Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users
SQL Server Developer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Stable and lets you create data models and diagrams
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of Visio is diagram creation. If you have a presentation, you can create your data model using Visio."
  • "An area for improvement in Visio is pricing. It's a costly tool for my company because it only uses Visio occasionally."

What is our primary use case?

The company uses Visio for a maintenance project occasionally. I use Visio for infrastructure architecture and create data models on it.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Visio is diagram creation. If you have a presentation, you can create your data model using Visio. The tool has Microsoft components you can find in Microsoft Power BI, particularly the drag-and-drop functionality and link creation between the two components.

What needs improvement?

An area for improvement in Visio is pricing. It's a costly tool for my company because it only uses Visio occasionally.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've only used Visio four or five times in the ten years it's been in my company.

Buyer's Guide
Visio
February 2025
Learn what your peers think about Visio. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability-wise, Visio is an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I didn't see the option to scale Visio because it's one user at a time and installed on your local machine, so I'm not sure about its scalability.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup for Visio is easy because it's a Microsoft product.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Visio is a pricey tool. It's a five out of ten, cost-wise. It would be great if it had a pay-per-use licensing model because my company uses it sparingly. If Visio had a two-day use license, that would be helpful.

What other advice do I have?

My company uses Visio, but not very frequently.

My rating for Visio is eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer1621242 - PeerSpot reviewer
Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Real User
A standard and easy-to-use solution, but it needs more flexibility
Pros and Cons
  • "It is a standard and easy-to-use solution from Microsoft, and you benefit from the general functions of Microsoft solutions. It integrates easily with SharePoint, which is a useful tool from Microsoft."
  • "It is not flexible in terms of functions and modeling deliverables. When you speak of processes, the program has to describe the activities and the deliverables. You have to tell your robots how to deal with and input something, and you should have something more flexible from this point of view."

What is our primary use case?

We use Visio for mapping all the processes. It is a BPMN solution for us.

We are most probably using its latest version. 

What is most valuable?

It is a standard and easy-to-use solution from Microsoft, and you benefit from the general functions of Microsoft solutions. It integrates easily with SharePoint, which is a useful tool from Microsoft.

What needs improvement?

It is not flexible in terms of functions and modeling deliverables. When you speak of processes, the program has to describe the activities and the deliverables. You have to tell your robots how to deal with and input something, and you should have something more flexible from this point of view.

For how long have I used the solution?

I got Visio just a few months ago.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I don't know. At this moment, it is just used to map and see where we are. We are just trying to use this. At this moment, we like it, but we'll see with time.

How are customer service and technical support?

I didn't have to call Microsoft so far, but I might do so in the future.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used MEGA, and I feel Visio is better than MEGA because it is a BPMN tool, and it is standardized.

I have also used the free version of Camunda. It is a service, and it is easy and very fast, but it is not so well known. 

How was the initial setup?

It is easy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is a free solution for us. It is integrated with our pack. We are trying to use the solutions that we already have. 

What other advice do I have?

I am not sure if I would recommend this solution. It is not perfect, of course, but it is also not so bad. It is just a modeling system. If you want to go further and simulate the processes, you will have to use other tools. 

I would rate Visio a seven out of 10.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Visio
February 2025
Learn what your peers think about Visio. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.
HRIS Specialist at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Better for visualizing various types of workflows than more primitive methods of tracking
Pros and Cons
  • "The ability to visualize a workflow is certainly an advantage over just tracking a process in something like Excel."
  • "It is pretty easy to use if you are looking for this type of solution."
  • "The behavior of the interface can sometimes be unpredictable."

What is our primary use case?

I am an HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems) specialist. I use Visio for a variety of things.  

  • I do work charts on it.  
  • I do WiX (Windows Installer XML).  
  • I do all swim lane mappings.  
  • I do process mapping.  

That pretty much covers it.  

What is most valuable?

The ability to do my mappings is the most valuable feature in the solution. It is the reason I have and use the product.  

What needs improvement?

I am fairly happy with the program. That would be about 90 percent happy. There is not really much that is wrong with it.  

The only problem I tend to have is that sometimes when I am moving objects around within the interface I lose the formatting or it changes type or linking. You have just got to get used to the connectors not staying in the right spots or how they behave as you work with it and know how to repair it. When you are moving stuff around the joins sometimes just do not go where you want them to. That is the join arrow or shapes or connectors might intuit what you are trying to do in another way than you might intend.  

It is an issue with learning the user interface and working within the behaviors of the program. When you move stuff around and it might move off the visible page, you just have to know to resize to make it fit in the view again. That part of the interface could be more intuitive or left to the control of the user.  

