Adding shape data field to an existing org chart

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I’m just beginning to undertstand the basics of shape data attached to my org chart. Right now it has fields for Dept, Name, Position, and Reports To. I’d like to add Position Description so all my information is in one place, and perhaps I could display that if I ever broke the chart up on to multiple pages. However if I add the field to the shape data for a particular box, it only applies to that box. I want this to apply to the entire chart and for new items I place on it. Please advise.

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What program is being used to create the chart?

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Visio 2010

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Does anyone know about this?

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There are several ways to do this but understand that the Org Chart shapes are locked down on the stencil to prevent people from breaking the automation in the Org Chart solution. You can still do what you want but it takes a bit of education. I’ll briefly guide you but you’ll also need to refer to the Help tools for details.

You can create a Shape Data set. Once you define it, you can then apply the fields you define to any shapes in your drawing.

Another method is to modify the shape on the Document Stencil. This is a hidden stencil that holds an icon for any shape that’s in the document space whether you can see it on your page or not. In fact, even if you add and then delete a shape the Document Stencil will still have an icon for it unless you actively delete it from the Document Stencil. For an explanation of this phenonmonon, please see our blog article here:
http://www.visiozone.com/?p=66

To see the Document Stencil you must be running in Developer mode in Visio 2010. That sounds scarier than it is. Click Fiile > Options and select Advanced on the left. Scroll down under General and check “Run in Developer mode. ” Now, go to the Developer tab in the ribbon and click on Document Stencil towards the right.

On the Doc Stencil find the shape you want to add Shape Data to. Double click to open its editing window and then add Shape Data fields as you normally would. Close and save the editing window. Now, all of your instances of that shape on your drawing will have the Shape Data fields that you added.

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