Microsoft Visio Glossary From A to Z — Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Visio Glossary — 140 definitions

Every term defined in the guide's 35 sections, in alphabetical order.
Tip: Ctrl + F to find a term on the page.

Refresh: When source data changes, refresh and the diagram updates (section 4-4) — it stays synchronized with reality.
Shown vs Attached: Distinguish SHOWN (labels, visible data graphics) from ATTACHED (consultable shape data); essentials visible, details in shape data.
Show/Hide: Temporarily hide a layer to focus on another (see the diagram without annotations, work on electrical without furniture); an overloaded diagram becomes manageable.
Alignment: Align several selected shapes in one click (left, right, center, top, bottom); perfect placement in one command, instead of adjusting by hand.
Layout (Furniture): Place furniture (desks, chairs, cabinets) and equipment from stencils, at true size — to visualize and optimize the layout.
Analyze & Improve: These diagrams serve as much to ANALYZE and IMPROVE processes (bottlenecks, redundancies, fuzzy responsibilities) as to document them.
Network Annotation: Useful information added (IP addresses, device names, speeds, VLANs…) via text and/or shape data.
Organization Chart Wizard: Tool (Org Chart tab) that AUTOMATICALLY generates the org chart from entered or IMPORTED data (Excel, text, directory).
Library as Asset: Company shapes/stencils/templates capitalize standards (symbols, style guide, layouts), reusable by all — consistency, time savings, professionalism.
Text Best Practices: Conciseness (short, clear text), readability (sufficient size, contrast), consistency (uniform formatting); enlarge the shape if the text doesn't fit.
BPMN: Business Process Model and Notation: STANDARDIZED, international notation for rigorously modeling business processes (events, activities, gateways, flows, swimlanes); the BPM standard.
Desktop vs Web: Fundamental distinction: desktop Visio (full, Windows) vs Visio for the web (online, lighter, on any device) — the web lacks some desktop features.
Desktop vs Web (Reminder): Visio for the web is perfect for collaboration/accessibility but lacks some desktop features (advanced technical diagrams, deep data linking).
Process Mapping: Show a business process in structured, often multi-actor form; used to understand, document, analyze and improve how an organization works.
Fields (Properties): A shape's structured information (field name + value); some shapes come with predefined ones, you can add and customize.
Text Callouts: Display textual data on/near the shape (name, key value) — to show information directly.
Choose the Right Template: Decisive first step: the template configures the page and loads the stencils matching the diagram type. Choosing well avoids reconfiguring.
Clarity & Right Type: Clarity first (understandable at a glance, clean); pick the RIGHT diagram TYPE for the message; follow STANDARDS/conventions (standardized symbols).
Cloud (OneDrive/SharePoint): Saving to the cloud gives access anywhere, co-authoring (level 5) and autosave; recommended in a Microsoft 365 environment.
Real-Time Co-Authoring: Several people edit the SAME diagram SIMULTANEOUSLY (in the cloud), seeing each other's changes live — no more file round-trips and version conflicts.
Color Code (by Value): Color shapes by data (e.g. green device = OK / red = failed, task by progress); color codes information, revealing states at a glance.
Consistency & Neat Placement: Uniform styles/colors/sizes (themes); aligned, evenly spaced, organized, airy shapes (alignment/distribution) — neatness makes readability.
Reporting Column: The key column ("Manager" / "Reports to") giving each position's superior; it describes the hierarchy Visio rebuilds.
Comments: Attached annotations (optionally on precise shapes) to give feedback, ask a question, suggest — without altering the diagram; collaborators reply (traceable, resolvable thread).
Visual Communication: Best practices (clarity, standards, consistency, audience fit, checking) are VISUAL COMMUNICATION skills, transferable across any diagram/tool.
Connector: Link (often arrowed) connecting two shapes; expresses a relation, a flow, a hierarchy. The heart of every diagram.
Glued (Smart) Connectors: Visio connectors stay GLUED to shapes: moving a shape makes the connector FOLLOW (it readjusts). Big difference with drawn arrows (PowerPoint).
