Manage labels in MS Visio - efficiently and easily

Working with MS Visio provides great dramaturgical possibilities when creating diagrams and drawings. One of the often underrated features in Visio is the ability to add labels that give clear meaning to your shapes. In this tutorial, you will learn how to effectively manage labels to optimize your visualizations.

Key Takeaways

• You can enter labels directly into shapes or use a double-click to start editing.
• There are numerous formatting options to customize the text according to your needs.
• Groups can also receive labels, and you can connect external text boxes to groups.
• Specific shapes, such as computers or monitors, have special text boxes with predefined positioning.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Create and Label Shape

First, you need to create a shape in your drawing. Place a square on the canvas. Then, you can write directly into the shape by simply entering the text, for example, "This is a label". You have now successfully added your first label.

Step 2: Undo Changes

If you want to undo a change made, you can use the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl + Z". This will remove the text from your shape, and you will see that no label is present anymore.

Step 3: Double-Click for Editing

Another way to add a label is by double-clicking on the shape. This will directly enter the shape's editing mode. The original formatting style may change, but you can add text to the label again.

Step 4: Adjust Text Formatting

You can format the entered text in the shape as desired. Highlight the text and change the font in the dropdown menu on the upper left side. You can adjust the font size, as well as format the text as bold, italic, or underlined.

Step 5: Change Colors

To further customize the visual appearance of your label, you can choose different colors ranging from yellow to orange. There are numerous color options available for you to use in the text.

Step 6: Create Groups

If you have multiple shapes, you may want to group them. Hold down the "Ctrl" key and select the desired shapes. Then press "Ctrl + A" to select all. Right-click to add these shapes to a group and collectively label them.

Step 7: Label Grouped Shapes

Once the shapes are grouped, you can also add a label by entering text similar to before. You can title the group, for example, with "This is a group".

Step 8: Add Textboxes

In addition to shapes, you can also create a textbox and adjust it to the optimal position. Place the textbox, for example, at the top of your drawing and add the text. This gives you more flexibility in the placement of the label.

Step 9: Connect Textbox to the Group

To connect the textbox to the group, select the textbox and use the "Ctrl" key while selecting the group shape. This allows you to copy the textbox and integrate it into the group.

Step 10: Use Special Shapes

Some shapes, like computers and monitors, have special text boxes. Select such a shape, place it, and enter relevant text – for example, "I am a laptop". Note that the text appears at a specific position within the shape by default.

Step 11: Adjust font size

The font size of the texts in special shapes can also be increased. The text will then be larger in the shape, which benefits readability and overall presentation.

Summary

In this tutorial, you have learned how to efficiently use different types of labels in MS Visio. From direct text input in shapes, adjusting formatting, to using groups and special shapes - you are now well equipped to make your drawings clearer and more attractive.