Visualize Your Data in Microsoft Visio 2016

Create data graphic legends

Data graphics like the one shown in Figure 9-15 earlier in this chapter are easier to use and understand with a key. With Visio 2016, a data graphic legend is just a click away. You can create either a vertical legend, or, as shown in Figure 9-18, a horizontal legend.

Figure 9-18 Visio creates legends automatically, but you can customize them

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Visio always places the legend in the upper-right corner of the page.

After Visio creates the legend, you can edit the elements within the legend. For example, the legend on the left in Figure 9-18 is the original version. In the legend on the right, the descriptions for the flag icons have been changed to be more meaningful for users of the diagram.

Important

After placing a data graphic legend on the page, Visio never updates it. Consequently, if you add or delete a data graphic or change the attributes of a graphic in a way that affects the legend, you must delete the existing legend and insert a new one.

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Visio constructs data graphic legends from a combination of containers and lists. For details about containers and lists, see Chapter 13, “Add structure to your diagrams.”

To insert a data graphic legend

1. On the Data tab, in the Display Data group, click the Insert Legend button.
2. Click either Horizontal or Vertical.

To edit a data graphic legend

1. Click an entry inside the legend and enter new text.
2. Click an entry inside the legend and drag it to a new location.

To move a data graphic legend

1. Click the word Legend in the header of the data graphic legend, and then drag the legend to a new location.

To delete a data graphic legend

1. Do any of the following:

   • Click the word Legend in the header of the data graphic legend, and then press the Delete key.
   • Right-click the word Legend, and then click Cut on the shortcut menu.
   • Right-click the word Legend, and then on the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Cut.