Create a Custom Shape and Assigning it a Master Shape Number

[Angie]

I am trying to create Org Charts for my orgnaization. I need to have custom
shapes (i.e. a gray filled box for the vacant positions) for specific
positions. Can someone advise me on how to create custom shapes and then
assign a master shape number so I can use these shapes when I load my excel
spreadsheet through the wizard.
Thanks!

 

[Paul Herber]

I am trying to create Org Charts for my orgnaization. I need to have custom
shapes (i.e. a gray filled box for the vacant positions) for specific
positions. Can someone advise me on how to create custom shapes and then
assign a master shape number so I can use these shapes when I load my excel
spreadsheet through the wizard.

Try an easy option first. Create your diagram using the standard
shapes, then open the Document Stencil (menu File -> Shapes -> Show
Document Stencil), double click the Vacancy shape to edit it, select
the shape, do your shape fill, close the shape and say yes to updating
all instances.

 

[Angie]

Thanks for the tip! That worked but it looks like everytime we run the
wizard we would have to do this.....and since there is no way (that I have
found) to update a chart, we could be running the wizard quite often. Is
there a way to have this edit save? We also have other custom shapes we use,
for example if you are not located at our main office we give that box a
different shape. Is it possible to have the wizard load these shapes as
well....we use all the master shapes provided?

Thanks again for the tip and appreciate any insight you could provide.
Thanks!

 

[Paul Herber]

Thanks for the tip! That worked but it looks like everytime we run the
wizard we would have to do this.....and since there is no way (that I have
found) to update a chart, we could be running the wizard quite often. Is
there a way to have this edit save?

Yes, in Windows Explorer find the folder where Visio is installed
under Program Files, find the org chart stencil ORGCH_U.CSS or
ORGCH_M.VSS (US units or metric) and copy and paste it to a new folder
where you can work on it, into your My Documents for example. Save a
copy of this file in case you mess things up.

Start Visio, open a new blank document, menu File -> Open and navigate
to where you saved the above stencil.
Right click on the stencil's title bar and selecr Edit Stencil. This
will show as a red star in the corner.
Double click the shape you want to edit, you will now be in shape edit
mode. Select the shape, apply you new fill colour, close the edit
window, saying yes to Save of course. Save the changes to the stencil
and close Visio. Copy and paste your edited stencil back to where it
came from originally. Open Visio and create an org chart, drop your
edited shape on the drawing and it should have your new fill colour.

Repeat for other shapes.

 

[Angie]

Thanks again...that helped. I was able to edit and save the vacant position
to meet what we needed. However, we have now used all the positions (ie,
Executive, Manager, Position, Consultant, Vacant, Assistant) and still need
one more shape. Is there a way to create a new custom shape and assign a
master shape number so we can use it through the wizard.

Thanks again for the insight!

 

[Paul Herber]

Thanks again...that helped. I was able to edit and save the vacant position
to meet what we needed. However, we have now used all the positions (ie,
Executive, Manager, Position, Consultant, Vacant, Assistant) and still need
one more shape. Is there a way to create a new custom shape and assign a
master shape number so we can use it through the wizard.

I very much doubt whether the wizard or the org chart addon will do
anything with any extra shape.
However, you could tag the items for the extra shape by putting some
special marker text in the name or something. Now run your wizard, you
now need to substitute these tagged shapes for your new shape. Please
try out the utilities below, I do a shape substitute. Select "Prompt
for each substitution" and move the dialog box to the side so you can
see which shape is about to be changed. It can do the whole document
in one go, even do all open documents if you want to.