guides you through creating a chart from information you enter using the wizard or from an existing file (like a delimited text or Excel file).

For designing floor plans, you can access relevant templates under File > New > Floor Plan. These templates provide stencils specific to floor plan creation, such as wall shell and structure, garden accessories, furniture, and electrical components. You can drag and drop these shapes onto the drawing page to design layouts, and some shapes, like room outlines, allow you to specify dimensions and calculate square footage. You can also search for specific items like stoves if they are not immediately visible in the stencils.

When creating flowcharts from the ‘Basic Flowchart’ template (File > New > Basic Flowchart), you start with pre-selected basic flowchart shapes. This template also provides quick access arrows that appear when you hover over a shape, allowing you to quickly add connected process, decision, sub-process, or end shapes using dynamic connections.

Finally, Visio allows for the use of containers to organize tasks or processes within a diagram according to a timeline or phases. To use containers, you first select the shapes and connectors you want to include in a container, then go to the Insert tab and choose ‘Container’. You can then select a container style and label it (e.g., “Phase One”). Containers help to visually group related elements in a diagram.

Creating Diagrams with Microsoft Visio

Creating diagrams in Microsoft Visio is a central function of the software, allowing users to visualize various concepts and processes. The sources highlight several key aspects of diagram creation within Visio, which can be broken down into the following areas:

• Types of Diagrams: Visio is capable of creating a wide array of diagrams, including simple and complex diagrams, vector graphics, detailed organizational charts, floor plans, and pivot diagrams. The source specifically demonstrates the creation of flowcharts, organizational charts, and floor plans.
• Starting a Diagram: When you first open Visio, you arrive at an opening page with various templates and the option to start basic diagrams. You can access more templates and view recent files as well. To begin, you select a template or a basic diagram option. For a basic diagram, you’ll be prompted to choose a measurement system, either metric or U.S. units.
• Interface for Diagram Creation: The Visio interface is crucial for diagram creation. It features a ribbon with tabs, command groups, and commands at the top. On the side are stencils containing various shapes organized by category (e.g., basic shapes, arrow shapes, flowchart shapes, floor plan elements). Users can add or search for more stencils as needed. The process of building a diagram involves dragging and dropping shapes from stencils onto the drawing page.
• Manipulating Shapes: Once a shape is on the page, you can resize it by clicking and dragging the sizing dots. To add text to a shape, simply start typing. The Home tab provides options for formatting the text, such as font style and size. Visio also offers a duplicate function (Ctrl+D) to quickly create copies of shapes.
• Connecting Shapes: To illustrate relationships and flow, Visio provides connector tools. You can create dynamic connections, which link entire shapes and automatically adjust the connection point when shapes are moved, or static connections, which glue specific connection points on shapes together. The connector tool is located in the Home tab. After drawing connections, you typically return to the pointer tool for further editing.
• Enhancing Diagram Appearance: Visio allows for significant customization of diagram appearance. You can modify the fill color and outline of shapes using options in the Home tab and Shape Styles. The format painter tool enables you to quickly copy the formatting from one shape to others. You can also change the color of connector lines. The text tool in the Home tab allows you to add text to connectors, which is particularly useful for labeling paths in flowcharts. Callouts, accessible via the Insert tab, can be used to add extra information to specific shapes and remain connected to them.
• Organizing Diagram Elements: For better management and manipulation of diagrams, Visio allows you to group shapes together. You can select multiple shapes using Ctrl+A or by holding the Ctrl key while clicking individual shapes, and then use the ‘Group’ option in the Arrange command group under the Home tab. Containers, found in the Insert tab, help organize tasks or processes within a timeline or phases, visually grouping related elements.
• Specific Diagram Types and Their Creation:
• Flowcharts: Can be created from scratch using basic shapes or by utilizing the ‘Basic Flowchart’ template, which provides relevant stencils and quick access arrows for adding connected shapes with dynamic connections. Universal shapes like rectangles for processes and diamonds for decisions are commonly used.
• Organizational Charts: Can be built manually using basic shapes and connectors, by using pre-designed starter diagrams available under File > New > Organization Chart, or by using the Organization Chart Wizard, which can guide you through entering data or importing it from files like Excel.
• Floor Plans: Are created using templates found under File > New > Floor Plan, which provide specialized stencils for walls, furniture, appliances, and more. You can drag and drop these shapes to design layouts and even specify dimensions for elements like rooms.

In summary, Microsoft Visio offers a comprehensive set of tools and templates for creating a wide variety of diagrams. The process generally involves selecting a starting point (template or basic diagram), utilizing stencils to add shapes, connecting these shapes to represent relationships or flow, and then enhancing the diagram’s appearance and organization using formatting options, text tools, callouts, grouping, and containers. The specific steps and tools used may vary depending on the type of diagram being created.

Understanding and Creating Basic Flowcharts

Based on the sources, flowcharts are a type of diagram used to visualize processes. They are built using a set of universal shapes that represent different steps or elements within a process, connected by arrows indicating the flow of activities.

