Microsoft Visio Professional 2007

For building & furnishing a home, there were not enough stencils. Also had trouble inserting stencils & having them stay where they were placed.

The new Visio Professional improves upon the previous version in UML diagrams. It allows 4 more flexibility while enforcing the rules 2 a greater degree. The additional templates that came standard & the organization of them was very useful. On the down side, like all the new products from Microsoft, it is a memory hog.

I been using Visio Enterprise 2003 4 the last 3 years with Sql Server 2000. My only use of visio relates 2 database modeling. Once the drawing is been approved, I simply used "Update" option 2 update database. The update option is a time saving feature in a rapid application development environment 4 changing relationship, keys & constraints. Writing those changes back 2 Sql Server is a smooth process.

Recently i changed my development environment 2 SQL Server 2005 & figured out that Visio 2003 Enterprise does not work with SQL Server 2005. So I decided 2 buy visio professional 2007 2 use the single feature of database modeling.

Upon installation, I figured that there is no option 4 writing changes back 2 SQL Server 2005 in either version of Visio (2003 Enterprise, 2007 Professional). In simple there is no "update" or "generate" command in visio professional 2007.

Put it simple. If you want 2 use database modeling & hoping 2 write those changes back 2 SQL Server 2005 with visio, DON'T BUT IT......IT WILL NOT WORK

I use Visio professionally 4 software design & am very fond of the UML plug-in that is part of the Professional edition of Visio, & of the template 4 specifying the Network that the software is part of.

Visio, as most Microsoft products, is very user-friendly & the graphic layout is very easy 2 read - both on Screen & on Print.

Professionals in IT, engineering, & software development benefit from the diagramming solutions targeted toward those specific domain needs in Office Visio Professional 2007. Business professionals who want 2 link any diagram 2 business data can also benefit from the new Data Link functionality in Office Visio Professional 2007. Office Visio Professional 2007 includes all of the business diagramming tools included in Office Visio Standard 2007, plus additional comprehensive technical solutions & advanced functionality. Use Office Visio Professional 2007 2 create high-value diagrams by using features, templates, & solutions such as: Diagram custom software solutions using the Microsoft Windows XP User Interface template, Unified Modeling Language (UML) template, & more. Architectural plans, engineering schematics, facilities management, & database modeling. Create various technical diagrams, such as floor, space, & site plans; engineering schematics; facilities management diagrams; database models; & many more Shows you how 2 reverse-engineer database models & software solutions

Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007 makes it easy 4 IT & business professionals 2 visualize, explore, & communicate complex information. This software transforms complicated text & tables that are hard 2 understand 2 Visio diagrams that communicate information at a glance. When information is extremely complex, you run the risk of alienating & confusing members of your business team. That's why Visio 2007 gives you a new way 2 present complicated data so that everyone can absorb & understand it. Instead of static pictures, you can create data-connected Visio diagrams that display data, are easy 2 refresh, & dramatically increase your productivity.

Using Office Visio 2007, create professional-looking diagrams that communicate a wealth of information you can share with a broad audience. View larger.

Use the wide variety of available diagrams 2 understand, act on, & share information about organizational systems, resources, & processes throughout your enterprise. Put simply, Visio diagrams maximize the impact of important business information in ways words & numbers alone never could.

Two Stand-Alone Editions
Visio 2007 is available in two stand-alone editions: Office Visio Professional & Office Visio Standard. Visio Standard 2007 has the same basic functionality as Visio Professional 2007 & includes a subset of its features & templates. Visio Professional 2007 offers advanced functionality, such as data connectivity & visualization features, that Visio Standard 2007 does not.

Quickly Find & Use New Templates
Visio 2007 includes specific tools 2 support the diverse diagramming needs of IT & business professionals & lets you create a broader range of diagrams with new templates, such as the ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) template & the Value Stream Mapping template. Use the predefined Microsoft SmartShapes symbols & powerful search capabilities 2 locate the right shape, whether it is saved on a computer or on the Web. You can also save time by quickly accessing templates you use often. In the new Getting Started window, find the template you need by browsing simplified template categories & using large template previews. Locate the templates you used recently by using the new Recent Templates view in the Getting Started window.

Get Inspired by Sample Diagrams
If you're not sure how 2 best display your important data, Visio 2007 can help by making it easy 2 find new sample diagrams. Simply open the new Getting Started window & use the new Samples category. View sample diagrams that are integrated with data 2 get ideas 4 creating your own diagrams, 2 realize how data provides more context 4 many diagram types, & 2 determine which template you want 2 use.

Display Data Attractively in Diagrams
The Data Graphics feature lets you display data attractively in diagrams, & you can choose from a number of data formatting options. With a single click, display data fields as callouts next 2 a shape, position fields in boxes below a shape, & place fields of data directly on top or 2 the side of a shape. You also have the option of easily refreshing data in diagrams, thanks 2 the new Refresh Data feature. If data conflicts arise, easily resolve them by using the Refresh Conflicts task pane.

