I’ve searched the MS knowledge base to no avail. I’m running Visio 2003, and I’d like to change all the default formatting for font, shape fill, shadows, and line weight to match the standards for my deliverable so that I do not have to format them individually.
I’ve tried using a stencil, but I have to open the stencil each time I want to use it, and even then sometimes the shapes take on the page defaults. I’ve tried using styles, but again, I have to choose to apply the style for each new drawing I create. Is there any way to change the page defaults so that it always starts with the formatting preferences I select?
The easiest way I know is to create a new template. Open a blank document and get all your settings the way you want them. Open whatever stencils you generally work with. Set your tools the way you like them. When everything is ready, click File > Save As… and select “Template (*.vst)” from the file type dropdown. Name it as you please. When you start Visio the next time, you’ll have your template listed on the right-hand pane under the “New” heading. Click it, and your environment should have all the settings you created previously.
Personally i’ve always found the easiest way is to simply use a previous file as my starting point for new files.
After i’ve created my first drawing in the correct format i never use stencils again, instead i just copy and paste shapes. Normally i open the previous drawing, move one of each shape off to the side and delete the rest before saving as the new drawing. Then i use these shapes as my ‘palette’ if you like.
I know you can create custom stencils, template etc but my method works well for me, i’ve never felt the need to do it any other way.
Of course i’m a ‘keep it simple’ process modeller, so maybe the fact that i seldom need more than half a dozen shapes makes this ok for me when it might be better for others to adopt a more ‘proper’ approach.