Here are some of the basics of flowchart creation discussed in the sources:

• Basic Flowchart Shapes: The sources introduce several fundamental shapes used in flowcharts:
• Start and End Shape: Typically represented by an oval or rounded rectangle, used to indicate the beginning and end of the process.
• Process Shape: Usually a rectangle, representing a specific action or step in the process.
• Decision Shape: Depicted as a diamond, indicating a point in the process where a decision needs to be made, often leading to different paths.
• Sub-Process Shape: Used to represent a more complex set of steps that can be detailed in a separate flowchart. The source indicates a specific shape for a sub-process.
• Document Shape: Represents a document or report in the process.
• Creating a Basic Flowchart: You can create a flowchart in Microsoft Visio in a couple of ways:
• Starting with a Basic Diagram: You can use basic shapes from the general stencils and manually build your flowchart.
• Using the ‘Basic Flowchart’ Template: Visio offers a specific ‘Basic Flowchart’ template (File > New > Basic Flowchart) which provides a stencil containing the common flowchart shapes right away. This template also features quick access arrows that appear when you hover over a shape, allowing you to quickly add connected process, decision, sub-process, or end shapes.
• Connecting Shapes with Connectors: To show the flow of the process, you connect the flowchart shapes using connectors. Visio offers two types of connections:
• Dynamic Connections: These connect entire shapes, and the connection points will automatically adjust if you move the shapes.
• Static Connections: These “glue” to specific connection points on the shapes, ensuring the connection remains between those points even if the shapes are moved. To create these, you select the connector tool and drag from a specific connection point on one shape to a specific connection point on another.
• Adding Text: You can add text directly inside the flowchart shapes to describe the action or decision they represent. You can format this text using the options in the Home tab. You can also add text to the connector lines using the text tool to indicate different paths, such as “yes” or “no” from a decision point.
• Basic Formatting: You can modify the appearance of your flowchart by changing the fill color and outline of the shapes using the Shape Styles in the Home tab. You can also change the color of the connector lines. The format painter tool can be used to quickly apply the same formatting to multiple shapes.
• Workflow Example: The sources provide an example of building a flowchart for opening a coffee shop and a pizza shop, illustrating the use of start, process, decision, and end shapes, as well as connectors to show the sequence of steps. These examples demonstrate how to lay out a basic process visually.

In essence, a flowchart uses a standardized set of symbols connected by arrows to clearly illustrate the steps, decisions, and flow of a process. Visio provides the necessary shapes, connection tools, and formatting options to easily create and customize these diagrams. The ‘Basic Flowchart’ template is a convenient starting point with pre-selected stencils and helpful features for quickly building a flowchart.

Creating Organizational Charts in Microsoft Visio

Based on the sources, an organizational chart is a diagram that visually represents the structure of an organization, showing the relationships and hierarchy between different positions and departments. Microsoft Visio offers several ways to create organizational charts, catering to different needs and levels of complexity.

The sources detail three primary methods for building organizational charts in Visio:

• Manually Building an Organizational Chart:
• This method involves using basic shapes (like rectangles or circles) from the general stencils.
• You drag and drop these shapes onto the drawing page to represent different roles or individuals.
• You then add text inside the shapes to label them (e.g., CEO, CFO, employee names).
• Connectors are used to link the shapes and illustrate the reporting structure, typically drawing a line from a superior’s position to their subordinates’ positions. You can customize the color of these connectors.
• This method provides complete control over the design and layout but can be more time-consuming, especially for larger organizations.
• Using Starter Diagrams (Templates):
• Visio provides pre-designed organizational chart templates that you can access by going to File > New and selecting “Organization Chart”.
• Several types of corporate and department chart templates are available.
• These templates come with pre-defined shapes and layouts, which can significantly speed up the creation process.
• They may also offer organizational chart-specific shapes and a dedicated “Org Chart” tab with additional options.
• These options can include the ability to change the design and layout of the chart, rearrange positions horizontally or vertically, automatically fit the chart to the page, insert employee pictures, and even import data from external sources.
• To use a template, you select one and click “Create.” You can then modify the existing shapes by adding names and titles. You can also drag and drop additional employee shapes onto their manager’s shapes to build out the hierarchy.
• Using the Organization Chart Wizard:
• This method is accessed by going to File > New, selecting “Organization Chart,” and then choosing the “Organization Chart Wizard”.
• The wizard guides you through the process of creating an org chart based on information you provide.
• You have the option to create the chart from information already stored in a file or database (like Excel or delimited text) or to enter the information using the wizard. The source notes that importing data will be discussed later in the lesson, and the example focuses on entering data directly.
• If you choose to enter data, the wizard may open a sample Excel sheet where you can input employee names, who they report to, their titles, departments, and other information. The “Reports to” field is crucial for defining the hierarchy.
• After entering the data and saving the Excel file (if that option is chosen), the wizard will process the information and automatically generate the organizational chart.
• You can choose whether to include employee pictures if you have them.
• The wizard also provides options for handling large organizations that might not fit on a single page, such as specifying how much of the organization to display per page or allowing the wizard to automatically break it across multiple pages.
• The wizard can also place the top executive at the top of the page and create hyperlinks for employees, synchronizing them across pages if the chart spans multiple pages.

Once an organizational chart is created using any of these methods, you can further customize its appearance by changing shape colors and outlines, connector styles, and adding other visual elements. The choice of method depends on the size and complexity of the organization, the availability of existing data, and the level of customization required.

Visio Floor Plan Design: A How-To Guide

Based on the sources, designing a floor plan in Microsoft Visio involves utilizing specific templates and stencils tailored for architectural and interior layouts. Visio provides a range of tools to create both basic and more detailed floor plans.

