With MS Visio, you have the opportunity to create professional organizational charts that visually represent your team structure. In this guide, you will learn step by step how to create a custom organizational chart from scratch. We will explore the various design options available to you.
Key Takeaways
- You will learn how to create your own organizational charts without using templates.
- There are different shapes you can use for your organizational chart.
- You will learn how to duplicate and connect shapes.
Step-by-Step Guide
To create your own organizational chart in MS Visio, follow these steps:
To start, open MS Visio and select the "New" option. Then click on the "Organizational Chart" category to access the templates. However, for this guide, we do not want to use a pre-made organizational chart but instead use the organizational chart wizard to create a completely unique design.
Now, you should see the organizational chart wizard dialog. However, you can close this dialog since you want to create the organizational chart from scratch. In the left pane, you will find a variety of shapes specifically designed for organizational charts. Choose the appropriate shapes for your organizational chart.
After selecting the shapes, you can position them on the drawing canvas. When you drag a shape onto the workspace, you can duplicate it by holding the control key. This is particularly useful when you need multiple identical positions. Start with the top position, the leader, and drag the shape to the top of your drawing area.
Now, you will want to add more objects that should be below the leader. Drag a shape for two superiors and place it directly below the leader. Ensure to evenly space them to achieve a clean layout.
To add the next level of your structure, you can use a shape for four advisors. Place this below the superiors and ensure an even arrangement. Follow the same steps to create the final level with five assistants.
Once you have positioned all shapes, it is important to connect the individual shapes. Select the top shape and go to the view option. Activate the "AutoConnect" feature to quickly connect to the next level. If needed, you can also manually create connections by selecting the connection tool and linking the appropriate links.
Now you should have established all connections between the shapes. To visually refine the structure more quickly, you can use the connection tools again. Use the autoformat tool to quickly finalize your organizational chart.
It is now time to customize the names and titles in your organizational chart. Simply click on the shape and enter the appropriate name or title for each position. This will give your organizational chart a personal touch and make it ready for sharing or use in presentations.
Once you are done with the names and design, you have successfully created your first custom organizational chart. How to further format it to make it more appealing will be the content of the next lesson.
Summary
In this guide, you learned how to create an organizational chart in MS Visio from scratch. We covered selecting and positioning shapes, duplicating objects, and connecting shapes. Finally, you also learned how to customize names and titles to make your organizational chart individually designed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I create an organizational chart in MS Visio?You open Visio, select "New," and access the shapes for organizational charts to start your design.
Can I use templates to design my organizational chart?Yes, you can use templates, but this guide describes creating from scratch.
How do I connect the individual shapes in my organizational chart?You can do this either through the "AutoConnect" feature or manually using the connection tool.
How can I customize the names and titles in the organizational chart?Simply click on the corresponding shape and enter the necessary information.
What will I learn in the next tutorial?In the next tutorial, we will focus on how you can further format and customize your organizational chart.
