I have several Visio diagrams of the environment I work in and I was wondering if there was a way to connect shape data for identical objects.  As an example:

I have a production server page showing application "server1" that I have populated with server information (hostname, IP, location, hardware specs, etc.) and then I create a backup scenario page showing "server1" and the processes related to backups and this server.  I know I can copy from the previous page but the problem comes in when I get new hardware in then I have to go back and find all instances of "server1" and change the data on all these objects.

Maybe I missed it in my searching but is there a way to "connect" all instances of "server1" together so if I change the data on the first page (or one instance of that object) it propagates to all the rest of the identical objects?

So if I have serveral servers I want all references to server1 "connected" but seperate from "server2" and "server3".

Is this possible?

Glenn

Hi,

In regarding of the issue, please provide us more information to assist you better.

• Which Visio version are you using? Visio 2013 or other?
• How did you assign the server information to the server shape? Just define the shape data?

According to your description, if we want to update all the info of Server 1 with all the Visio drawing, we might use the workaround: Link the data to shape with external data source (Such as Excel file). Please see the image:

If this is you want, here is the steps:

• Create the date source (Include the shape info)
• Open Visio >Click Data tab> Choose Link to data shape> Follow the Wizard to import the data.
• Drop the data to shape> Data Graphics> Add display field
• We could change the information with database and then refresh the Visio drawing, all the related shape will update.

http://blogs.office.com/2013/04/25/data-linked-diagrams-linking-data-from-an-external-data-source/

If you have any further question, please upload a sample file via OneDrive, I could test it.

Hope it's helpful.

Regards,

George Zhao
TechNet Community Support

Thank you for your reply.  I am using Visio 2013 but most of my coworkers have 2010 so I'm hoping to have something that will work with 2010 and newer.  I did find and read through the option of connecting to an external source but I was thinking that the external source would always be "with" this diagram and never change the name of the Excel file that I used.  Since this could be used across the organization I didn't really see that as feasible or perhaps I misunderstood the posts I read.

Here is a screen shot of what I have.  This is from a shape template the company created and this "data" should be modifyable.  I can create my own template if I need to but I was hoping to use this one:

So this is just a logical diagram but this server could also be used in a network connection diagram.  Currently, when something changes with this server I have to make the change on one page and copy the object and then search the document for other instances of this server (usually by name) and replace the object on other pages so the data remains the same.

I'll try to set this up with an "external" source and see what I get.  If you have another suggestion please offer it.

Glenn

OK, it looks like I need Visio professional to do this and I only have standard.

Any other suggestions on how to accomplish this?

Glenn