Difference Between Microsoft Visio Plan 2 and Microsoft Visio Online Plan 2

Started by Abhijit Wanjari, June 16, 2020, 12:36:21 PM

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Abhijit Wanjari

Hello guys
this is my first post on this website and looking forward to your inputs on the technical aspects of MS Visio.
Recently I came across MS Visio Plans and wanted to understand what is the difference between MS Visio Plans offered by Microsoft.
For your reference I have attached few screenshots of the version I came across please refer the same.
as of now, MS Visio is offering 2 Plans. namely Online Plan 1 and Online Plan 2. where Online Plan 1 offers cloud computing and Online Plan 2 provides the user to download the application on one's computer and he/she can work as a standalone machine just like Microsoft Visio Professional 2019.
However, when I compared the plan that I am using and the plan my ex-colleague is using are somehow different.
Mine says "Microsoft Visio Online Plan 2" whereas my colleague has "Microsoft Visio Plan 2".
both of the versions are subscription-based.
can you suggest me what exactly could be the difference between the two?

thanks for your inputs.

Surrogate

There is not technical aspects, just marketing  ;D
Visio Plan 2 (actual marketing name) = Visio Online Plan 2 (not actual marketing name) = Visio Pro for Office 365 (ancient not actual marketing name, before October'2017).
In this plan you get application which can be installed on your PCs, you also can use some add-ons or/and services which are absent in Visio Professional. Also you can use online based Visio Plan 1,
when you far from your PC with installed Visio.
In Visio Plan 1 you can just read, comment exist document which saved at OneDrive. And also you can create new simple documents in your browser.

I don't know exactly when MS make this rebranding from Visio Online Plan 2 to Visio Plan 2. My guess in 2020. Your PC with version 1908 and semi-annual channel is not updated!

Abhijit Wanjari

Thank you for your reply. but there is definitely some difference between the 2 products. I can say this because when I am trying to install one add-on I am getting an error "Compitable Visio license not found in the system" in my colleague's system. whereas the same add-on is installed without any issue in my system.
this is why I am curious to understand if there is any difference between the 2 versions.

Nikolay

I'm also pretty sure "Visio Plan 2" is just a newer name for the "Visio Online Plan 2".
Means, if you update the application to the latest version (using File => "Office Updates" button), you should get the same (latest, i.e. "Visio Plan 2") on both machines.

Please note you may be on different update tracks though.
Like, if you hit that button, you may not get the very-very-latest version, but a "latest annual stable" version for example, or something like that.
It depends on organization or computer settings.

See more about update channels:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/overview-update-channels

Version 16.0.119xxx is displayed as "Visio Online Plan 2"
Version 16.0.128xx is displayed as "Visio Plan 2". To get this one you need to be on the Monthly ("Current") update channel.

To switch the channel, ask your administrator (in case you are in an organization) or use office deployment tool
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49117

BTW, just wondering why an add-in is looking for a Visio license? Shouldn't it be looking for Visio itself?

Abhijit Wanjari

Hello, Nikolay
thank you for your response and inputs.
I am trying to install an add-on that uses the graphic engine of MS Visio and before installing the add-on checks for the MS Visio Registry in the backend only after which it can be installed.
and due to compatibility issues the installation encounter "Compitable Visio license not found in the system" error.

thanks for your inputs, will have to check if he is using a monthly subscription or there is something else.


Abhijit Wanjari

hi Nikolay
is there a way to downgrade MS Visio from Version 16.0.128xx to Version 16.0.119xxx
I guess you bang-on at this issue. if somehow I can get the previous version and then try to install the add-on it might work.

let me know if you have any suggestions for the same.

Nikolay

If you have admin access to your computer, and can do whatever you want with hit,
you can just use the office deployment tool I mentioned above to switch to 16.0.119xxx

1. Download it and run it, that will put files into a folder. Let's say you selected C:\ODT\ as the target folder.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49117

2. Edit the config file to specify Visio and update channel.
Say, copy the configuration-Office365-x64.xml to visio-configuration.xml and edit it. Should look somewhat this (note "SemiAnnual" in "Channel" attribute)

<Configuration>
  <Add OfficeClientEdition="64" Channel="SemiAnnual">
    <Product ID="VisioProRetail">
      <Language ID="en-us" />
    </Product>
  </Add>
</Configuration>


3. Execute the configuration tool.
Open the command prompt (cmd), go to that C:\ODT (or whatever you have chosen at the step one) and run: setup.exe /configure visio-configuration.xml

Please note to go back you need to run the office deployment tool again.
Maybe there is an easier way to switch channels, but that's the one I used.