refreshing data from excel in org chart

[merlin]

Once I've used the org chart wizard to construct an org chart, can I update
the chart if the excel sheet is changed? At the moment it looks to me as
though I have to go through the wizard again.

On a similar topic, what is the logic used when laying out the subordinate
boxes? On my test excel sheet I named staff 'person 1', 'person 2' etc up to
6 and they were layed out in the order 5 3 1 6 2 4. That's pretty annoying
because it means I can't place my boxes in a chosen order e.g. alpabetically
or by seniority etc. Is there a way around this?

 

[Mark Nelson [MS]]

The Org Chart wizard does not have the ability to refresh an existing
diagram. There is a way to do this using the Data Link capability in Visio
2007, which is now available as a free Beta.

You can download the Visio 2007 Beta here:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/default.mspx

You can read about Data Link and Refresh here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/eric_rockey/archive/2005/12/06/500395.aspx

The Org Chart wizard also arranges the data from Excel in random order.
This is a limitation of the feature.

--
Mark Nelson
Office Graphics - Visio
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[merlin777]

am I going about this in the wrong way.... should I be using access instead
of excel to get an easy refresh of an org chart when staff change? I don't
mind refreshing from within visio, I just don't want to have to use the
wizard again.

And would that allow me to add and update photos using the wizard when the
org chart is first set up?

 

[Barb Way]

You've made the right start - using the wizard to get the initial
data/drawing setup. The Org Chart itself does not have a Refresh feature,
so the only tool to get the most current data is to run the import wizard
again, regardless of your data source.

To create links in an existing drawing, you have these options:
If you have Visio 2007, you can follow the suggestions Mark made below, to
set up links for the data items (rows) to your drawing items (shapes with
data displayed in them).
If instead, you have Visio 2003, there is an older Data Linking wizard,
which is not nearly as easy and intuitive to use as the 2007 data features,
but you can create links.


Barb Way
Product Support - Visio
Microsoft Corporation
[This posting is provided "As Is" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.]
--------------------

am I going about this in the wrong way.... should I be using access instead
of excel to get an easy refresh of an org chart when staff change? I don't
mind refreshing from within visio, I just don't want to have to use the
wizard again.

And would that allow me to add and update photos using the wizard when the
org chart is first set up?