AutoConnect: Hovering over a shape reveals blue arrows on its sides: clicking/dragging adds an ALREADY connected and aligned shape, or links to an existing shape — in one move.
Viewing vs Co-Authoring: Share for VIEWING (see the diagram) or for CO-AUTHORING (edit it — 5-1), per granted permissions.
Container: Shape that visually HOLDS other shapes (frame with title grouping a set); materializes a logical membership and moves with its content.
Layer: A "level" of the diagram to which shapes are assigned; each layer can be shown/hidden, locked and managed independently. A complexity-management tool.
Color With Meaning: Using color to HELP understanding (tell categories apart, highlight), sparingly — not decorating at random. Restraint and consistency.
Swimlanes: Bands (horizontal/vertical) each representing one ACTOR/department/role; each step sits in the lane of whoever performs it — you see WHO does WHAT and handoffs.
Create from a Template: File → New, choose a template (by category) or a blank diagram; the template opens a configured page with the matching stencils.
Decision (Diamond) & Branches: The diamond asks a question ("Order valid?") with several LABELED outgoing branches ("Yes"/"No") leading to the appropriate next step.
Drop Shapes (Drag and Drop): Central move: dragging a shape from the Shapes pane onto the drawing page. You populate the page by dragging wanted shapes to desired spots.
Diagram = Data View: Once linked, shapes carry the data; the diagram becomes a VISUAL VIEW of real data (a visual dashboard) you can display, consult, refresh.
Class / Sequence Diagram: Classes: the structure (classes, attributes, methods, relationships — inheritance, association), the most used. Sequence: interactions between objects over time (messages).
Distribution (Spacing): Evenly space several selected shapes (horizontally/vertically); Visio computes equal gaps for a crisp rendering.
Living Documentation: Thanks to refresh, a linked diagram stays synchronized with reality: you maintain the DATA (Excel/database), the diagram FOLLOWS — documentation that never goes stale.
Shape Data (Network): Properties attached to equipment (IP, model, serial number, location…) — the diagram becomes a queryable documentation base, linkable to data (level 4).
Shape Data: Structured properties attached to a shape (FIELDS with values: IP, model, title, email, duration…) it "carries" beyond its label; consultable (Shape Data window).
Scale: Plans' specificity: the drawing matches real measurements (e.g. 1 cm = 1 m). Set the scale to draw at TRUE size (measured, realistic plan).
Save (.vsdx): Visio's native format (Visio Drawing), which preserves everything (shapes, connections, data, formatting). Save locally or on OneDrive/SharePoint (cloud).
Detected Errors: E.g. flowchart: decision missing branches, unconnected shape, flow with no end. BPMN: notation violations (gateways, events).
Export (Distribution): Export to PDF (fixed document), image (PNG/JPG, to insert), web page — to distribute widely, to those who won't edit or have no Visio.
PDF / Image Export: Export the diagram to PDF (fixed, printable document) or image (PNG/JPG, to insert into Word/PowerPoint/email/web) — to share with those who have no Visio.
Reliability (Current): Refreshed documentation stays RELIABLE and useful; stale documentation misleads. Refresh is a major asset of linked diagrams.
Clear Flow: The process chains start → steps → decisions → end, in a consistent direction (top to bottom / left to right), with no needless crossings; every branch leads somewhere.
.vsdx Format: Visio's modern file format, readable on desktop and web; a free viewer lets you consult without a creation license.
Shape: Individual symbol (process, decision, server, wall…) dragged from the stencil onto the drawing page. The diagram's basic unit.
Shape = Informed Object: Thanks to shape data, each shape carries structured information (equipment "knows" its IP); the diagram becomes a visual database.
Custom Shape: Shape created (drawn, modified or combined) for a specific need when standard shapes fall short; with text, shape data, behaviors.
Shapes: Ready-to-use symbols (process rectangles, decision diamonds, server icons, walls…) dragged onto the page; Visio provides thousands, by theme.
