Map a Placement Workflow in Visio

Build a color-coded workflow analysis diagram comparing current and future states.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

When a child welfare team needs to place a child, the process touches multiple systems, teams, and approval chains. Communicating what is broken in that workflow and how to fix it is nearly impossible without a clear visual map.

In this project, you will build a professional placement workflow analysis diagram in Microsoft Visio that maps the current process alongside a redesigned future state, with color-coded callouts that expose pain points and highlight improvements.

What You'll Build

Picture opening a polished PDF and walking a stakeholder through two side-by-side process tracks. Red callout tags flag exactly what is broken today, and green tags show what each fix delivers.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

A current-state workflow track showing 5 placement steps as they work today, with red pain point callouts that flag exactly what is broken at each step.
A matching future-state workflow track showing 5 improved steps, with green benefit callouts highlighting what each change delivers.
A complete, shareable PDF export of your full analysis, with a design decision section that anchors the visual story to a defensible argument.
Secret Mission: Add a gap analysis section that maps each current-state pain point to its corresponding future-state fix.

Are there any prerequisites?

This project uses the Microsoft Visio desktop app, which requires a Windows PC and a free 30-day Visio Plan 2 trial (set up in Step 1). Cancel the trial before it ends to avoid the $15.00/month subscription fee.

Before We Start

Before you dive in, take a moment to lock in what you're about to build and why it matters.

Set Up Visio and Create Your Canvas

Every diagram starts with a working canvas. Before you can map the placement workflow, you need Microsoft Visio installed and a blank drawing ready to go.

In this step, you will sign up for the Visio Plan 2 free trial, install the desktop app, and place your first test shape to confirm everything works.

In this step, get ready to:

Sign up for the Visio Plan 2 free trial.
Install the Visio desktop app on your Windows PC.
Create a blank drawing and place a test shape on the canvas.

Sign up for the Visio Plan 2 free trial

Visio is a paid subscription, but Microsoft offers a 30-day free trial for Plan 2. Plan 2 includes the full desktop app, which is what you need for this project.

Open the Visio plans and pricing page in your browser.
Scroll down to find Visio Plan 2.
Click Try for free.
Follow the signup prompts and enter your name, email, and credit card details.
When Microsoft assigns you a temporary work account username (an @xxx.onmicrosoft.com address), write it down immediately and save it somewhere safe.

Keep your trial details safe

Microsoft creates a temporary work account during signup with an @xxx.onmicrosoft.com address. This is not your personal email. Save this username right now because you need it to sign in and install Visio.

If you lose this username, you will not be able to access your trial.

Your credit card will not be charged during the 30-day free trial. After 30 days, the subscription automatically converts to $15.00 per month. Cancel before the trial ends to avoid charges.

Install and open the Visio desktop app

Now that you have a trial account, you can download and install the Visio desktop app from the Microsoft 365 portal.

Open microsoft365.com in your browser.
Sign in with the work account username you saved in the previous substep.
Click Install apps on the home page.
Select Visio from the app dropdown.
Click Install.
Run the OfficeSetup.exe file that downloads to your computer.
If Windows asks "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?", click Yes.
Wait for the installation to finish. When you see the message "You're all set!", click Close.

Now open the Visio desktop app.

Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the search bar.
Type Visio and press Enter to open the app.

You should see the Visio start screen with template options, including Blank Drawing.

Don't see Visio in your search results?

Make sure the installation fully completed. Look for the "You're all set!" confirmation. If the installer is still running, wait for it to finish before searching again.

If you still cannot find it, go back to microsoft365.com, click Install apps, and confirm Visio appears in the dropdown. You may need to sign out and sign back in with your @xxx.onmicrosoft.com account.

Help me troubleshoot my Visio installation

Create your first blank drawing

On the Visio start screen, select Blank Drawing.
Click Create.
Click File in the top menu bar.
Click Save As.
Select OneDrive as the save location.
Type Placement Workflow Analysis as the file name.
Click Save.