Here’s a breakdown of floor plan design as discussed in the sources:

• Starting a Floor Plan: To begin, you typically open a new file and navigate to the template section, where you can find options specifically for floor plans.
• Available Templates: Visio offers several types of floor plan templates, including:
• Home Plan
• Office Layout
• Normalized Floor Plan You can choose the template that best suits your project.
• Relevant Stencils: When you open a floor plan template, Visio provides specialized stencils containing shapes relevant to floor plan design. These include:
• Wall, Shell and Structure: For creating exterior walls and rooms, as well as adding doors and windows.
• Garden Accessories: To incorporate outdoor elements like brick pathways.
• Furniture: Offering a variety of furniture shapes for different rooms.
• Electrical: With shapes representing electrical outlets and wall lights.
• Bath and Kitchen: Providing shapes for cabinets, sinks, and other bathroom and kitchen fixtures.
• Drawing Tools: For more free-form drawing capabilities.
• Creating a Basic Room: You can start by using the “Room” shape from the “Wall, Shell and Structure” stencil and dragging it onto the drawing page. You can then resize this shape to represent the dimensions of your room.
• Adjusting Dimensions and Square Footage: Visio allows you to adjust the size and spacing of the room shape. By right-clicking on the room shape and accessing the properties (shape data), you can potentially change the label (e.g., from “Office” to “Kitchen”) and view information such as the square footage.
• Adding Interior Elements: You can populate your floor plan by dragging and dropping shapes from the relevant stencils onto the room layout. For example, you can add cabinets from the “Cabinets” stencil, sinks from the “Bath and Kitchen” stencil, and other furniture.
• Searching for Shapes: If you cannot find a specific shape within the stencils (like a stove), Visio has a search function where you can type in keywords to locate relevant shapes.
• Layout and Placement: The focus during floor plan design is on the placement and arrangement of these elements within the defined space. While you can be precise about dimensions, you can also create quick layout designs to visualize your ideas. You can also rotate shapes as needed for better placement.
• Adding Details: Beyond basic furniture, you can add other details like plants to your floor plan to enhance the visual representation.

In summary, Visio provides a user-friendly interface with dedicated templates and stencils to facilitate the creation of floor plans. You can start with basic room shapes, adjust their size, and then populate the space with furniture, fixtures, and other relevant elements by dragging and dropping from the provided stencils or by using the search functionality. The process allows for both precise dimensioning and quick conceptual layouts.

