Updated: July 13, 2020 (December 5, 2005)

Faster Diagrams in Office 12

As managing vice president, Rob Helm covers Microsoft collaboration and content management. His 25-plus years of experience analyzing Microsoft’s technology... more

A feature code-named IGX and planned for the next version of Office (code-named Office 12 and due out in 2006) will allow users to quickly insert business diagrams in documents. IGX automatically creates, lays out, and formats diagrams such as flow charts and organization charts from text data entered by the user. IGX could make it quicker for users who can’t call on a professional graphic artist to create graphical documents, particularly PowerPoint presentations. However, IGX lacks features for keeping diagrams and source documents in sync, and no automated tool can guarantee meaningful diagrams.

Diagrams from Text

IGX is available in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 12, when a new Insert IGX Diagram command is invoked. It offers the user a choice of diagram types, including the following:

Process diagrams for step-by-step processes
Cycle diagrams for repeated step-by-step processes
Hierarchy diagrams for organization charts or component structures.

A Relationship diagram type covers a variety of other diagram concepts (such as three elements combining to form a fourth element).

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