The title bar at the top of the Visio window now shows Placement Workflow Analysis as your file name.

With the drawing saved, the last check is whether shapes work on the canvas.

Look at the Shapes pane on the left side of the screen.
Drag a Rectangle shape from the pane onto the center of the canvas.
With the rectangle selected, type Test.
Press Esc to finish editing the text.

You should see a single rectangle on your canvas with the word Test inside it. Your drawing is saved to OneDrive as Placement Workflow Analysis.

Don't see the Shapes pane?

The Shapes pane may be collapsed or hidden. Click the View tab at the top of the screen, then click Task Panes, and select Shapes to bring it back.

If the pane appears as a narrow strip, click the expand arrow at the top of the pane to widen it.

Help me find the Shapes pane in Visio

Your canvas is ready and your tools are in place. Next up, you will build the current-state track that documents each step of the placement process as it works today.

Build the Current-State Track

Your Visio canvas is open and ready. Before you can redesign a process, you need to document exactly how it works today.

In this step, you will build the current-state track of your placement workflow analysis. This track maps 5 steps of the placement process as they actually happen today, giving you a baseline to compare your future improvements against.

In this step, get ready to:

Create a section header for the current-state track.
Build 5 step cards with titles and descriptions.
Connect the step cards with arrows to show the process flow.

Create the section header

Every track in your diagram starts with a header that labels what the viewer is looking at. A bold, dark-filled banner will make it instantly clear that this row represents the current process.

If the test Rectangle from Step 1 is blocking the top-left area of the canvas, drag it down to the bottom-right corner to get it out of the way.
From the Shapes pane on the left, drag a Rectangle onto the top-left area of the canvas.
Drag the right edge handle of the rectangle until it spans roughly the full width of your working area.
Select the shape and type CURRENT STATE: Fragmented Workflow.
Press Esc to exit text editing mode.
With the shape still selected, go to the Home tab and click a dark blue or dark gray preset in the Shape Styles gallery.
In the Font group on the Home tab, click Font Color and select white.
Click Bold in the Font group.
Set the font size to 14 pt using the font size dropdown in the Font group.

You should see a wide, dark-colored banner across the top of your canvas with white text reading CURRENT STATE: Fragmented Workflow.

Text not showing as white?

If your text disappears after changing the fill color, the font color may still be set to the default dark shade. Double-click the shape to re-enter text editing mode, select all the text with Ctrl+A, then set Font Color to white again.

help me fix the text color on my Visio header shape

Build the 5 step cards

Each card represents one step in the current placement process. You will create the first card with its full content, then duplicate it four times to build the rest of the row.

Below the header, drag a new Rectangle from the Shapes pane onto the canvas.
Select the shape and type Step 1, then press Enter.
Type Referral Received, then press Enter.
Type Caseworker receives referral via email or fax and manually enters child info.
Press Esc to exit text editing.
Drag a corner handle of the shape to resize it until all three lines of text fit comfortably.
Hold Ctrl and drag the Step 1 card to the right to create a copy.
Repeat this Ctrl+drag three more times, spacing the copies evenly in a horizontal row until you have 5 cards total.

You should see 5 identical cards in a horizontal row below the header, all still showing the Step 1 content.

Why duplicate instead of creating from scratch?

Duplicating keeps all 5 cards the same size and shape. Starting from scratch for each card would mean resizing every one individually to match.

Now update the text on each duplicate card. Double-click a card to enter text editing mode, select all the existing text with Ctrl+A, and replace it with the new content below.

Double-click the second card and replace the text with: Step 2, press Enter, Provider Search, press Enter, Caseworker searches multiple spreadsheets and databases for available providers.
Double-click the third card and replace the text with: Step 3, press Enter, Placement Matching, press Enter, Child needs compared against provider capabilities using printed reports and phone calls.
Double-click the fourth card and replace the text with: Step 4, press Enter, Approval Process, press Enter, Supervisor reviews placement request via email chain and signs off on paper forms.
Double-click the fifth card and replace the text with: Step 5, press Enter, Placement Monitoring, press Enter, Caseworker tracks placement through manual check-ins and updates separate spreadsheet.