The Original Text

hello everyone and welcome my name is Joe I’m going to be facilitating this course for you today and today we’re going to be talking about Microsoft physio now Microsoft Visio is a diagramming tool to create simple as well as complex diagrams and vector graphics it enables you to create detailed organizational charts floor plans and pivot diagrams according to your business needs in today’s course we’re going to take a look at some of the basics on grading those different diagrams for you when you first open up Vizio it’s going to bring you to this opening page this is where we’ll see different templates and where we can also start some basic diagrams now if you want to access more templates you can always go over to the more templates over here on the right side give it a click you’ll see all the different types but that video has to offer not only that but you can search for different files that you’ve been working on and see the most recent files you’ve been working on as well today what we’re going to do is we’re going to create a basic diagram so I’m going to make sure to click into my basic diagram now when you do this the first thing it’s going to ask you is what is the measurement system is it going to be a metric or unit in U.S and I’m going to use U.S units and click create but of course you can pick whichever one is applicable to you once I do this it enters me into this interface and just like anything Microsoft the first thing I see about is going to be my ribbon and inside of that ribbon you’ll see that we have our Tab and inside of those tabs we have our Command group and then of course our Command you also notice over here we have different stencils we have basic shape stencils Arrow shaped stencils decorative shaped stencils and you can even add or search for more stencils by clicking into more shapes and taking a look at different ones for instance I know I’m going to be working with a flowchart today I may want to grab instead of Arrow shaped I can instead grab my basic flowchart shape and you can select whichever ones you want and you can keep a list of them here as well you don’t only have to have one stencil at a time you can borrow from different ones maybe some graph and math shapes or even decorative shapes but I’m going to be utilizing basic foam chart tape today now to actually click and drag these over that will just be a click drag and then it will show up on the paper and right here we can start to manipulate the shape by clicking and dragging the sizing Dot and there we go to take a moment try that out for yourselves and when we come back we’re going to start to build out this flowchart and then we’ll also start to add text and connections to it as well so what we’re going to be building today is the process to open up our own coffee shop and what I’m thinking of doing is starting off with well opening a coffee shop now you’ll notice I utilize the start and end shape and all I had to do is once again click and drag it onto my page here now once you do that you’ll have your shape and then you can resize it using the sizing dock now if I wanted to write something in here the best part about it is all I need to do is start typing so if I start typing opening a coffee shop and then I click away you will now see that information inside of the shape of course you can manipulate that information as well if you haven’t highlighted you can just go up to the Home tab and inside of that Home tab this is where we can change our font options so I’m going to format it to be about 12.5 and I think that looks good now we can start to add more shapes to this and once again these are Universal shapes if everyone knows that it’s going to be a rectangle for process and a diamond for decision and you’ll start to learn these as well so I’m gonna start off with another process after this so I start off with the idea of opening a coffee cup and the first thing I’m going to need to do is I’m going to have to probably create a business plan now one of my favorite things about Vizio is that when you start to resize things once you already have a shape you can actually make them exactly the same length and width now I’m going to make mine a little crazier here there we go that looks good and it also has a lot of guidance now I’ll just start typing creating a business plan and I’ll make that font once again 12 points now I know I’m going to create another process and I could do the same thing where I click and drag the process shape over but there’s another little keyboard shortcut that’s going to make you more efficient if you just click on this shape and use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl D that equals duplication so once we do that Ctrl d I can now have a duplicate where I don’t have to resize it or even change the font to 12 point all I need to do is double click and change what’s in there in the next process after creating a business plan is to apply for a bank loan now the next thing I can do after this is make a decision Point even though we’re opening a coffee shop up I may want to sell some food too maybe muffins or Donuts so what I can do is go over to decision and drag it over here and once again I’m going to just resize this the same size that’s my other one there we go now I can start typing do we want to sell food too question mark now if we decide we do want to sell food that’s going to be a little bit different we’re going to have to create an extra sub process here so I’m going to actually use the sub process shape because if we decide to create sell food we’re going to have to create a food menu and once again I’m just going to use my sizing guidance here there it is and we’ll say faith of food and now I can take this and once again I’m going to just update the 12 point now let’s say we don’t want to create a food menu we’re not going to sell food instead what we’ll do and we’ll just make this 12 point as well instead what we’re going to do is we’re going to skip this and we’re going to go to renting the location so it’s another process and I’m just going to duplicate Ctrl d and I’ll just change the text to rent location now after that I’m also thinking that I’m going to want to start to finalize some of the hiring contracts and since contracts are documents we can use the document shape so I’m going to click and drag that one right here as well and I’ll just size it once again and I love those guiding arrows they tell me when everything is all aligned and at the time I’m going to say finalize hiring contracts and I’ll just change that font to 12 point now the next two shapes I’m going to do are well higher a thermometer I’m going to use a process for this so I’ll just duplicate and I’ll just say higher store manager and then the last thing I’m going to do is end this entire workflow now to do this I’m just going to once again duplicate the start netting because it is the same thing I’ll just use Ctrl D again and now I’ll just put in Grand opening and there we go the only problem is there is no flow to the chef there’s no connection between each of these processes or each of these starts or ends so what we need to do is create a nice workflow by using what’s known as connectors take a moment to catch up on this and then when we come back I’m going to show you how we can use Dynamic and static connections and what the difference between both of those are so now that we have our shapes what we’re going to want to do next is create connections now there’s two types of connections we can create a dynamic connection and a static connection and the difference between both is that a dynamic connection allows us to create a connection by any of the points on our shapes and once we move our shapes it will update it as we move them a static connection glues the point to each other point so if I want to do a static connection I’m going to go by the point system and if I want to do a dynamic connection I’m going to go by shapes so I’m going to show you an example of this but first what we need to do is move from our pointer tool which is our default over to our connector tool which is right underneath so if I go over to the Home tab you’ll see under fold we have three tools the pointer tool the connector tool and the text tool so if I click over to the connector tool you’ll see that I can actually connect its entire shape to this entire shape and if I do that by clicking somewhere in the middle in the middle it creates my connector now when I go back to my pointer tool to take a look at this you’ll see it has an arrow pointing from the opening of the coffee shop to creating a business plan if I want to move this shape take a look what happens it actually will move the connection with it so when