Microsoft Visio refers to a crucial tool for creating diagrams and vector graphics applications. It’s also used to create flowcharts, org charts, floor plans, network diagrams, UML diagrams, mind maps, and other visual representations of intricate information. Visio Standard and Visio Professional are two editions of the Microsoft Visio application. Despite providing both tools with comparable functionalities, some significant distinctions between them may define one edition as better suited to your needs than the other. If you are looking forward to purchasing or using Microsoft Visio, then before making the decision, it will be best for you to check the differences between their editions.
Visio Standard is a cheaper option that is great for making simple diagrams. At the same time, Visio Professional has more advanced tools for complex projects, such as tools for connecting to data and working together. In the end, you should choose between two editions based on your needs and budget.
In this blog article, we will illustrate the differences between the Standard and Professional editions of the updated Microsoft Visio Edition. That helps you select the Edition which is best for you and that suits perfectly the requirements of your project.
Microsoft Visio Standard Edition
Microsoft Visio Standard helps to create diagrams and visual representations of various processes, concepts, and data. It offers a range of tools and templates to assist in creating professional-looking flowcharts, organizational charts, network diagrams, floor plans, and more. it also provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it accessible to users with different levels of technical expertise.
The software offers a wide selection of pre-built shapes, symbols, and stencils that can be easily dragged and dropped onto the canvas to create diagrams. Users can establish connections between forms, define relationships, and add annotations and labels to enhance the clarity and understanding of the diagram. The Standard has many ready-made templates available for free with the software. The icons are also predestined in the standard and can be used for marking. Sharing is feasible and easy.
Additionally, Visio Standard supports collaboration and sharing features, enabling multiple users to work on a diagram simultaneously. It can integrate with other Microsoft Office applications, permitting seamless data exchange and integration with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
This application is available for both Windows and Mac. The Standard can also be linked to Skype, making it simple and flexible to illustrate and show the data during virtual meetings. The Standard also has the accessibility to zoom in and identify the points we consider essential.
Microsoft Visio Professional Edition
Visio Professional also offers a wide range of diagrams, including flowcharts, organization charts, network diagrams, process diagrams, floor plans, and more, like Visio Standard. But one of the key strengths of Visio Professional is its ability to connect diagrams to external data sources, such as Excel spreadsheets, SharePoint lists, or SQL databases. This dynamic data linking assists users in making diagrams that improve automatically when the underlying data changes, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in visualizing information.
Visio professionals can deliberately identify the basic data and its source, import the data, link the data to shapes, and apply data graphics. Improve diagrams into dashboards and guide progress or performance in real-time. You can also keep diagrams connected to a data source and refresh them automatically so that your diagram reflects any changes in the underlying data.
Also, complex functionality like the generation of sub-processes and validation rules are initiated by Visio Professional. More templates and shapes are available. Microsoft file protection technologies, which provide Information Rights Management (IRM) protection for email messages and attachments, can also be used to regulate your diagrams and other operations. Visio Professional has Information Rights Management (IRM) capability, allowing you to manage document permissions at the user level.
Collaboration features are also integral to Visio Professional, enabling multiple users to work on the same diagram simultaneously. Users can engage in real-time co-authoring, add comments and annotations, and share their diagrams with others, facilitating effective teamwork and communication.
Visio Standard vs Professional Comparison Table
Now, with a comparison table, you can easily identify the features and facilities and decide which version is right for you.
Which Edition is Perfect for You?
Which version is best for you depends on your specific needs and objectives with the program. do you want to make some simple diagrams for personal use at home? You can get by with the very first version of Visio if you don’t need many shared features and don’t care about being connected online.
Even with the additional templates and functionality, Visio Standard can get the job done and save you money. The crucial query is whether or not Visio Professional, the newest edition, is worth the cost. Certain individuals today absolutely need to have the most recent model of everything.
If you fall into this category, putting resources into Microsoft Visio Professional will be worthwhile. As we pointed out earlier in this article, there are a lot of great new and additional features that contribute to making Visio Professional a great upgrade.
If you are a business owner, we strongly recommend that you upgrade from your current version. Simply stated, there are several tools specially designed for large organizations that will make your work smoother. If you create charts and diagrams as part of your job in any capacity, upgrading to the most recent version of Visio Professional is likely to be a very smart decision on your part.
Should I upgrade from Visio Standard to Professional?
Whether to upgrade your visio standard license to professional highly depends on your needs and frequency of use. If you use Microsoft Visio on a regular basis, together with other colleagues, or if you need more than just the basic functions, it is a good idea to upgrade to professional. On the other hand, if you do not extensively use Visio and only need the basic diagrams, the standard version should be enough to cover your needs. Another aspect you could take into consideration when choosing between the two versions is the size of your business. Larger companies typically use visio professional, while smaller businesses typically use visio standard.
Why need to Professional?
Visio Professional provides more capabilities exactly where it’s required. Even though the Standard edition includes all of the most recent features, it is possible that the requirements of the business will require an upgrade to the Professional edition. Larger enterprises may require collaborative capabilities, and certain prerequisites for data security may further direct the need for an upgrade to the Professional grade.
Conclusion
The functionality of Microsoft Visio’s Standard and Professional editions is similar, but they differ in terms of templates, data connectivity, automation, diagram types, licenses, and costs. If you only need to create basic diagrams, Visio Standard can be sufficient. If you need extensive diagramming capabilities, industry-specific templates, or collaborative tools, Visio Professional might be a better option.
Several criteria, including the size of your business and how frequently Visio is used, will determine whether you should upgrade from Visio Standard to Professional; the bigger these two elements, the more value you will receive from purchasing Visio 2021 Professional. Visio 2021 delivers significant advancements over Visio 2019.
In comparison to Visio Standard, Microsoft Professional has a number of upgrades, including more diagrams and features and stronger integration with Microsoft programs.
