Recomendations for flowcharting software
Jun 19, 2008 | 8:28 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Recomendations for flowcharting software
Any recommendations for software to produce complex flowcharts?
I've built some basic ones in PowerPoint but a new client is going to require some pretty complex ones. I've investigated Visio and that seems to be the way to go, but I wanted to get some other opinions.
Thanks in advance!
I've built some basic ones in PowerPoint but a new client is going to require some pretty complex ones. I've investigated Visio and that seems to be the way to go, but I wanted to get some other opinions.
Thanks in advance!
Jun 20, 2008 | 9:25 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: on the Llano Estacado
Posts: 2,652
Ditto for Visio. Lots of reasons. As an industry standard, it has lots of add-ins available, particularly the technical version. I often have to diagram networks, and the fact that I can find templates for the vast majority of equipment is a great help, e.g., I can draw a rack of equipment that looks like the actual rack because of my Cisco, APC, HP, Dell, and assorted telco templates that look just like the actual product.
Lots of less expensive (some even free) alternatives are probably fine for you to do org charts, programmers' data flow diagrams, simple logic flowcharts, etc. But Visio is really useful when you need something more technical.
Lots of less expensive (some even free) alternatives are probably fine for you to do org charts, programmers' data flow diagrams, simple logic flowcharts, etc. But Visio is really useful when you need something more technical.
Jun 21, 2008 | 5:38 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK
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Visio here as well for flow charts (I tend to use it for Network Diagrams though).
I had a new user who had to use visio on their first day (an ex nurse). Considering she wasn't confident with computers, she was knocking out fairly good diagrams in a few hours and building confidence in it.
I had a new user who had to use visio on their first day (an ex nurse). Considering she wasn't confident with computers, she was knocking out fairly good diagrams in a few hours and building confidence in it.
Jun 21, 2008 | 8:58 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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I used ABC Flowchart for years, it was much easier (for intelligent flowcharting) than Visio, which was mainly a drawing tool. The product is now "FlowChart" by iGrafx, and it's expensive.
Jun 21, 2008 | 7:21 pm
#15
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Thanks for the responses. It looks like Visio is the way to go. A feature that I was not aware of is to be able to build project schedules. I've never used this before and it looks like it will be a major benefit to me.
It also looks like the professional version is the way to go. I have a need to produce floor plans of manufacturing facilities every so often and this is included in the professional version.
One more question...any recommendations on sources for sample templates? I've always built charts and graphs in PowerPoint but looking at some of the examples that are possible in Visio...wow!
Thanks again!
It also looks like the professional version is the way to go. I have a need to produce floor plans of manufacturing facilities every so often and this is included in the professional version.
One more question...any recommendations on sources for sample templates? I've always built charts and graphs in PowerPoint but looking at some of the examples that are possible in Visio...wow!
Thanks again!