Visio Guy

Solution-specific Visio Discussions => Org Charting => Topic started by: merlin777 on July 04, 2010, 03:28:35 PM

Title: adding photos to org charts automatically
Post by: merlin777 on July 04, 2010, 03:28:35 PM
I wonder if someone can advise if this is feasible? Although I haven't used VBA I'd be willingto give it a go if it provides the solution.

I'm using Visio 2003. I have a dept of 90 staff in 4 teams reporting to some managers and supervisors. The org chart will need updating once every few weeks because of team movements and staff turnover and I don't want to rebuild it from scratch each time using the wizard which isn't very good. I want to add a photo to each box. The visible fields I want to use are name, position and extension and the photo. It will be saved as a web page for our company intranet (Visio does this really well).

Ideally I'll like to put some time into a carefully formatted org chart and just keep an excel sheet updated with the data for each position and have that update the org chart. However I know Visio can't do this with org charts.

So, what I'm wondering is, is it possible to put a table on another Visio page in the same document and use that to keep the org chart contents updated? I'm thinking that it might be better to forget the org chart-based document and construct my orgchart in a normal block diagram if I can creat a shape to display the photo and other fields. I was thinking I might identify the positions on the org chart by a position number (not displayed) and fill the chapes with the data from the table, including a file name for the relevant photo.

So, here are the questions...
1) do you think what I'm proposing is a sensible approach?
2) will it need VBA?
3) do you think there's a better way to do it?
4) will it still be suitable for the web (e.g. can I hide the extra sheet so it doesn't appear on the web)?
5) lastly, can you think of a better way?


Thanks in anticipation for your help
jc
Title: Re: adding photos to org charts automatically
Post by: merlin777 on July 20, 2010, 05:32:00 PM
Any thoughts on this? Just finding out how to link org chart shapes with a table on another page would help.
Title: Re: adding photos to org charts automatically
Post by: Yacine on July 20, 2010, 06:28:38 PM
Quote from: merlin777 on July 04, 2010, 03:28:35 PM
So, what I'm wondering is, is it possible to put a table on another Visio page in the same document and use that to keep the org chart contents updated? I'm thinking that it might be better to forget the org chart-based document and construct my orgchart in a normal block diagram if I can creat a shape to display the photo and other fields. I was thinking I might identify the positions on the org chart by a position number (not displayed) and fill the chapes with the data from the table, including a file name for the relevant photo.

I guess, it is this passage that kept everyone from answering.

If I understood you well, the structure is static, only the players will change.
So you can link each shape to a certain "function" field in your DB.
By updating the data, you will get the new names and other fields.

now for the pictures - I haven't worked it out but could imagine that it works - record a macro in which you insert an image.
With this code, you will iterate through all your shapes and replace the found picture by one having a link saved in your DB and corresponding to the person's ID saved in the shape.

HTH
Title: Re: adding photos to org charts automatically
Post by: aledlund on July 20, 2010, 09:05:15 PM
I can't help think that by the time you try to get v2003 to work, the time spent would have paid for v2010 pro (which supports pictures in the orgchart shape)
al
Title: Re: adding photos to org charts automatically
Post by: merlin777 on July 21, 2010, 05:09:22 PM
I haven't come across 'function' fields. Could you give me a start on where to look?
Title: Re: adding photos to org charts automatically
Post by: Yacine on July 21, 2010, 08:30:10 PM
Hi JC,

there is no function field in Visio.
I meant that your DB will have a structure similar to:
- FUNCTION or JOB
- PERSON

the invariable part - from what you wrote - is the FUNCTION
the variable one is the allocated PERSON.
Title: Re: adding photos to org charts automatically
Post by: merlin777 on July 21, 2010, 10:05:10 PM
ahh - thanks. I have a feeling your forthcoming answer to my other post will make all clear for me....

jc
Title: Re: adding photos to org charts automatically
Post by: nashwaan on September 06, 2010, 11:06:12 AM
If you need to load staff photos in your Organization Chart automatically from Excel sheet (the same way as you load staff name, title, telephone, etc...), then you need to insert an extra column and name its header as "ImageFile". Then you need to fill for each employee his picture filename (ex: Obama.jpg, Ali Said.jpg). Note the staff picture files should be in the same folder as your drawing.vsd file.

Then you need to run a macro from John Goldsmith blog (he is a Visio MVP):
http://visualsignals.typepad.co.uk/vislog/2008/06/linking-org-chart-images.html (http://visualsignals.typepad.co.uk/vislog/2008/06/linking-org-chart-images.html)
Please check the included sample file. Don't forget to read the notes written inside macro code.

Hope this helps.  ;)

Note: This solution should work for Visio 2007, Visio 2010 (tested OK), but i am not sure if it will work for earlier versions like Visio 2002/Visio 2003

Yousuf.