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Microsoft Visio

Score7.7 out of 10

378 Reviews and Ratings

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What is Microsoft Visio?

Microsoft offers Visio, a diagramming tool for building flowcharts, diagrams (e.g. network diagrams), org charts and floor plans, available online as a subscription and also in enterprise level packages (e.g. Visio Professional).

Categories & Use Cases

Reviews

What users are saying about Microsoft Visio.
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Microsoft Visio a reliable and flexible tool

Incentivized
David Castro
Network Architect in Information Technology at TTEC (1001-5000 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use Microsoft Visio in our organization for multiple purposes, we draw new network diagrams, or modify existing ones with new updates. We also create traffic flow diagrams for in house applications, or on cloud apps, this allows the teams to have knowledge of dependencies of the applications and the network TCP/UDP ports used per application. We have many scopes for Microsoft Visio since it allows to use it internally and for customer deliverables as well. The problems it solves is definitely the gap of knowledge to understand how things are designed, work together and also micro application communication and dependencies.

Pros

  • Allows for Multi-vendor product stencils to be used and create a physical diagram
  • Allows for rack layouts to be created in detailed.
  • It works online now, so you can update one diagram and it keeps the version updated.
  • Allows to create connection points in a stencil so you can draw and connect multiple devices to it.
  • Allows for flow diagrams

Cons

  • More flexibility like apps draw.io online
  • Connection points need to be created manually while other apps do it automatically in the stencil.
  • Stencil upload manual process, while it would be better to exist an online menu of stencils,
  • Uploading a diagram from draw.io to Visio breaks the original diagram

Return on Investment

  • Per user license make it flexible to turn on/off individual licenses and save costs.
  • Based on the multiple use cases of the App the ROI is pretty high (Rack layouts, network diagrams, flow diagrams, application diagrams).
  • Multi-vendor stencils support or custom created stencils supported.

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Excalidraw+, Lucid Visual Collaboration Suite, Google Drive, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Anthropic Claude, Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Visual Studio Code

Other Software Used

Lucid Visual Collaboration Suite, ChatGPT, Google Authenticator, GoldWave, Notepad++, Microsoft Visual Studio Code, Postman, Microsoft Teams, Cisco AnyConnect, Google Chrome, LastPass for Business, 1Password, SecureCRT, Datadog, Nectar, Planview ChangePoint, Cisco Duo

Microsoft Visio - great workhorse for process flow

Incentivized
Tim KikkeView profile
Head of PMO in Information Technology at Kerv (501-1000 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use Microsoft Visio mainly as a process mapping tool, creating mostly cross-functional swim lane diagrams for discrete processes or application integrations. Through the use of templating and agreed shapes and other artefacts, Microsoft Visio is used to create a large portion of the training material and system analysis documentation before development and deployment.

Pros

  • Templating
  • Cross-functional swim lane diagrams
  • PDF creation
  • Process mapping
  • Training materials

Cons

  • Infinity board (e.g Miro or Lucid)
  • Training seminars
  • Collaboration (e.g Miro or Lucid)

Return on Investment

  • Accelerated integration time with our customer environments
  • Removed scope creep from our project delivery due to detailed diagrams for work planning
  • Enhanced new joiner on-boarding due to process flows created using same templates and level

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Miro and Lucid Visual Collaboration Suite

Other Software Used

Lucid Visual Collaboration Suite, Miro

The Value Stream Mapping Super Tool - Visio

Incentivized
Verified User
Engineer in Professional Services (1001-5000 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

There are two primary tasks that we use Visio for in our Orgnaization. First, we use it to Value Stream Map the processes at each of warehouses every 18 months. From this Value Stream Map we create in Visio, we will then develop our Contiuous Improvement Roadmap.

We also use Visio to create Swin Lanes for new processes and projects that are rolled out in our network to give our users a good visual representation of what they will be doing and how the process should flow.

Pros

  • Built in templates to do Swim Lanes for new processes.
  • Built in templates to do Value Stream Mapping Sessions.
  • All of the shapes need to build out detail process maps for new or updated processes.

Cons

  • Using the arrow shape to connect boxes sometimes does not follow the direction you are trying to make it go.
  • Coverting to a PDF for non-Visio users sometimes cuts off key pieces of the process map.
  • It would be nice to see more native integration with the rest of Office 365.

Return on Investment

  • It has reduced the time need to create our Value Stream Maps by 50% compared to use either Excel or PowerPoint.
  • Having Version History makes it easy to see the before and after impact of process changes and ensures the process changes are delivering maximum results.
  • It has streamlined our Continuous Improvement Roadmap creation process and ensures all are being developed in the same manner.

Usability

Alternatives Considered

SmartDraw

Other Software Used

Microsoft 365, Vsimple, AutoCAD

Visio built the standard but collaboration and speed moved on.

Incentivized
Verified User
Engineer in Sales (1001-5000 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Microsoft Visio was long the go-to tool for architecture diagrams. I invested significant time creating stencils of my most frequently used icons and logos, which became a standard adopted by colleagues. For me, one of Visio’s key strengths was the ability to define and distribute standards through reusable templates and shareable stencils. Over time, however, it became increasingly difficult to ensure everyone had the appropriate licensing, and even more challenging to maintain consistent usage across the organization. In addition, while Visio can produce very clean diagrams, it can be somewhat finicky; the quality of the final output is often directly proportional to the time and attention the author invests. Visio also isn’t well-suited to “live” diagramming during meetings and offers limited support for real-time collaboration. This summary reflects my personal opinion only and does not represent my company's views.

Pros

  • Clean diagrams.
  • Easily shared through email.
  • Editable by the receiver.
  • Generally accepted as a standard.

Cons

  • Finicky, quality of the result proportional to time and care invested.
  • Large files become unstable.
  • Not good for collaboration (internal or external).

Return on Investment

  • Diagraming is taken for granted, lowest cost is better.

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Miro, draw.io and Mural

Other Software Used

Miro, Mural, draw.io

Microsoft Visio user review

Incentivized
Verified User
Consultant in Information Technology (1-10 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Documentation of existing networks and network upgrades/modifications that occur at corporate and remote locations. These include rack layouts, floor diagrams, power and wiring layouts and geographical location specifics to assist technical team members understand work efforts that need to be delivered for the project on the "big picture" and detailed level.

Pros

  • The rack elevations and placement of components
  • The cross connect capabilities of components
  • The additional notation details that can be added
  • Addind specific images if needed for clarity
  • Layered linking to other pages

Cons

  • Integrated coding or scripting for object for basic config notes
  • Integration notes for implementation ticketing
  • Integration with project management

Return on Investment

  • Improved communications with teams
  • Reduced time to implement a solution
  • Improved time to resolve design issues

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Dell PowerEdge and IBM z/OS

Other Software Used

VMware Workstation Pro, Microsoft 365, VMware Workstation Player

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