Press Esc after finishing the last card to exit text editing.

You should now see 5 distinct cards in a row, each with its own step number, title, and description. Every card should be the same size.

Cards different sizes or text cut off?

If any card's text is overflowing or getting cut off, click the shape to select it, then drag a corner handle to make it larger. All 5 cards should be roughly the same width and height so the row looks even.

If a card still shows the old Step 1 text, double-click it and make sure you selected all the text with Ctrl+A before typing the replacement.

help me fix the sizing or text on my Visio step cards

Connect the step cards with arrows

Five standalone cards do not tell a story yet. Arrows between the cards show that each step leads into the next, turning a collection of boxes into a process flow.

On the Home tab, click Connector in the toolbar.
Click on the right edge of the Step 1 card and drag to the left edge of the Step 2 card.
Click on the right edge of Step 2 and drag to the left edge of Step 3.
Click on the right edge of Step 3 and drag to the left edge of Step 4.
Click on the right edge of Step 4 and drag to the left edge of Step 5.
Press Esc to exit connector mode and return to the Pointer Tool.

What does the Connector tool do?

The Connector tool draws an arrow that is anchored to the shapes it connects. If you move a card later, the arrow moves with it automatically. This keeps your diagram tidy without manual repositioning.

Before you look at the full picture, think about what your canvas should show right now. How many shapes are in the row? How many arrows connect them?

You should see a dark header banner reading CURRENT STATE: Fragmented Workflow at the top, with 5 step cards in a horizontal row below it. Four arrows connect the cards from left to right: Step 1 to Step 2, Step 2 to Step 3, Step 3 to Step 4, and Step 4 to Step 5. Each card shows a unique step number, title, and description.

Save your file by pressing Ctrl+S.

Arrows not connecting to the shapes?

If an arrow floats freely instead of snapping to a card, it was not dropped on the shape's edge. Delete the loose arrow by selecting it and pressing Delete. Then re-select the Connector tool and try again. Hover over the edge of the source card until you see a blue connection point appear, then click and drag to the edge of the next card.

If the arrows curve oddly or overlap the cards, try dragging the cards further apart to give the connectors more room.

help me fix arrows that are not connecting to my shapes in Visio

Your current-state baseline is locked in. Next up, you will build the future-state track directly below it so the two processes sit side by side for instant comparison.

Build the Future-State Track

Your current-state track is complete. Five connected step cards now document the placement process as it works today.

Right now your diagram only tells half the story. In this step, you will build a matching future-state track directly below the current state, creating a side-by-side comparison that makes improvements immediately visible.

In this step, get ready to:

Create a future-state section header with a distinct color.
Duplicate and update the 5 step cards with the redesigned process.
Connect the future-state cards with arrows.

Create the future-state header

The future-state header marks where the redesigned process begins. Using a different color from the current-state header makes it easy to tell the two tracks apart at a glance.

Scroll down or pan below your current-state track, leaving some vertical space between the two sections.
From the Shapes pane on the left, drag a Rectangle onto the canvas below the current-state track.
Resize the rectangle to match the width of your current-state header by dragging its corner handles.
Select the shape and type FUTURE STATE: Controlled Workflow.
Press Esc to exit text editing.

You should see a wide rectangle with the text "FUTURE STATE: Controlled Workflow" sitting below your current-state track.

With the shape still selected, go to Home, then Shape Styles.
Pick a dark green or dark teal preset to visually distinguish it from the current-state header.
Change the font color to white using Home, then Font Color.
Click the B button in the Font group on the Home tab to make the text bold.
Set the font size to 14pt in the Font group.

Your future-state header should now have a dark green or teal fill with white bold text, matching the style of your current-state header but in a distinctly different color.