we are in the starting position it was going from the bottom of opening a coffee shop to the top of creating a business plan but when I move this it is now going from the top of the opening of the coffee shop to the left of creating a business plan and this is an example of the dynamic connection where if I move these it will automatically update the connection point now we’re not going to always want this because maybe I want opening a coffee shop never be after creating a business plan because if I switch them around like this well now it looks like a little weird right going from top to bottom still if I wanted to what I can do instead it’d create what’s known as a static connection so I’m just going to delete this by clicking on it and pressing delete on my keyboard now when I go to my connector instead of connecting it from the entire shape I can actually connect it from these four connection points and I’m going to connect it from the bottom of opening a coffee cup to the top point of creating a business this creates that glued connection which is known as the static connection now if I go back to my pointer tool to move this around you will notice no matter where I move it it will always make sure the connection is from the bottom of opening a coffee shop to the top of creating a business plan so for most of this I actually like it that way I like how it will stay stuck like that so if I wanted to stay stuck like that I’m going to create a static connection now for this example we’ll keep it on static connections I think that will be good but you can always choose which one’s going to be the beneficial one for you so we’re going to create the rest of our connections here we’re going to go back to connectors and I’m going to make a connection from creating a business plan the bottom point the top of applying for a bank loan the bottom of the applying for a bank loan I will go to the top of the self food team now from the right side of cell food too I’m going to go over to the left side of creating a food menu I do have to make another connection because if we decide not to sell food we’re going to have to skip this so I’m gonna have to make another connection from the right hand side here and it might take a moment to just have it really picked there we go and we’re going to go to the left side of from the location but if we do decide that we are going to sell food too we would do this first and then we would go from here to there now we’re going to create a connection from run location to finalizing the hiring we’re going to go from the left side or the right side of finalizing to the left side of hiring a store manager and we’re going to go to the bottom of hiring a store manager to the top of grand opening now that we have our connections it looks great but take a moment follow along with those connectors and when we come back I’m going to show you how we can start to manipulate these drawings to make this a little more colorful and a little more vibrant now that we have our connectors and we have our process going what we’re going to want to do next is modify the shape colors because I’m just looking at this and I just see the default colors that Microsoft created so if you want to change the colors you’re more than welcome to if you do like this design you can keep them as well but I want to change it and just make these different colors maybe different sizes anything that you like so the first thing I’m going to do is choose here and we will go over to the design tab here and you’ll see here we have different things that we can choose from and just by hovering over these things we get all these different colors here which is pretty amazing it looks great but what we can also do is we can change these shapes one by one because the minute that you select these shapes you can go to the home path and you can change the way that they look by just simply changing either the font formatting or you can go to shape Styles and you can change the way the shape is filled or even the outline of the shape so for instance for this one I do want to make it a green fill so I’m just going to do a nice green color here like that’s when that looks good and I also want no line so I’m gonna just do no line so it looks like this now I don’t want to have to do this all over again so you can use in the Home tab what’s known as the format painter right there and if you click on a shape click on format painter I can then just click on this one and it will copy that format and it just looks great now for all of my processes I’m going to make those let’s do a nice orange color so I’ll just fill I’ll use orange and I don’t want a line effect and now once again I’m just going to use my format painter and if you double click on format painter it stays on so I can just keep going now quickly get this done and then when you’re done with format painter you could just click again to take it off you also want to change the way that this looks I want this one to be a nice little gold color and once again I don’t want any border now for the finalizing of hiring contracts we’ll make that a nice dark color here and since we’re using a dark color we are going to want to change the font as well so we can actually see the font and we’ll change that to a point font and then last but not least blind now the last one I’m going to do here is our sub process and I’m going to change this to a nice blue color but when you do change it to a blue color you’ll see that the lines are hard to see so I’m going to change the line to actually a white color so that you can see that it’s a sub process and it’s different from a regular process I’ll also change the font here as well too and there we go we’ve added some color to this I just love the vibrant color right it doesn’t look as just blue as Microsoft made it originally if you wanted to also change the colors of our connectors you could click each one and hold down the control key to select more than one connector those damn selecting all of these connectors here and you can change the line color of that so whatever you like I’m going to change it to Black and there we go now the last thing I may want to do here is add some text right because as you can see right here we asked the question are we going to sell food too and it would be nice to see where this flow is going of course if we say no then it’s going to go right here to run location we’re going to skip this but if it is yes then it’s going to go to create food menu then print location so I do want to make sure I make that stand out and for the first time ever we’re going to use our text tool so in our home tab we’ve used the pointer tool which allows us to modify and shape our shapes we’ve used the connector tool which allows us to make connections between our shapes and now we’re going to use the text tool to add text to our connectors I’m going to click on text and you can place it wherever you want I usually like to zoom in on this because it could get a little crazy so I’m just going to use control in my mouse wheel to zoom in and I’ll put the text right here now once I click there you’ll notice that the text actually the text box move down here that’s okay we will snap it right here once we’re done writing what we want to write I’m just going to write the word yes and of course you have all the same formatting I can make this a little bigger if I wanted to I’ll make it 14 and I’m going to make it a do a black font and there we go now of course the more you click around you’ll see like do something like that right you’re gonna insert a text you could just click away but now if I want to move the TS to here we’re going to have to go grab our pointer tool again and now we can click and you’ll see that little yellow Dot and I can click and drag that down to here and there we go we have our yes now I’m going to put my no right below it so I’m going to go to text tool click right here and once again it pushes the text box that’s okay if it does that just write your text make your changes here I’m going to go once again with the 12 point and make it a black color here and now I’ll go to my pointer tool and I’m going to move this here and I love this the reason why I didn’t do an insert and then a text box is because if you enter text box it just goes over the line as you can see here using the text tool will allow for that little bit of space so it looks like it’s really part of this entire flow so now looking at this if I zoom out a little bit this is looking really nice selfie too if yes we’re going to go to create a food menu then we’re going to run the location then we’re going to continue with our process if we sell food when we decide no we’re going to skip all this and