Smart Org Chart Shapes: Dragging a position shape ONTO another automatically creates the hierarchical relationship and POSITIONS the boxes (tree layout managed by Visio).
Custom Stencil: Reusable shape library you build (custom and/or standard shapes), reused across all your diagrams; to standardize.
Stencil: Library of SHAPES grouped by theme (e.g. "Basic Flowchart Shapes"), shown in the Shapes pane; shapes are drawn from it.
Network Stencils: Specialized shape libraries providing STANDARDIZED, realistic network equipment ICONS (routers, servers… recognizable, sometimes in vendor colors).
Specialized Technical Stencils: Standardized-symbol libraries for many engineering domains: electrical, electronics, mechanical, processes, instrumentation…
Automatic Generation: Supply the data and let Visio generate the whole org chart (spectacular time savings on large organizations); the result stays editable.
Layer Management: Apply a color, print/export only some layers, tailor visibility to the audience (a version without technical details). An organization/visualization tool, not content.
Data Graphics: VISUALLY display shape-linked data (colors, icons, bars, text); the diagram SHOWS information at a glance, becoming a visual dashboard.
Grid & Alignment Guides: Neat-positioning aids: the grid and dynamic guides (lines appearing when a shape aligns with another) for careful placement.
Grouping: Gather several shapes into a GROUP handled as a single entity (move, resize, copy as a block); ungroup to edit individually.
Vocabulary Hierarchy: TEMPLATE (diagram type) → STENCILS (loaded shape libraries) → SHAPES (symbols placed on the page). Visio's key vocabulary.
Icons / Data Bars: Icons by value (check/cross, traffic light, arrows); bars = small gauge showing a numeric value (progress, load).
Image vs Linked Object: Image: frozen copy (simple). Linked object: stays connected to the source Visio file, diagram changes reflect in the document/presentation (synchronization).
Import + Generation: The Organization Chart Wizard imports the Excel and generates the complete org chart (each row = a box positioned in the hierarchy, connections created).
Data Import: The wizard reads a source (Name, Title, Manager/Reports-to columns) and automatically builds the complete org chart (positioned boxes, created connections).
Printing a Large Diagram: Preview (see the tiling), fit to one page (shrunk — watch readability) or print across several sheets to assemble; always check the preview before printing.
Office Integration: A diagram can be copied/inserted into Word, PowerPoint… (level 5); export/insertion makes the diagram usable everywhere.
Power BI Integration: A Power BI VISUAL displays a Visio diagram in a dashboard and LINKS it to Power BI data: shapes react to data and filters (interactive).
Teams Integration: Create, share and co-author Visio diagrams right in Microsoft Teams (Visio tab in a channel) — within the team's collaboration space.
Word/PowerPoint Integration: Insert a Visio diagram into a Word document or PowerPoint presentation, as an IMAGE (frozen) or LINKED OBJECT (connected to the Visio file, updating).
Property Sets: Coherent sets of custom fields (e.g. an "IT Equipment" set) applicable to several shapes — for structured, consistent entry.
Callout: Annotation attached to a shape (attached comment bubble); for commenting/annotating without overloading the shape.
Data Linking: Visio's ability to connect shapes to data (Excel, database) and display it visually — a diagram becomes a living dashboard (level 4).
Link a Shape to a Record: Associate each shape with one data row, manually (dragging) or AUTOMATICALLY (matching a shape field to a data field).
Flowchart: Diagram showing a PROCESS (series of steps and decisions) clearly and in standardized form; the most universal diagram (document, analyze, improve a process).
Microsoft Visio: Microsoft's diagramming tool: org charts, flowcharts, network diagrams, floor plans, technical drawings — you assemble standard shapes connected by connectors.
Update: When the organization changes, update the Excel file (easy) and regenerate/refresh the org chart — it stays synchronized with the source.
Formatting (Office): Font, size, bold/italic, color, alignment (Home tab, as in Office) — for shape, connector or area text.
Page Setup: Per-page settings: size (A4, A3, custom), orientation (portrait/landscape), scale (for floor plans) — Design tab.
