Custom Visio Solution: Network Configuration Example (Visio, Access, and Excel Integration)

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This content is no longer actively maintained. It is provided as is, for anyone who may still be using these technologies, with no warranties or claims of accuracy with regard to the most recent product version or service release.

 

Fred Diggs
Microsoft Corporation

December 2000

Applies to:      Microsoft Visio 2000 Standard Edition
     Microsoft Visio 2000 Professional Edition
     Microsoft Visio 2000 Technical Edition
     Microsoft Visio 2000 Enterprise Edition

Summary: The Network Configuration demonstration shows how Microsoft Visio can be used as a sales automation tool when you integrate Visio with Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel. (3 printed pages)

Download NetConfigDemo.exe.

Purpose

The Network Configuration demonstration shows how to use the Microsoft® Visio® program as a sales automation tool. The drawing in this demonstration maintains the total cost of the design. The cost of each item in the drawing is retrieved from the parts database and the total cost appears on the drawing page. You can then generate a purchase order, which itemizes each part of the network, its cost, and the total cost of the design.

Benefits

Benefits to using Visio as an automation tool:

  • Save time and money by automating the sales process with a custom Visio solution.
  • Create a more effective and professional sales proposal.
  • Integrate Visio with Microsoft® Access database and Microsoft® Excel.

Preparing for the Demo

**Important!!   **This demonstration program requires Visio 2000 and Microsoft® Office 2000 to operate correctly. Please install these programs before trying to run the demo.

To prepare for the demo

  1. Download the NetConfigDemo.exe file and unzip its contents into a temporary directory.
  2. The demonstration requires the following files:
    File Description
    Network Diagram.vsd Sample finished network drawing
    Network Shapes.vss Stencil file with custom properties created for the network shapes
    Parts2000.mdb Access 2000 database file containing part price information
    StoreReq.xlt Excel template file
  3. The files can be installed in any directory, but make sure that Parts2000.mdb, Network Shapes.vss, and StoreReq.xlt are saved to the same folder as the drawing file.

Running the Demo

To run the demo

  1. Open Network Diagram.vsd.
  2. When the drawing opens, its current state is interrogated and the total cost of the design is calculated.
  3. The following add-ons are available in two ways. With the Pointer tool, right-click on the drawing itself (with no shapes selected) and then select an add-on from the menu. Or, from the Visio menu, select Tools, Macros, This Document, and then the add-on.
    Add-on Description
    Update Price Data Updates the drawing data with price data from the database. This updates the custom property data in the shapes.
    Calculate Total Cost Displays the total cost of the items in the drawing. This uses the custom property data currently stored in the shapes.
    Create Purchase Order Creates a purchase order on an Excel spreadsheet with items from the drawing. This uses the custom property data from the shapes. It does not go to the database for new cost data.
  4. Add new shapes to the drawing. To update the cost values stored in the shapes, right-click and select Update Price Data.
  5. To display the current total cost on your screen, right-click and select Calculate Total Cost.
  6. Then right-click and select Create Purchase Order. This opens the Excel template StoreReq.xlt and uses the parts information from the drawing to create a bill of materials in Excel.