go straight to renting location so take a moment try this out on your own and when we come back we’re going to call and use some call outs which will be a lot of fun so we’ll do callouts and we’ll also do some grouping as well so that we can start to group these shapes if we ever want to move them what we’re going to be talking about next is how we can create callouts Now call outs are great to give more information to one of our processes so like for instance maybe I do want to open a coffee shop but I also want to figure out what the name of that coffee shop is going to be so I can click on opening the coffee shop and I can go to the insert tab and inside of the insert tab right here you’ll see diagram part and we have a couple different things we have our containers which we’re going to be talking about in a later section and then we also have our call out and then we know what our connectors are right so we’re going to be using our call out now when you click the little drop down you’ll see there’s a quite a few different just looks whether it’s a piece of text call out or a cloud call out bubbles anything you like whatever makes sense for you and I’m thinking that I just want to do a nice text call out and then there it is it’s actually connected so no matter where you want to move this it’s still going to be connected to that shape which is really nice I’m going to put it right here and we’re going to call this a cup of gold since well my name is Joe right how it works great for us at Club code and I’m just going to make that a little bigger text there and I’m going to use Ctrl shift greater than and those are fun little keyboard shortcuts Ctrl shift less than or greater than two effective and then I’ll make this a little bigger here just like that and I think that looks great perfect so now we have a quick little shout out opening in coffee shop it’s called the cup of Joe’s and there we go now you can add other shout outs as well no matter where you want to go if I want to do print location maybe do a nice little call out there just a thought I’m thinking maybe I want to put this location and by the way you can turn this if you want you can taste the shape if you wanted to anyway you want thought through this and I’m just going to move this over here and then you’ll see it switches sides and I’m going to say that the thought on this one will be let’s do maybe I want to put it in San Francisco there we go and those little those little columns just work really well so take a moment try that out on your own and when we come back we’re going to talk about how we can start to group shapes together so we can move them without messing up our flow you’ll notice that when you move one of your shapes it also changes the connector and that’s because we made our static connections and we want to be able to move things without affecting the flow but the problem is what happens if I just want to move all this over maybe I want to create more spacing between this column in this column in this column well to do this you can group all of these shapes together move it as one so that you don’t always have to just move one single piece at a time and to do this there’s a couple of different ways we can use Ctrl a to select all of them like I just did here and that really selects every single piece of content on this page right now or if I wanted to just do it in sections I can just hold the Ctrl key down and select one thing at a time and you’ll see it is selecting it but the control a is going to be a lot easier for this example so I’m just going to use Ctrl a and now that I’m here in control a what I want to do is go to the Home tab and inside of my Home tab this is where you’ll see the arrange command group and this is where we can access our group setting now when I click on that drop down I’m going to group this together and now it’s all one piece so if I ever have to move this I could just click it and now it’s all one piece that I’m moving which is really nice and there we go and this will be a lot more helpful when you want to put it into let’s say like a presentation so if I decide to copy this into let’s say a PowerPoint now when I use control copy right Ctrl C I can then just Ctrl V into a PowerPoint I’ll show you what that looks like and we’ll just put it in a blank slide here and then we can use Ctrl V and look how nice that looks add some little coloration here and we’re good to go try that out on your own and when we come back we’re actually going to switch gears we’re going to name our project and then we will move on to building an organizational chart before we get into building organizational charts the first thing I’m going to want to do is rename my page so I’m going to come down here to page one and I’m just going to double click and we’re going to name it I’m going to call my business plan now the next thing we can do is click this little plus icon to add another page and I’m going to just click on that now we have a second page here and I’m going to show you three ways to build an organizational chart the first way is just manually building one the second way is using one of the starter diagrams that Vizio has provided and the Third Way is by using the Vizio chart wizard so if I want to build this organizational chart I can just go for my basic flow chart shapes here I can move up and we should have our basic shapes as well and you can just use any shape you want there’s no right or wrong here for this so I’m going to just use a rectangle I’ll Center that make it a little bigger just like that and then I can just start typing in I’ll be the CEO of this company the CEO and you can add your modifications to it maybe I want to make this a lighter blue maybe I don’t want any lines on this I think that looks good now I can add another rectangle one right here and for this one I’m going to put John Doe and John Doe will be my CFO and once again I can just make this any way I want that looks good I’m going to move it a little over here just like that and I’ll just change it to that looks great just like this and maybe no order now I don’t want to have to do this again so I’m just going to use Ctrl D for duplicate and there we go I may want to space this a little better and I think that looks pretty good and then I’ll just do Jane Doe and Jane Doe will be my co now I’ll just make my connections I’ll use my connector from the bottom to the top of that shape and then from the bottom to the top of the shape and then if you wanted to you can re -color these to whatever you like and that’s it there we go we have just made a quick little organizational chart and of course we can add more people here we can add more shapes we can change the shapes maybe we want to add circles for our other employees we’ll do employee foreign and then we can just do a duplication duplication duplication just like that that looks good and I love those lines those lines are always amazing call this employee two and play three and employee four and now all we have to do is set up our connectors and I’ll just go back to the connector just like that and just like that remember I know that part can be a little hard getting it at the same time but no worries if you go a little bit to the top here it should work pretty well there we go and then once again I might just change the connection color and I’ll just change those that and now we have a fun little organizational chart take a moment try this out on your own and when we come back I’m going to show you how we can create an organizational chart by using the starter diagrams so even though creating an organizational chart manually is great and we can do that it’s going to take you a lot more time because we have to build out the shapes and the connectors but Vizio actually has templates for organization charts so what we’re going to do is we’re going to go over to the file tab and click new and here is where you’ll see the organization part template now all we have to do is click on that template and you’ll see here that it gives us a couple of different options we have organization chart corporate charts Department charts all different types so you’re going to pick whichever one makes sense I’ll use this department chart for example and I’m going to click on create and once I do that it’s going to create a new drawing for me I’ll just put this drawing down and I’ll take a look at this one first so we see here that it also gives us a little bit of a guide it says listen you can use data from sources such as Excel or exchange to create more complex org charts on the org chart tap select import to instantly create team drag employee shapes onto their manager shapes and then feeling crowded use the spacing option on the