Template: Preconfigured starting point for a diagram type (org chart, flowchart, network…), with the appropriate shape stencils already loaded.
Entity-Relationship (ER) Model: Classic representation of a database: entities (tables) linked by relationships; to design, document, understand a database.
Company Templates: Preconfigured starting points (right stencils, page setup, title block, theme) for the organization's diagram types; to start from a standard base.
Level of Detail: Neither too much (overloaded, unreadable flowchart — break into sub-processes) nor too little; concise labels (action verbs). One start, clear ends.
Standardized Notations & Dedicated Tools: UML and ER notations are standardized (follow them for understanding). For intensive work, specialized tools (code/SQL generation) go further than Visio.
Logical Build Order: First place the main shapes (the "boxes"), then connect them, then dress them (text, colors). We assemble shapes; we don't draw.
Org Chart: Diagram showing an organization's hierarchical STRUCTURE (who reports to whom, positions, departments); one of the most common diagrams.
Excel-Linked Org Chart: Generate an org chart from an Excel file describing the organization (one row per position, Name/Title/Department columns + "Manager" reporting line).
Quality Tool: Like proofreading/testing: validation checks the diagram is RIGHT (logically coherent, compliant) before sharing/using it — makes the diagram reliable.
Text Tool (Free Areas): Add INDEPENDENT text areas (titles, annotations, notes) not tied to any shape.
P&ID: Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams: standardized diagrams of industrial processes (piping, equipment, instrumentation) — chemical engineering, petrochemicals.
Background Page: A shared background (logo, frame, title block) applied to several pages; for coherent dressing.
Multiple Pages: A Visio file can hold several pages (bottom tabs): to organize a project, different views (overview/details), variants. Addable/renamable/reorderable.
Link Sharing: Share a (cloud) diagram via a link, with PERMISSIONS (view/edit); recipients access THE current version — replaces sending files.
Floor Plan: Top-down view of a space, at SCALE: walls, doors, windows, then furniture and equipment; for layout, planning, facility management, evacuation.
Connection Points: Precise spots on a shape where a connector attaches. Dynamic connection (to the shape, best point picked automatically, flexible) vs static (fixed point) — dynamic is preferable.
Fundamental Principle: A diagram exists to COMMUNICATE information CLEARLY; its quality is judged by CLARITY and message effectiveness, not by complexity or gratuitous aesthetics.
Data Quality: Crucial: clean, consistent data (correct reporting lines) yields a correct org chart; inconsistent data produces errors.
Reports: Extract shape-carried data as a table (shape list and properties: equipment inventory, position list, step status); the diagram becomes a data source.
Resize / Duplicate: Adjust size via handles (at corners); copy-paste (or Ctrl+drag) identical shapes instead of re-dragging each time.
Custom Rules: In advanced versions, define your own validation rules (the organization's business rules) to check compliance with YOUR standards.
Two-Way Data ↔ Diagram Relationship: FEED the diagram from data (linking, 4-1) AND EXTRACT data from the diagram (reports) — both ways.
Category Assignment: Assigning shapes to layers by logical category (e.g. floor plan: Walls, Furniture, Electrical, Network); each shape belongs to one/several layer(s).
Collaborative Review: Comment right on the diagram (at the relevant spot, in a thread) instead of disconnected email; to review a diagram together.
Routing / Arrows / Text: Visio routes connectors (right angles, avoidance); they can carry arrows (direction) and text (label, e.g. Yes/No).
Database Diagram: Models a database's structure: TABLES (entities), FIELDS, KEYS (primary, foreign) and RELATIONSHIPS between tables (with cardinality).
Logical vs Physical Diagram: Logical: the structure, subnets, links (how the network is organized). Physical: the real equipment, its location, cabling.
Network Diagram: Diagram documenting an IT infrastructure: equipment (servers, routers, switches, firewalls, workstations…), connections and topology; to understand, document, plan, troubleshoot.
Electrical Diagrams: Electrical/electronic/circuit diagrams drawn with Visio's standardized electrical-symbol stencils.
