Need a help

[mark walhberg]

Could you guys please give me a guide on the different license levels of visio (M365 included, Plan 1, Plan 2) and best practices in its use in a multiple license level environment. 
For instance, I have plan 2 and actually find it difficult to create a diagram that someone with the M365 license can edit.  I would love a way to put my Visio desktop into a compatibility mode or 'save as' so that it was M365 license compatible for editing (even if losing some features for that particular diagram).  Are their settings or best practices we should be following in a multi-license level environment?

[Surrogate]

For instance, I have plan 2 and actually find it difficult to create a diagram that someone with the M365 license can edit.

M365 can edit? Or just read and comment...

[Nikolay]

Sure it can. Just not all shapes (if a shape used is too complex, it says to go and edit it offline). Now you can even edit shape data (properties).
You can be sure Plan1 can edit a diagram, if you create that diagram using Plan1, it uses only "safe" shapes by itself.

As for the recommendations, it's hard to tell.
What is the "best" would probably depend on your organization. If you are the only editor, your users don't even need Plan1, the viewer is included for free.

[Surrogate]

Sure it can.

Few times ago I read article by David J Parker (Visio in Microsoft 365? What's that?).
I honestly don't understand the difference between Visio for M365 / Visio Plan 1?

MS marketers told me that M365 is a bait for upgrading to Plan1 and Plan2 versions.
The marketing people told me that M365 is a lure to upgrade to Plan1 and Plan2.
More than 300 million corporate users with E5 commercial subscriptions etc. have Visio M365 edition for free.

All these users will play with M365, realize its value and run to buy Plan2 (in worst case Plan1). 

It's already been 2 years, we will have to see what statistics on the number of users will be shown at MS Ignite 2023...

[Nikolay]

You are right! I meant Plan1, of course. I did not even know there was a difference

[vojo]

before one gets too excited, the visio EMF bug (20  min to load a drawing unless you either make the page cache huge or disable EMF image processing) can be a deal breaker

[hidden layer]

why not use an "old" (or 2nd hand) version?
It is cheap and in most cases the functionality is almost the same. (if not worse or more schicky-micky / blingbling).
I bought a 2013 desktop version of Visio Professional for 19€ ($19) from a dealer who sells licences from companies that bought newer versions for their employees.

I would check if these are "professional" versions (vs. standard ones). And check user comments about the validity about 2nd hand at all... (In EU no problem)
If you want to export to pdf with toggleable layer visibilities or comments or other stuff the PDFMaker-Addin should be able to get activated - in some version it isn't (Adobe's website is a bit unclear).

hl

[Surrogate]

why not use an "old" (or 2nd hand) version?

MS has several options for partnership agreements: the client must always have the latest versions of windows / ms office.

Always wondered what happens with legacy licenses?