Using Connectors in Microsoft Visio

Hi folks. We need to talk about using connectors in Microsoft Visio. Don’t worry, this isn’t one of those “I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed” talks! I just want to give you some ideas about how you can make connectors work for you.

Let’s start by thinking about the way many people create things like flowcharts and such. It’s a common task in Visio, so it’s a good place to start.

Since there is often some misunderstanding about the two, I should take a moment to clarify the difference between a line and a connector. A connector is used to connect two shapes together, indicating a relationship between the shapes. A line is just that, a line. The reason I bring this up is because many users will create a line and drag it across shapes. The problem is that when the shapes are moved, the line just stays put. There are some exceptions of course, but for our discussion, just go with it.

Using Static Connectors in Visio

Alright, in my example, I have a flowchart diagram set up, and I need to use some connectors to join the shapes. To do this, I have a few choices, but for now, I’ll use the Connector tool.

1. Start by clicking on the Connector tool in the Home ribbon.
2. Move your mouse over the first shape until the connection points light up in green.
3. Click and drag from the connection point of the first shape to a connection point on the second shape. Release the mouse button when the second connection point turns green.

Note: For flowcharts, it’s important to drag in the direction of the flow.

4. Repeat the steps above to continue connecting shapes.

If you’re following along with me, let’s try a little experiment. Return to the Pointer tool, then click and drag the Decision diamond shape up and right so it’s above the next step shape.

The problem now is that the connector is now taking a scenic tour! Let’s sort that out.

Using Dynamic Connectors

The connector we just used is known as a static connector, though this is a bit of a misnomer, since it clearly isn’t static. The static part refers to the fact that it stays connected to the original connection points.

Anyway, what we want here is a dynamic connector. This little fella will move to a different connection point, well, dynamically!

1. Start by once again clicking on the Connector tool in the Home ribbon.
2. Move your mouse over the centre of the first shape until the entire shape lights up in green.
3. Click and drag from the centre of the first shape to the centre of the second shape. Release the mouse button when the second shape turns green.

Using this method, a dynamic connector is created. To see the difference between the two, return to the Pointer tool, then repeat our little experiment. This time, the connector will automatically reroute to the nearest connection points between the shapes. Nifty!

Once again, I hope you find this little tip helpful and may all your diagrams be dynamic. Yep, it’s a dad joke, I make no apologies.