org chart tab to create better spacing once you’re finished with these tips we can select pin and press delete so I can just click on this and press delete so look at this they set it up pretty nice now all I need to do is add some fun pictures and I can go in here and just change the name and I’ll put my name then we can put in someone else’s name and there we go and I just love the design but not only that when you use a template like this you also see here that we have new organizational chart shapes that we can use and not only this but up top we now have a tab for the or part so if I click into it you’ll see here that we can change any of these so if I decide that I want a different design there it goes pretty awesome so we have here all different types of designs that we can use not only that but what we can also do is we can read layout or we can relayer this in different ways horizontally vertically side by side we can do a best fit page so that everything fits on the page we can change or enter pictures we can import the data really amazing so with that said take a moment try it out for yourselves and when we come back we’re then going to talk about utilizing the chart wizard so even though this is a great way to create an org chart there’s one more way that I want to show you and it’s by using the organization chart wizard now once again we’re going to go over to file and click on new and we’re going to use the organization chart again but this time instead of selecting one of these three we’re going to select this one right here the organization chart wizard and we’re going to click create the first thing it’s going to do is pop up this dialog box it’s going to say okay I want to create my organizational chart from information that’s already stored in a file or database or I want to enter using the wizard now we will be talking about this option A little later in the lesson for now we’re just going to use the information that I enter using the wizard and I’ll click next that was going to ask me to choose the type of file you want to enter your data into you can choose the limited text or Excel if your fund of excel you’re more than welcome to use Excel and then you can choose to name the file and I’ll just call this practice Vizio works now I’m going to click next I’ll click next again and then it’s going to take a moment it’s going to open up right here a sample data in Excel and I’ll give you some little samples and you’ll see here Joe Jane and John pretty cool since we’ve been using those examples to begin with now you’ll see here that we have name who the person reports to the title the department and the telephone number and they even give you a little note on each of these which is really nice so for the first one I’m going to put my name and I report to no one because I’m CEO and we’ll just keep the same telephone number then we have Jane Doe who reports to me right we want to make sure these are identical here and here that there is a connector that’s created and then of course undo as well and John Doe will report to me and then we can start to create a couple other people as well we’ll call this the marketing department we’ll say marketing and we will just say employee you know you could put whatever you want foreign we’ll do advertising agent and then we’ll put a couple of people I’ll use my friend Carly you’re amazing at marketing and Carly reports to we’ll say Jane Doe and we’ll have one more person as well in marketing and we’ll just make up the phone number okay it’s like that and we’ll do my friend Keller’s here and Taylor will report to Carly you know what yeah that looks good let’s do Carly because Carly’s gonna be the senior advertising agent and I think this looks good just for a little practice now all we have to do is click save close this out now it’s going to say you can also import pictures from your computer of those people now I’m going to say that I don’t want to include pictures now if you do have pictures of each employee you can put that file in there I’m just going to say no because I don’t have any of those and I’ll click next I will say your org data may contain too many in place if not on one page what do you want to do if that’s the case do you want to specify how much of the organization is displayed on each page or do you want the wizard to automatically break into pieces across different pages and I’m like yeah I think that looks good name at the top of the page should be the top executive and we can also create hyperlink for the employees and synchronize them through across the pages if it is breaking other pages once I click finish there it is looking great there we go and I just love the way this looks now this connector you can move this connector it looks like it is a static connection so you’re more than welcome to move this look amazing so we’ve gone through three different ways to create organization charts manually by using Vizio starter diagrams and also by using this chart wizard when we come back we’re going to switch gears and we’re going to get into designing a floor plan with Vizio what we’re going to be talking about next is designing a floor plan and we’re just going to make a very basic floor plan today so I’m going to open up a new file again file new and we’re going to click over by the template and we’re going to access the floor plan right here now once we do this and we open it up we’ll have all these different types of tablets whether you want to do a home plan or an office layout or just say normalized floor plan and for today Let’s do let’s have some fun with this let’s do a whole plan this would be a lot of fun and we’ll click create now let’s say that we want to create a new I don’t know maybe a new kitchen space right we’re remodeling our kitchen you’ll see here over on the shape side of things that we have our wall shell and structure where we can create exterior walls or rooms or start Windows in there we can also go to Garden accessories you’ll see we have brick Pathways all these different things to allow us to start to build this out Furniture as well if we keep scrolling up we have electrical tell us where our dockets are our wall lights are and if we keep going we have some trying tools as well so we have everything we need to start to really draw this out now the first thing I’m going to start off with is wall gel and structure and we’re going to build out the room that’s it we’re just designing a room so I’ll click and drag this right on here and I’m going to make it as big as I think the room’s going to be and then I’ll zoom in a little I think this room will be about for the kitchen we’ll say 40 by 32. so now that we have this we’re going to start to put in some of the spacing so that we know the square footage and of course it says office by default if I’ll right click and you’re more than welcome to go into the properties and you can change that from office to kitchen or whatever it’s going to be you can even put space hiding you can do the base elevation and other calculations as well for the shape data but we’ll talk about shape data in another lesson now I can click ok and I can start to spread this spacing out just like that and now we have our kitchen face it’s going to be 1282 square feet nice size kitchen for us so now I can start to put in some of the information like maybe I want to put in some furniture maybe some cabinets so I’ll scroll up a little bit we have furniture we have Bath and Kitchen plans so we have the cabinets the sink everything we need we have other Furniture as well I’ll go into cabinets and let’s say I do want to put a cabinet let’s do let’s do one of these and you can have so much fun with this whatever you want to do there’s no right or wrongs here so maybe I just want a cabinet right over here there we go now if you weren’t worried about the actual like size of this and you weren’t getting the specific you could just do a quick layout design where you don’t have to worry about this thing like of course this cabinet is pretty big which I wouldn’t have a cabinet this big but you’re more than welcome to choose any way you want now I’m also going to put another cabinet I have one here I may want to put another one over here maybe a bigger one actually a little bigger there we go and I’ll just make sure that everything dies right and you can do this too there’s once again no right or wrongs here and I’m thinking maybe in between these two cabinets there’s going to be some sort of let’s say probably a sink right now I’m gonna go over to my kitchen plans so you can go over to Bath and Kitchen and I’m going to put a sink in there let’s do a two sink there dual things just like that now of course I do want to put in the information