Data Source: Excel, database, SharePoint list… holding the records (rows) to link to shapes; imported via the Data tab (Data window).
Company Standardization: A company stencil (standard symbols/shapes, in brand colors) used by everyone → coherent, style-guide-compliant diagrams.
Cloud Storage: Diagrams on OneDrive/SharePoint: access anywhere, one shared version, autosave — the prerequisite for online collaboration.
Structure (Walls, Doors, Windows): First draw WALLS (dimensioned shapes, joined at corners), then DOORS/WINDOWS inserted into walls (they glue to them).
Shape Style: Fill (background color, gradient, pattern), line (color, weight, dash style), effects (shadow) of a shape; set via the ribbon or the formatting pane.
Predefined Styles: Coherent fill/line combinations offered (often theme-related) to quickly style shapes and connectors.
BPMN Symbols: Precise language: events (start/end/intermediate), activities (tasks, sub-processes), gateways (decisions/branches), flows (sequence, message), artifacts.
Standardized Symbols: Rectangle = STEP/action; diamond = DECISION/question (branches); oval = START/END; parallelogram = data input/output; etc. Universally understood.
Standardized Symbols by Domain: Each domain has its standardized symbols (electrical, P&ID…); following them makes diagrams understandable to the domain's professionals.
Visual Dashboard: Result of data graphics: a diagram where information jumps out (visible states, progress, alerts) — reveals what a numbers table hides.
Drawing Size vs Page: A diagram can be bigger than one page: "fit page to drawing" (page = content size) or manage splitting across several sheets when printing.
Text in Shapes: Double-click a shape (or select and type) to enter its label — a step name, a position, a piece of equipment. Carries much of the meaning.
Text on Connectors: Double-click a connector to label it (e.g. "Yes"/"No" on a flowchart, clarifying a relation) — essential for clarifying branches.
Text, Color, Detail Level: Concise, readable labels (labeled decisions); MEANINGFUL color (categories, highlighting, sparingly); right detail level (neither too much nor too little).
Theme: COHERENT set of colors, fonts and effects applied to the WHOLE diagram at once (as in PowerPoint); guarantees consistency and professionalism without effort.
Validatable Types: STRUCTURED, STANDARDIZED diagrams: flowcharts, BPMN — where rules make sense. No equivalent for freeform diagrams.
UML (Unified Modeling Language): STANDARDIZED modeling language for designing/documenting object-oriented software systems; several diagram types (classes, sequence, use cases…).
Diagram Validation: Feature that AUTOMATICALLY checks a diagram follows RULES, catching logic/compliance errors a visual check might miss (Process tab → Check).
Variants: Color variations of the same theme; switching theme/variant reconfigures the whole diagram instantly.
Lock a Layer: Prevent accidental edits of a layer's shapes while working on another (lock walls while placing furniture).
Visio + Power BI: Powerful combination: a diagram's visual clarity + Power BI's analytical/interactive power (data-linked diagram in a report).
Visio Outside Standard Microsoft 365: Unlike Word/Excel, Visio is generally NOT included in standard Microsoft 365 subscriptions — it is subscribed to separately (an offering to choose).
Visio Plan 1: ONLINE version (Visio for the web), in the browser, with the essential features and cloud storage; lighter and cheaper.
Visio Plan 2: FULL offering including the Visio DESKTOP app (Windows, the richest: all stencils, advanced data, validation) + Visio for the web.
Visio for the Web: Visio in the BROWSER (no desktop install), on any device, with the essential features; included in online plans. Ideal for collaboration/accessibility.
Visio vs CAD: Visio suits LAYOUT and "business" plans (space planning, schematic plans, evacuation); for precise/detailed architecture, prefer CAD (AutoCAD, Revit).
Visio vs Dedicated Engineering Software: Visio suits DRAWING/DOCUMENTING these diagrams accessibly; for deep/specialized engineering, domain-dedicated software is often preferable.
Shapes Pane / Drawing Page: Shapes pane (on the left): shows stencils and their shapes, lets you open/search for more. Drawing page (center): the work area, with a grid.