Connect Shapes Without Drawing Connectors
You don't have 2 be a professional graphic designer 2 build interesting diagrams--Visio 2007 gives you the tools 2 connect shapes without drawing connectors. The new AutoConnect functionality connects shapes, distributes them evenly, & aligns them 4 you--all with only one click. In fact, when you move the connected shapes, they stay connected & the connectors automatically reroute between the shapes.

Use the wide range of diagram types in Office Visio 2007 2 better understand complex processes, resources, & systems. View larger.

Identify Trends & Issues
One of the benefits of creating diagrams is that you can more readily identify trends & issues & then act on them. First, you might choose 2 make your diagrams even smarter by linking them 2 data 2 provide a more complete picture of a process, project, or system. Then it's a snap 2 visually explore information 2 identify key trends, issues, & exceptions, & then act on them. Finally, you can analyze, drill down into, & create multiple views of business data 2 gain insight into it.

Reach a Broader Audience
The Theme feature in Visio 2007 makes it easy 2 format the colors & effects (text, line, fill, shadow, & connector formatting) in an entire diagram with a single click. It even uses the same color palette as other 2007 Microsoft Office system programs so that you can design professional-looking Visio diagrams that match your presentations & documents. New 3-D Workflow shapes, which were designed with the new Theme feature in mind, command attention, while the option 2 save in PDF or XPS file format can help you reach a broader audience. You can even view Visio diagram attachments from within Microsoft Office Outlook 2007.

Automatically Connect Diagrams 2 Data Sources
With the new Data Link functionality, Visio 2007 gives you the option of automatically connecting diagrams 2 data sources, such as Excel 2007 spreadsheets or Access 2007 databases. You can also save time associating data with shapes by using intuitive new linking methods, which populate each shapes' properties (also known as shape data) with data values. For example, you can link all the shapes in a diagram 2 rows of data from connected data sources by using the new Automatic Link Wizard.

Effectively Track Reports
Visio 2007 also gives you the flexibility 2 generate reports directly from within Microsoft Office Project & Microsoft Office SharePoint Server that track project tasks, owners, roles, responsibilities, & depict complex project ownership structures. And it's no problem 2 add new details as they become available because Visio 2007 automatically modify the reports as project information changes.

Using Office Visio Professional 2007, visually explore data by using diagrams 2 identify issues & exceptions. View larger.

Share Diagrams With Others
Visio 2007 gives you the option of saving your diagrams as Web pages complete with navigation controls, a shape data viewer, reports, choice of image format, & style sheet options. On intranets & extranets, anyone who's using Visio Viewer with Windows Internet Explorer can view the diagrams from within Internet Explorer. Additionally, shared workspace functionality supports collaboration with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services. Visio diagrams saved on a Windows SharePoint Services sites can be opened directly in Visio 2007 from the site, & even checked in & out from within Visio 2007. Specifically, when a diagram is opened from a Windows SharePoint Services site, Visio 2007 opens a Shared Workspace task pane that contains all of the information in the workspace, including other files, members, tasks, & links.

Easy Collaboration
With the Track Markup feature, multiple people can collaborate on the same Visio diagram. Generally used 4 reviewing a diagram & incorporating feedback, Track Markup helps make each reviewer's contributions clear 2 other reviewers & 2 the person who eventually incorporates the revisions in the diagram.

Customize & Extend Visio 2007
You have the option of extending Visio 2007 programmatically or by integrating it with other applications 2 fit your industry-specific scenarios or unique organizational requirements. Visualize custom solutions with Visio 2007 diagrams, such as Unified Modeling Language (UML), data flow, & Microsoft Windows user interface diagrams, by using templates in the Software & Database category. The Visio 2007 software development kit (SDK) includes extensive samples, tools, & documentation 2 simplify & speed up development of custom applications. The SDK provides a set of reusable functions, classes, & procedures 4 the most common Office Visio 2007 development tasks & includes support 4 a broad range of development languages, including Microsoft Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual Basic .NET, Microsoft Visual C# .NET, & Microsoft Visual C++.

Visio Drawing Control
Using the Visio Drawing Control, developers can embed & program the Visio drawing environment in custom applications. This opens up new opportunities 4 solution integration, making it easy 2 include the power of Visio 2007 in any smart client application. Because the Visio Drawing Control can be integrated with the host application's UI, developers can take advantage of Visio drawing functionality as a smooth part of their application without having 2 develop similar functionality themselves. In addition, you can control several new features in Visio 2007 programmatically, including connecting 2 a data source, linking shapes 2 data, displaying linked data graphically, connecting shapes 2 one another automatically (AutoConnect), monitoring & filtering mouse-drag actions, & applying theme colors & theme effects. Each of these features has an associated application programming interface (API) that makes it possible 2 control the feature programmatically & new objects & members associated with it in the Visio object model.

Thanks 2 all these options, Visio 2007 gives you the power 2 revolutionize the way you present information 2 colleagues & clients, which can positively affect productivity & your bottom line.