like the stove things like that and if you’re trying to look for it and you’re like yeah I don’t see the stove I can’t find these things of course you’re more than welcome to start to search for them as well so you could go to search and you can put in the stove and then you’ll see there’s a stove here so really nice that we have those options we’re going to make that stove a little bigger there that looks good there we go now I’m going to continue to design this and once again just feel free to put whatever you like in here there’s no right or wrong you can put whatever you like I might want to do a table so I’m just going to search for table and let’s do a well this table Boat table just like that I might want to turn it as well which table there and there we go we’re just really starting to design this I’m going to add some plants in there too why not let’s see if there’s any plants maybe I have a palm plant right over here make it a little bigger and you can really find this out so take a moment try this out for yourselves have some fun with this really get into designing it just think maybe who knows maybe somebody out there is really trying to redesign a kitchen this is going to help you out to know exactly where the placement is what your idea is getting it from your head to Vizio on paper physio is really great about giving us tools to effectively create our flowcharts and what we’re going to be doing next is creating a flowchart based off of a basic flowchart template now when I go into file new instead of using a basic diagram I’m actually going to use basic flowchart the reason I like this is because it sets us up with the stencils that we need right away so when I click on it it’s going to open up and say well do you want to use one of these that we’ve created or do you want to build one from scratch and that’s what I’m going to do I’m going to build a basic flow chart for Scratch and click create now right off the bat I have my basic flowchart shapes and this is great and I can now take my start and end and bring it right here now I can just resize it and we’ll do the same example as we did before we’ll say that the first thing we want to do is open up we can say this time of pizza shop we’ll make it a little different so I’ll say I’ll click into it open a pizza now once we do this you may notice something when we hover over we get these little arrows here and these arrows what they allow us to do is quickly choose whether we want to use a process a decision a sub process or the end of a flowchart so when I click on process it’s just a quick way for me to continue to build this down the one thing I want to know though is do you think it’s going to be a dynamic connection or a static connection well if we move this around we can see that it’s actually a dynamic connection so if you don’t mind that you’re more than welcome to change it if you do but if you don’t mind we could just leave it so I don’t mind in this case I’m just going to resize my things here perfect get a little bigger that looks good and then for this next one I’ll just say create business plan now for the next one once again I can use the little quick access I’m going to click here again and for this one I’ll say apply for bank loan and I’ll just resize this as well and then the next one I’m going to do is the decision and I’ll resize it and for this one the decision on this could be do we also want to sell let’s see Pizza and maybe dessert too right maybe we want to sell dessert too it’s like that next up we’re going to make a sub process and I’ll just put that one right up here and that sub process is going to be just get that sizing right create or decide on flavors we’ll say or decide on desserts menu that sounds good I’m going to click another one and let’s do a process and this one’s going to be rent location and then another one but this time I only have the access to the process the decision the top process in the end I actually don’t have access to the document so this one I will have to drag here and resize and then form that connector and I’ll say this one is finalize hiring contracts and then I’ll create that connection and for this one I’ll just keep it the same Dynamic just like the rest of them and there we go now I do need to make another one here because if we decide to go to location I do need to sell dessert to run location if we decide not to so I’ll go to connector and I’ll make another connection here as well the last thing that I want here is another process and this process is going to be hire a store manager and then last but not least the end process which will be open store and I’ll make that one the same price as the other one and there we go we have our process now of course once again you’re more than welcome to start to add in these coloration shape modifications like we did before so if you did want to change the shapes you can hold the control key and select both the start and end and fill that shape with that green color we liked we can select all of the process there we go and we can do a orange color I think we did a gold color for this one the darker color for this one and we also did the text we changed the text as well and then we did a blue color for this one and we made sure to put the lines in as well and change to text and there we go looks great now once we have this the next thing we’re going to talk about when we come back is being able to utilize containers containers can help us to map out when we’re going to get these different tasks done so that we can open up this pizza shop so take a moment create this and then when we come back we’ll put them in containers now that we have this set up we may want to put this in some sort of timeline whether that would be phases or quarters we can apply what’s known as containers to allow us to contain these tasks or these processes in each container pertaining to a certain time so the first thing I’m going to do here is just move these a little bit over and change where they are on our page here there we go just like that and now I’m going to start to activate our containers by going over to the insert Tab and you’ll see here container now before you click on container we do have to select what we want in each container for the first container I’m going to select this shape along with the connector the next one the connector the next one the connector and the next one now all of these and you can include these as well are going to be in that first container now that I have been selected I can go to container and I can choose which one makes more sense for me and I’m thinking I’m going to use I like this one then I can just click on the heading and I can type whatever I like let’s say that these four tasks are going to take place in phase one now I can do the same thing for the other ones as well the sign on the dessert menu hold the control key click run location while holding the control key click on the connector and finalize hiring contract and click on the connector once again go to enter container and choose which one you like and then I’ll just rename this phase two now you can move these containers as well a little bit further down so that they are matching as close as possible to the other one perfect and then I can make this a little more just like that I think that looks great now the next thing we’re going to do is phase three once again I’m going to just click hold the Ctrl key click on the connector and click again while holding the control key and then go to insert container and we’ll put a third one in and I may made that a little bigger just like this one and make that a little smaller here maybe move it down a little as well and there we go now I’ll just name this one phase three and now what we have here is our three phases our flow chart and when they’re gonna happen so take a moment try this out for yourselves and when we come back we’ll finish up all right thank you all so much for being here as you can see Vizio is an amazing tool to visualize your ideas and get them on paper and then be able to really create these projects or create these business plans or create these floor plans or whatever you’re trying to create this is a great way to do it with that said thank you all so much for being here stay safe stay healthy and I’ll see you all next time thanks for watching don’t forget we also offer live classes and office applications professional development and private training visit learnit.com for more details please remember to like And subscribe and let us know your thoughts in the comments thank you for choosing learn it [Music]

By Amjad Izhar
Contact: amjad.izhar@gmail.com
https://amjadizhar.blog

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