Create table / grid in a Wireframe Visio 2010 diagram

Question

I'm loving the added Wireframe template and corresponding shapes in Visio 2010. One thing I can't seem to find though (not in Visio, Office help or using Google) is a good way to draw tabular controls.

The only built-in shape that comes close is a List Box of which I can link several together. However this has several disadvantages as this leaves me without "rows" in my table.

Does anyone have a good suggestion on how to do this? I'd prefer a shape that is aware of the Visio2010 'theme' stuff, but at this point any quick way to draw a grid in a wireframe would be much appreciated.

PS. Searching for shapes on "table" gives me lovely picnic-table-shapes but no usable grids. Searching for "grid" gives me one or two shapes which aren't particularly helpful either.

Aksum

Since I had to get started I decided to (for now) go with joining List box shapes together. After fiddling with that for a few hours I found this is absolutely awful. I'll post an update if/when I find a better way to do this. – Aksum

The only alternative I have found so far is creating a 'sample' excel sheet and then copy/pasting a screen shot of the table from that sheet to my Visio diagram. Ugh :( – Aksum

Answer 1

I find Excel a good way to manage grids in Visio. You can easily add and remove columns, manage formating etc.

In Visio 2010 go to Insert -> Object -> Microsoft Excel Worksheet.

Immolation

Dear heavens, so brilliant yet so simple! Gonna try that right away, that's exactly what I needed! Thanks a bunch. – Aksum

This is only a good answer if you happen to have Excel installed on the machine. – Shellbark

@CarlosP, that's true, but it would be a small number of users that only have Visio and not Excel. Also, such users can still read the Visio document. – Immolation

You can also insert an OpenDocument Spreadsheet if you don't have Excel – Deform

Answer 2

Is was looking for the same and found a way: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio-help/using-shapes-to-create-tables-in-visio-HA001182242.aspx

So you have to search in the stencils "Charting shapes" to find the grid. Still not that intuitive to work with, but will do.

Nordrheinwestfalen

Answer 3

Insert->Shapes->More Shapes->Charting Shapes->Grid

Callison

Do you have more info or a link with more info? – Valladolid

This is basically the same thing @Nordrheinwestfalen mentioned in 2011 in this answer. – Aksum

But this answer explained it directly – Tartaric

In Visio 2016 : More Shapes -> Business -> Charts and Graphs -> Charting Shapes -> Grid. But it seems broken – Wilinski

In Visio 2016 you can download from here visualsignals.typepad.co.uk/vislog/2012/02/… – Menderes

Answer 4

If we are looking for Visio Stencils for Grid/Table, a great resource can be downloaded here: http://developer.yahoo.com/ypatterns/about/stencils/

Most

Thanks for the answer Arts. At first glance it seems like a great resource. The Data Table however seems to be built with the ListBox shape (or equivalent), which still suffers from the aforementioned problems (for ex: adding/removing columns is a major hassle). – Aksum

Answer 5

Too bad no one had a solution. I'll mark this response as an answer to my own question then.

The answer to my problem (for so far I could find) in fact then seems to be that you have to work around this omission in Visio by either:

• using linked "List box" shapes
• use one of the (rather crappy) table shapes you can search for and find online
• use a screenshot (or something alike) from another program

If anyone ever lands at this question with a better workaround or even a real solution please be sure to add it.

Aksum

Answer 6

I use Visio to design wireframes. When I need datagrids or tabular data, I end up using Excel to design a grid with some data and formatting (fonts, size, border, etc.) Then I select the grid in Excel, copy it to clipboard and then Paste Special in Visio and select Image. Not perfect but works for me.

Appaloosa

Answer 7

Create the desired table in Excel. Simply copy and paste special as Microsoft Excel Worksheet, and you can then click into it and do whatever you want.

Tip: Color your grid before copying it so that you don't see the Visio gridlines. Looks much nicer on-screen!

Mathur

Isn't that basically the same as Philippe's answer? – Aksum