Visio - Custom Data Fields

Background Information

This file will walk you through some advanced functions including copying a shape from PP to Visio, creating custom data fields for shapes, and copying the data fields to another shape.

Visio Options - Noteworthy Items

Don’t show start screen when opening Visio

  1. File ⇒ Options ⇒ General
  2. Don’t Show Start Screen

Enable measurement choice when creating a file

  1. File ⇒ Options ⇒ Advanced
  2. Display Section ⇒ Default Units
  3. Always offer Metrics and US Units

Shape Search settings – AND/OR

  1. File ⇒ Options ⇒ Advanced
  2. Shape Search Section
    • Always search for – switch AND to OR
    • This will allow for searching by any keyword, instead of the entire string of keywords

Enabling the Developer Tab in the Ribbon for Custom Shape and Stencil controls

  1. File ⇒ Options ⇒ Customize Ribbon
    • Check Developer on the right-hand panel.  This enables the Developer Tab in the ribbon, which will be used to create custom shapes and stencils.

Copy a Shape From PowerPoint to a Custom Visio Stencil

  1. Create a new blank Visio file
  2. From the Shapes panel, click on the More Shapes jump list, and select New Stencil (A new stencil can also be created from the Developer tab)
  3. Open the Power Point shape file
  4. Select a shape and copy it
  5. Navigate to the Visio file that contains the new shape stencil.
  6. Paste the shape directly to the stencil panel
  7. Rename the shape by right-clicking, and choosing Rename Master Shape
    • Anytime a change is made to a Master Shape or Stencil, the red asterisk in the Stencil header changes to a blue Save Disk. Click the disk to save the changes.

Create Custom Shape Data Fields

The Shape Data fields will be used to fill out information on shapes. The data for all shapes on a page can be exported to Excel as a report.

  1. Right-click on the shape. In the right-click menu, hover over the Data jump list, and select Define Shape Data.
  2. In the Define Shape Data dialog box, name the fields in the Label field, and select the data types for each field.
    • For each field, click New in the lower portion of the screen, label the field, and select the Data Type.

Apply Shape Data Sets to Other Shapes

Now that you have set up the data fields for one shape, you can apply the same fields to other shapes in the drawing.

  1. Open the Shape Data panel in the Data tab (or by right-clicking any shape)
  2. Right-click in the Shape Data panel, and choose Shape Data Sets
  3. In the Shape Data Sets window, you can create a new Shape Data definition by clicking on Add in the upper right.
  4. In the Add Shape Data window, name your set, and choose to either create a new definition of fields, or use the definition from the currently selected shape.
  5. For every shape in the stencil group, select and apply the Shape Data set. Every shape will have the same data fields, providing consistency in the Excel report for all shapes.  Not all fields are required, if not applicable.

 

To review images or save/download/print a copy of this Job Aide, please select the pdf attachment.

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