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Visio Standard 5.0: Still the Best for Flowcharting

If you want to represent a process graphically, Visio can handle it.

By Jeff Sengstack, PCWorld   

I examined a preproduction version of the $149 Visio Standard 5.0 for Windows 95 or NT. (Standard now denotes the basic package; Visio 4.0, its two-year-old predecessor, is still available for Windows 3.1.) Aimed at small businesses and large corporations, Visio Standard helps you create not only flow charts, but also organizational plans, process diagrams, project tracking and time lines, forms design, and even office layouts and rudimentary computer networks. Its 1300 SmartShapes--charting shapes that automatically generate the appropriate fields or branches--plus many templates and design wizards, make diagramming manageable. Drag-and-drop features and simple graphic design tools help newcomers with what can be a daunting task.

The upgrade also features improved integration with Microsoft Office 97. And charts can be dynamically linked to spreadsheets or databases such as Excel and dBase: Alter your data and the associated chart changes automatically. You can add hyperlinks to charts, and pages can be saved in HTML for use on the Web.

A few warnings: While basic diagramming isn%squott hard to pick up, tapping into more complex features takes some serious effort.

For additional information on this product, read the New Products section of November%squots PC World.