You'll notice some changes as soon as you start Microsoft Office Visio 2003. The toolbars and menu bar have a new look, and there are several more task panes available on the right side of the drawing page. For example, when you start Visio you can use task panes to get task and diagram-specific information while you work, review diagrams, search the Web, collaborate, and so on. But the features that are new or improved in this version of Visio go beyond just changes in appearance. Some changes won't be apparent until you start using Visio.
To help you quickly identify features that are new or enhanced in this version of Visio, this book uses the New icon in the margin whenever those features are discussed or shown.
The following table lists the new features that you might be interested in, as well as the chapters in which those features are discussed.
To learn how to | See |
|---|---|
Download templates that come with shapes already on the drawing page | |
Get task and diagram-specific information while you work | |
See sample diagrams for every diagram type in Visio and find ideas about who could use the diagrams and how | |
Find an answer to a Visio question on the Internet using the Visio Help task pane | |
Find specific information about how to use a template | |
Find product tours, templates, sample diagrams, tutorials, tips and tricks, in-depth articles about using Visio, answers to frequently asked questions, and links to Knowledge Base articles | |
Locate a shape using the Search for Shapes box | |
Rotate a shape using the new rotation handle | |
Select multiple shapes using the selection tools on the Pointer Tool menu | |
Resize more than one shape at a time | |
Insert clip art into diagrams using the new Clip Art task pane | |
Automatically reroute and connect shapes in a flowchart when you add a shape between two shapes that are already connected | |
Use new and improved timeline shapes | |
Insert expanded timelines into a diagram that are synchronized with the primary timeline | |
Use new and improved office layout shapes | |
Specify the employee information you want to show in organization chart shapes | |
Experiment with different organization chart layouts | |
Use new and improved network equipment shapes | |
Use new and improved organization chart shapes | |
Create reports based on data stored in network diagrams | |
Easily access drawing tools on the new Drawing toolbar | |
Change the behavior of groups and shapes within groups | |
Use the Pointer tool to modify custom shapes | |
Organize shapes on the new Favorites stencil |
Some new features are beyond the scope of this book. However, you can easily find out more about them. In Visio, type the name of the feature in the Type a question for help box in the upper right corner of the Visio window, and then press the 
key.
Feature | Description |
|---|---|
Brainstorming Diagram template | Capture and arrange ideas with the new Brainstorming Diagram template. Export the diagram to a Microsoft Office Word outline to see the information in a linear view. |
Business Process category | The new Business Process category includes templates you can use to create audit diagrams, basic flowcharts, cause and effect (fishbone) diagrams, cross-functional flowcharts, EPC diagrams, fault tree analysis diagrams, total quality management (TQM) diagrams, and workflow diagrams. |
Calendar template | Import schedule information from Microsoft Office Outlook into the improved Calendar template, and then easily customize the information to suit your needs. |
Ink tool | Sketch freely as you would on paper or whiteboards on your Tablet PC by using the new Ink tool. |
Reviewing task pane | Mark up Visio diagrams with shapes and annotations using the new Reviewing task pane. |
Shared Workspace task pane | Easily collaborate on and share documents by using the Microsoft Office SharePoint integration in Visio 2003 incorporated into the Shared Workspace task pane. |
Research task pane | Quickly find and refer to information online and on your computer without leaving Visio by using the Research task pane. |
For more information about Visio products, visit the Microsoft Office Online Web site (http://www.office.microsoft.com/) or in Visio, on the Help menu, click Microsoft Office Online.