Header text not visible?

If the text disappears against the dark fill, make sure you changed the font color to white. Click the shape, go to Home, click Font Color, and select white.

If the shape itself is not green or teal, click on the shape first before selecting a preset from Shape Styles. Formatting only applies to the selected shape.

Help me format my future-state header in Visio

Duplicate and update the step cards

Instead of building 5 new cards from scratch, you can duplicate the current-state cards and update their content. This saves time and keeps both tracks visually consistent.

Hold Ctrl and click each of your 5 current-state step cards one by one to select them all.
With all 5 selected, hold Ctrl and drag the selection downward below the future-state header.
Release the mouse button to drop the 5 duplicated cards into place.

You should now see 5 new step cards sitting below the future-state header. They still contain the current-state text for now.

Why Ctrl+drag?

Holding Ctrl while dragging creates a copy of the selected shapes instead of moving them. Your original current-state cards stay exactly where they are.

Double-click the first duplicated card to enter text editing mode.
Update the step number, title, and description to reflect the future-state process for Step 1.
Press Esc to finish editing that card.
Repeat for the remaining 4 cards, updating each with the future-state content for Steps 2 through 5.

Keep the tracks aligned

Each future-state step should sit directly below its corresponding current-state step. Step 1 below Step 1, Step 2 below Step 2, and so on. This alignment makes the before-and-after comparison easy to follow.

All 5 future-state cards should now show your redesigned process descriptions, with each card positioned below its current-state counterpart.

Accidentally moved the original cards?

If your current-state cards moved instead of being copied, you dragged without holding Ctrl. Press Ctrl+Z to undo, then try again while holding Ctrl before you start dragging.

If you accidentally selected the header or arrows along with the step cards, press Ctrl+Z to undo. Then try again, being careful to click only the 5 rectangular step cards.

Help me fix my duplicated step cards in Visio

Connect the future-state cards with arrows

Go to Home, then click Connector in the toolbar.
Click on the right edge of future-state Step 1 and drag to the left edge of future-state Step 2.
Repeat for each pair of adjacent future-state cards: Step 2 to Step 3, Step 3 to Step 4, and Step 4 to Step 5.
Press Esc to exit connector mode and return to the Pointer Tool.

Save your file by pressing Ctrl+S.

Before you look at the full diagram, take a moment to predict what you expect to see. How many shapes should be on the canvas now? How many sets of arrows?

Zoom out by pressing Ctrl and the minus key to see both tracks at once. You should see a CURRENT STATE: Fragmented Workflow header with 5 connected cards on top, and a FUTURE STATE: Controlled Workflow header with 5 connected cards below it. Each set of cards is linked by arrows flowing left to right.

Arrows not connecting to the shapes?

If your arrows float freely instead of attaching to the cards, you may have clicked on empty canvas space rather than a shape edge. Delete the loose arrow by selecting it and pressing Delete. Then re-select Connector from the Home tab and click directly on the edge of each shape.

You will see a green highlight on the shape edge when the connector is ready to attach. Wait for that green indicator before releasing.

Help me connect my future-state cards with arrows in Visio

Your two-track layout is taking shape. Next up, you will add the analysis layer that transforms this from a process description into a real process analysis, using red pain point callouts and green benefit callouts.

Add the Analysis Layer

Your diagram now has two complete tracks showing the current and future placement workflows side by side. The shapes and arrows document what happens at each step, but right now the two tracks look like identical rows of boxes with different text.

In this step, you'll add a color-coded analysis layer that transforms the diagram from a process description into a process analysis. Red callout tags on the current-state track will flag each pain point. Green callout tags on the future-state track will highlight each improvement.

In this step, get ready to:

Add red pain point callouts below each current-state step card.
Add green benefit callouts below each future-state step card.
Refine the visual hierarchy so the callouts are the most prominent elements on the page.

Add red pain point callouts to the current state

Each step in the current-state track has a specific problem that the future state will fix. A small red rectangle placed below each step card will serve as a visual flag, calling out exactly what is broken.