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Visio for least eight years although I think it is closer to ten, actually.  

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a pretty stable solution. I do not experience much in the way of bugs or glitches.  

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I do not really have experience with scalability when it comes to this solution. In my department, it is just me using the program. Outside my department, I guess our IT department and our business analysts use it. I know because we are involved in doing some work with the IT department and they use Vizio extensively. I would say there are like five or six business analysts in that area who use it. I guess if you need to scale usage, you buy another license.  

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not had to contact technical support.  

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Before using Visio, we did not use to do a lot of process mapping and our work charts were done in Excel. I was already fairly familiar with Visio, so that is why we got a Vizio. Vizio is a part of the package for the Microsoft suite, but it is an additional cost. So Vizio is not in the standard package but it is a product that is very compatible with familiar components in the Microsoft Office suite.  

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup and installation were easy. It was even less than an hour, I think.  

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Visio is about a $180 dollars to purchase. It is a one-time licensing fee.  

What other advice do I have?

The only real comment I have for people thinking of adopting Visio is that it is pretty easy to use if you are looking for this type of solution.  

On a scale from one to ten (where one is the worst and ten is the best), I would rate Vizio as an eight-out-of-ten.  

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1021524 - PeerSpot reviewer
Deputy Manager, Quality Assurance at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Great designation feature that assists us with our required flow symbols
Pros and Cons
  • "A good designation feature."
  • "Inventory feature could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

Mostly, we're using the solution for working with objects and network diagrams and all the charts. I'm the deputy manager of quality assurance and we are customers of Visio. 

What is most valuable?

Most of the time we're dealing with designation so that feature we find very easy and useful because we have a continuation for the required flow symbols. It also provides access for profile pics for the designation. Sometimes there are other options, such as timelines, that I also use but less often. 

What needs improvement?

The inventory feature could be improved. On projects, there are sometimes inventory tasks that are lacking. Imagery could also be improved. I'd also like to see increased visibility. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for 15 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the solution improves from version to version, although sometimes it doesn't feel very user friendly. Inserting visual formats creates issues with stability. That aside, it is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is good. At the project level, we have supposedly 1,000 users that interact with Visio. It's used extensively. 

How are customer service and technical support?

I'm satisfied with the technical support. The documentation is reasonable.  

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was not complex because we had support and Visio assisted us with the deployment although it was actually carried out by our own company. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The fee is per license and there are no additional costs.  

What other advice do I have?

I'm comfortable using this solution and I would recommend it. 

I would rate this solution an eight out of 10. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Integration developer at Blackwoods
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Initial setup is straightforward, but customer support service needs to be improved
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is finely stable."
  • "Its support team could be well-equipped with the required information."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution mainly for designing purposes. It helps us design activity charts, sequential charts, and other diagrams.

What needs improvement?

They should improve the solution's customer support service.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for more than twenty years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is finely stable.

How are customer service and support?

The solution's customer service team could be well-equipped with the required information.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used PowerDesigner earlier.

How was the initial setup?

The solution's initial setup is straightforward.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

You have to purchase a license to use the solution.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution as a six.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Naresh Rayakwar - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead architect at Tech Mahindra Limited
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Useful and easy to use
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is how easy it is to use."
  • "Visio could be improved by adding more features. If you look at draw.io, they have more features. Also, if you want to design something for the cloud, Microsoft Azure still isn't enabled, so you need to install the plugin. This prototype is easily available, though."

What is our primary use case?

My primary use case is for designing the architecture diagram and the network diagram. 

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is how easy it is to use. 

What needs improvement?

Visio could be improved by adding more features. If you look at draw.io, they have more features. Also, if you want to design something for the cloud, Microsoft Azure still isn't enabled, so you need to install the plugin. This prototype is easily available, though. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for almost ten years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is quite good. There is not much maintenance really required. If it's on your desktop and something goes wrong, it is usually available to repair again. You don't need anyone else to maintain it. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I previously used the Sparx System Enterprise Architect, but my experience with it was limited. It was discontinued because they stopped the licensing. 

How was the initial setup?

The installation was straightforward. It takes about five to ten minutes and you can do it yourself. 

What about the implementation team?

I implemented myself. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I pay for the license and it is very expensive. If you're only going to use this tool from time to time, you can save money by just using the available online tools. But if you plan on using it heavily, then it's worth it to invest. 

