Saturday, 8 June 2019

Making a Visio Workflow Diagram: 5 Tips and Tricks

According to research, there are 2.5 quintillion bytes of data created every day. Data storage is exploding, and keeping up with this – data centers have to implement new tech as well as maximize and optimize their storage capacities.

Designing new and efficient systems can take a lot of time and requires exact and detailed planning. If not designed right, time and resources can quickly go to waste.

MS Visio is one of the most useful tools for data center engineers. With Visio, you can create a Visio workflow diagram to plan and design systems in detail to avoid potential technical problems down the line.

On the flip side, even super useful software like Visio can slow you down if you do not know how to use it efficiently.

By utilizing these five tips for creating a workflow diagram in Visio – you can work with even more ease and efficiency.

Read on to find out more.

1. Use the Right-Click Menu

A great tip for maximizing efficiency and upping your speed when working with Visio is to try out the right-click menu. To do so, start by collapsing your ribbon and instead use the commands from the right-click menu alone.

This simple trick can allow you to work faster and with greater ease when creating workflow diagrams in Visio.

2. Get Efficient with Visio’s Keyboard Shortcuts

If you want to up your efficiency even further when working with Visio to make diagrams, you can take advantage of Visio’s extensive list of shortcuts.

Here are some of the most useful Visio keyboard shortcuts that you can utilize:

  • Open Home tab: ALT+H
  • Open Text dialog box: F11
  • Open Format Shape task pane: F3
  • Open Snap & Glue dialog box: ALT+F9
  • Switch the Format Painter tool on or off: CTRL+SHIFT+P
  • Select the Pointer Tool: CTRL+1
  • Select the Text ToolCTRL+2
  • Select the Crop Tool: CTRL+SHIFT+2
  • Copy and paste an object: CTRL + click the object + mouse drag
  • Toggle between sheets within a file: CTRL+PageUp / PageDown
  • ZoomCTRL + scroll up or down
  • Access main toolbarALT
  • Open Format Shape task pane: F3
  • Switching shapes on the drawing page: TAB
  • Help: F1 

These are just a small selection of some of the common keyboard shortcuts in Visio. For a full list of all of the shortcuts available in Visio, you can refer to this Visio resource from Microsoft.

3. Don’t Forget About the Duplicate Page Function

When creating workflow diagrams in Visio, it can be super handy to be able to copy or duplicate a page you are working on. For example, you may want to try out some changes without editing your original work or risk losing it. Or you might want to use a specific diagram you have created as a template for further diagrams.

To duplicate a page all you need to do is right-click on the page tab that you wish to make a copy of. Then select Duplicate Now. This will replicate the page, and the new copy will retain all of the formatting, shapes, and properties of the first one.

4. Go Pro with Your Stencils

Visio comes with a preloaded list of useful stencils. These are great for everyday use, but if you are working in data storage, and are using Visio to plan your workflow – these stencils might be limited for your needs.

To fully harness the usefulness of Visio in data center workflow design, you will do well to have access to some stencils that are specifically designed for your needs. For example, you may not find that the standard Visio computer shape is enough for your purposes. Or maybe you need a Visio network shape, and can’t find one.

If this is the case, you can easily up the quality of your workflow designs by getting hold of stencils that have been created specifically with technical data center workflow needs in mind.

If you require some custom stencils, there are many available online for free download and for purchase. A great place to start is with NetZooms’ library of free stencils, that have been used by thousands of IT professionals worldwide for over 20 years.

To learn more about our stencils, shapes, templates, and solutions, you can also check out our FAQ.

5. Take Advantage of Visio’s Compatibility with Other MS Office Apps

Did you know that Visio is also compatible with other programs in the Microsoft suite? The great thing about this is that it means that you can incorporate a range of different file types within your workflow diagrams when working in Visio.

For example, if you are working on a diagram where you need to include data from a Microsoft Excel sheet – you can copy and paste the sheet or a portion of it into your diagram saving you the trouble of creating a new table within Visio and copying the info across.

This compatibility also means that you can upload images into Visio, and include them into diagrams and flowcharts. Once there, you can edit them as well, using Visio’s inbuilt picture editing tools that will allow you to resize, crop, rotate and fix brightness and contrast.

Put These Tips to Use for Your New Visio Workflow Diagram

Using Visio to create workflow diagrams can be invaluable when working on designing new components as a data technician. And now with these top tips, you can ensure that you work even smarter every time you create a Visio workflow diagram.

One of the best tips to take away from this list is the use of specialized stencils if you are utilizing Visio for data center applications is the ability to request custom stencils from NetZoom if you already have a subscription.  The best news is that there is no charge as well.

If you require some highly specialized stencils, ones which fit your needs precisely, then please visit the world’s largest device library at NetZoom Visio Stencils.

No other library is as extensive as ours which contains over 400,000 devices from 5,000 manufacturers, so be sure to check it out.

We also offer custom shapes for clients with a subscription at no extra charge. When you take out a subscription with us, you will always be guaranteed to have the exact stencils that you require.

The post Making a Visio Workflow Diagram: 5 Tips and Tricks appeared first on Robust Tricks.



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