Office Visio Standard 2003

Office Visio Standard 2003 is an exceptionally flexible diagramming tool based on the concept of smart shapes. Shapes can be positioned, sized, labelled, connected and grouped to create many different diagram types. Visio comes with a number of templates, including flow charts, organisation charts and project timelines. Each template has an extensive range of appropriate shapes, so you can create professional-quality diagrams by drag-and-drop. Templates are rich, each having its own online help and sometimes dedicated menus, giving Visio the feel of a specialist package in whatever area the template covers. Diagrams can get large and complex, but this version of Visio benefits from a handy Pan and Zoom tool that presents a miniature view of the entire diagram, making it easy to navigate to the right spot and to enlarge or reduce the scale.

This is a product that works on all sorts of levels. Occasional users can easily dip into Visio and quickly create a diagram. Developers on the other hand can create new shapes using the new ShapeStudio add-on, automate diagrams with Visual Basic for Applications, or embed diagrams in other applications via the Visio ActiveX control. A free viewer enables diagrams to be shared with those who do not own the full Visio product. Office Visio Standard 2003 has new templates for documenting business processes, as well as enhancements to many of the existing templates. Tablet users can create hand-drawn shapes. There is also support for collaboration by tracking changes, or those with Windows Server 2003 can use document workspaces to enables features such as team working and change notification. The only caveat with Visio is that much hinges on the quality of the templates, so if you have a particular use in mind it is worth checking that a suitable template exists. This standard version has a limited number, while the professional version has an extended range including building plans, engineering, networking and software development. As a general-purpose diagramming tool Office Visio Standard 2003 is outstanding. --Tim Anderson

Visio 2003 is a diagramming program that can help you create business and technical diagrams that document and organize complex ideas, processes, and systems. Diagrams created in Visio 2003 enable you to visualize and communicate information clearly, concisely, and effectively in ways that text and numbers cannot. Visio 2003 also automates data visualization by synchronizing directly with data sources to provide up-to-date diagrams, and it can be customized to meet the needs of your organization.Use Visio to easily create business and technical diagrams to think through, organize, and better understand complex ideas, processes, and systems. Easily assemble diagrams by dragging predefined Microsoft SmartShapes symbols. Use tools designed for specific professional disciplines for business and technical diagramming requirements throughout your organization. Generate common diagram types from existing data. Access context-sensitive Help and task-specific templates that are updated regularly from the Web.Visualize and communicate ideas, information, and systems. Create visually rich diagrams for maximum impact on your audience. Share diagrams in workspace files on your team's Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services site. Annotate diagrams more naturally using digital ink on the Tablet PC. Track reviewers' comments and changes to shapes and digital ink using the new review mode. Publish and share your diagrams with improved Save as Web Page functionality. Import and export diagrams in Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format, a new Extensible Markup Language (XML) standard for Web graphics.Do more sophisticated work, improve comprehension, and increase productivity to make an impact on your business. Integrate business processes and systems by extracting data from your Visio diagrams and importing it to Microsoft Office Access 2003, Microsoft Office Excel 2003, Microsoft Office Word 2003, Microsoft SQL Server, XML, and other formats. Incorporate Visio 2003 into powerful Microsoft .NET-connected software to address specific business needs. Embed Visio drawing controls in line-of-business applications built using .NET-connected software or the Microsoft Windows operating system.Visio 2003 provides updated Network templates and shapes. Basic Network drawings can be used in presentations, proposals, and conceptual layouts. Meanwhile, Detailed Network drawings can be used for creating more complex, elaborate diagrams, including actual network configurations. The new Rack Diagram drawing provides rack and cabinet shapes, as well as rack component and Room shapes, for drawing accurate representations of network server room configurations. Rack components snap to industry-specific sizes, and snap to the rack and cabinet shapes for easy creation of rack diagrams. The three directory services templates can be used to design new directories, create alternative designs for existing directories, or create plans for updating or migrating a current network's directory service.Visio Standard 2003 edition enables users to visualize, document, communicate, and share ideas with attention-grabbing flowcharts, organization charts, office layouts, and more.