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this product an eight out of ten. I recommend this product to others because it's a useful tool for designers and architects. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1544973 - PeerSpot reviewer
Infrastructure Architect at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
Real User
Phenomenal built-in templates, very stable, and easy and quick to deploy
Pros and Cons
  • "A lot of built-in templates are really phenomenal. They cut down the time when you're trying to get something out. They reduce the complexity that technical folks like to put into things that have to be given to technical folks."
  • "Some of the improvements that have been made in Visio have not been beneficial, at least to me, personally. Too many things have been added to it, and it makes it kind of clunky sometimes. There is an overwhelming desire or competition to continue to improve it when the product is and has been pretty good, and some of what is done tends to clutter it. In some cases, the updates make it more difficult to use. It is already pretty feature-heavy and continuing to add stuff is not productive from my perspective."

What is our primary use case?

Company-wide, it is used a lot for flow charts. From an IT perspective, we use it quite a bit for network diagrams and documentation. The Human Resources team uses it for organizational charts.

In terms of deployment, we have a kind of mixed deployment. I tend to use an on-prem version that is loaded directly on my machine. We are all Office 365, so a bulk of our users use it as a cloud-based downloadable solution, which is a part of their Office 365 implementation.

How has it helped my organization?

It helps us to secure business and C-suite leadership approval on projects. For lack of a better term, it dumbs down technical solutions so that everybody can understand them. It provides a nice middle ground. We have a lot of really talented engineers on staff, but they tend to get lost in the technical minutia, and the business gets bored with that. 

What is most valuable?

A lot of built-in templates are really phenomenal. The templates assist in translating very complex design elements into understandable diagrams that non-technical folks can grasp.

What needs improvement?

Some of the improvements that have been made in Visio have not been beneficial, at least to me, personally. Too many things have been added to it, and it makes it kind of clunky sometimes. There is an overwhelming desire or competition to continue to improve it when the product is and has been pretty good, and some of what is done tends to clutter it. In some cases, the updates make it more difficult to use. It is already pretty feature-heavy and continuing to add stuff is not productive from my perspective. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for 10 to 15 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I don't have any input on that. In terms of the number of users, we probably have a couple of hundreds of users of Visio. They are from the IT and the infrastructure side. We have Applications users and Human Resources users. We have a manufacturing organization, so we have program managers who manage various customer products, and they use it as well.

It is used fairly extensively throughout the organization. Our usage is okay for now, but we're always one acquisition away from that going out the window.

How are customer service and technical support?

I've never used technical support for Visio.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

It has always been Visio. Prior to using Visio, it probably was Paint or whatever program was available at the time.

How was the initial setup?

It is straightforward. It takes very little time to deploy.

What about the implementation team?

It is done in-house. In terms of maintenance, because we're loading it from the cloud, if there's an update, that's taken care of with the regular Office updates. So, pretty much everything is on the front end, that is, getting it from a business standpoint, getting the approval for the license and the cost associated with the license, and getting it installed. Once it is in, it is usually off to the races.

What was our ROI?

We have definitely seen a return on investment.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We're in a Visio plan that is like $15 a month per user. At the moment, it is just the standard licensing fees that I'm aware of.

What other advice do I have?

Be aware that it is easy to get lost in all the different things to do with it.

I would rate Visio a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Process Improvement Consultant/Business Analyst at Sherpa Consulting
Consultant
Straightforward to use, the templates are helpful, and it does everything that I want it to do
Pros and Cons
  • "This is a very straightforward product and I don't think that anything needs to be simplified."
  • "I would like to see the project planning element improved, although it won't happen because Microsoft deliberately made it worse."

What is our primary use case?

I am working as a business analyst and I used Visio for process mapping.

What is most valuable?

I like Visio because you basically do anything you want.

The templates are useful, for example, because we can implement a project using the BPMN template. It's very good that you have got that option.

This is a very straightforward product and I don't think that anything needs to be simplified.

It integrates with other products reasonably well.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see the project planning element improved, although it won't happen because Microsoft deliberately made it worse. They did not like the idea that you could actually plan a project with it, so they greatly diminished the capability because it was competing with Microsoft Project.

Back in the days before Microsoft got their hands on it, it was quite a capable system for managing small projects. If you were doing something that only had half a dozen people and runs for up to a year or something, Visio was perfectly adequate for doing all of the project planning. Whereas, from what I have seen of it now, you could not project plan making a cup of tea with it. They have completely emasculated the project planning capability.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Visio since it first came out, perhaps 35 years ago.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability-wise, it is absolutely fine. I have had no problems with it at all.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have had no problems with scalability.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have never needed to contact technical support. I've never had a problem.

What other advice do I have?

For anything other than project planning, Visio seems to be absolutely fine and I recommend it. This is an excellent product. As it can do everything that I want it to do, I have not really considered any room for improvement.

I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Visio Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: February 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Visio Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.