Customisation of Gaant Diagrams in Visio

[Brian Leapman]

I am looking to use Visio as our primary modelling and monitoring tool in our
business for the management of mulitple parallel processes and their state.

Q's
Can I use an elapsed time shape within the Gantt Diagram for each task?

Can I add a Color Value to each Gantt Diagram task?

Can I add an Icon Set Shape to each Gant Diagram task?

Can I position the Icon Set Shape to align with the Elapsed Time shape, so
that the Icon moves down the line according to the elapsed time?

If the task is aborted or temporarilly halted can I show that the elapsed
time is halted and lagging behind the rest of the tasks?

Can I hyperlink from the Icon Set Shape (or any Visio Shape for that matter)
to another Visio diagram that gives greater or lesser detail of the task or
process?

Would the layer function be better for this last task? I am concerned that
the view might become overladen with two much informationif it is overlaid on
the rest of the exisitng diagram, so my preference is to open up a new
diagram in a different layer in a different view.

For all these questions if the answer is yes, can you tell me how to do this
or the location of the information that tells me how it can be accomplished.

Your assistance is greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance for any
insight you are able to give me.

 

[John Goldsmith]

Hello Brian,

Answers are below.

Best regards

John


John Goldsmith
www.visualSignals.co.uk

I am looking to use Visio as our primary modelling and monitoring tool in
our
business for the management of mulitple parallel processes and their
state.

Q's
Can I use an elapsed time shape within the Gantt Diagram for each task?

The Task shape has a percentage complete shape within it. Does this do what
you want? Select the task and then drag the left yellow control handle to
the desired position or enter the % value in the Shape Data window.

Can I add a Color Value to each Gantt Diagram task?

Yes. There is a Color by value Data Graphic (Data / Display Data on
shapes... / New Data Graphic / New Item / Color by value...). This also
applies the same colour to the percentage complete shape as well, so you
might want to edit some of the formulae in the Task bar master's shapesheet.
If you're familiar with the ShapeSheet and would like some help with this,
you might benefit from a separate post. (I'll keep an eye out.)

Can I add an Icon Set Shape to each Gant Diagram task?

Yes. Select your task/s shape/s and select Data / Display Data on shapes...
/ New Data Graphic / New Item / Icon Set...

Can I position the Icon Set Shape to align with the Elapsed Time shape, so
that the Icon moves down the line according to the elapsed time?

Not easily. The Icon gets applied to the Task group shape (even if you sub
select the percentage complete shape first). Again, this would require you
to look at the master's shapesheet.

If the task is aborted or temporarilly halted can I show that the elapsed
time is halted and lagging behind the rest of the tasks?

I'm afraid I'm not clear on your question here. There are two sets of
timings such as Start Date and Actual Start Date. This would at least give
a data representation if not a visual one.

Can I hyperlink from the Icon Set Shape (or any Visio Shape for that
matter)
to another Visio diagram that gives greater or lesser detail of the task
or
process?

Yes. Check out Insert / Hyperlink... which will give you right-click link
options.

Would the layer function be better for this last task? I am concerned that
the view might become overladen with two much informationif it is overlaid
on
the rest of the exisitng diagram, so my preference is to open up a new
diagram in a different layer in a different view.

My feeling is no, it wouldn't. Better to link to other pages/docs depending
on the size of the sub-tasks.