Drag a small Rectangle from the Shapes pane on the left and place it directly below Step 1 of the current-state track.
Select the rectangle you just placed.
Click Fill in the Home tab.
Choose a red color from the color picker.
With the shape still selected, type your pain point text for Step 1 (for example, Duplicate data entry across systems).

You should see a red rectangle with dark text sitting below your first step card. The text is hard to read against the red background, so let's fix that.

Click Font Color in the Home tab.
Select white.
Change the font size to 10pt using the Font group on the Home tab.
Drag the shape's corner handles to resize it until the text fits snugly inside.

Your first pain point callout is complete. It should be a small red rectangle with white text naming what is broken at Step 1.

Text not showing up on the shape?

Make sure the shape is selected (click it once) before you start typing. If you accidentally clicked away, double-click the shape to enter text editing mode.

If the text looks cut off, drag the corner handles outward to make the shape larger. Press Esc when you are done editing.

Still stuck? Help me fix the text on my Visio callout shape.

Repeat this process for each of the remaining 4 current-state steps: drag a small Rectangle below the step card, fill it red, type the pain point, set the font to white at 10pt, and resize the shape to fit.

Speed up with Ctrl+drag

Instead of dragging a new Rectangle from the Shapes pane each time, select your finished red callout, hold Ctrl, and drag it to the right to create a copy. You only need to update the text for each new callout.

When you are done, you should have 5 red callout rectangles sitting below the current-state track, one under each step card.

Add green benefit callouts to the future state

The future-state track needs the same treatment, but with green callouts that highlight what each improved step delivers. Green signals improvement, creating an instant visual contrast against the red pain points above.

Drag a small Rectangle from the Shapes pane and place it directly below Step 1 of the future-state track.
Select the rectangle.
Click Fill in the Home tab and choose a green color.
Type the benefit text for Step 1 (for example, Single record eliminates duplicate entry).
Set the font to white using Font Color in the Home tab.
Change the font size to 10pt.
Resize the shape to fit the text snugly.

You should see a small green rectangle with white text below Step 1 of the future-state track.

Repeat for each of the remaining 4 future-state steps, creating one green benefit callout per step card.

You should now have 5 green callouts sitting below the future-state track, matching the 5 red callouts above.

Refine the visual hierarchy

The red and green callouts need to be the loudest elements on the page. If your step cards still have a strong fill color from earlier steps, they compete for attention. Switching the step cards to a neutral fill makes the callouts pop.

Select all 10 step cards across both tracks by holding Ctrl and clicking each one.
Click Shape Styles in the Home tab.
Select a neutral preset such as light gray or light blue.

The step cards should now recede into the background, letting the red and green callouts take center stage.

Why change the step card colors?

Visual hierarchy controls where a viewer's eye goes first. When step cards and callouts both use bold colors, everything competes for attention. Neutral step cards let the red and green callouts carry the analytical message without distraction.

Now let's clean up the alignment so everything looks polished.

Select all 5 current-state step cards by holding Ctrl and clicking each one.
Go to Home, then click Align.
Click Align Middle to even up the row vertically.
Click Distribute Horizontally to space them evenly across the canvas.
Repeat the same alignment for the 5 red callout shapes, the 5 future-state step cards, and the 5 green callout shapes.

Shapes jumping to unexpected positions?

Align and Distribute work relative to the selected shapes. If you accidentally include a header or a callout in your selection, the alignment will shift everything to account for that extra shape. Make sure you are only selecting the shapes in one row before aligning.

If shapes moved to the wrong place, press Ctrl+Z to undo and try again with the correct selection.

Need help? My shapes moved to the wrong positions when I used Align in Visio.

Before you scroll through the full diagram, think about what the finished analysis layer should look like. What visual contrast do you expect between the current-state and future-state tracks?

Scroll through your diagram from top to bottom. Each current-state step card should have a red callout tag below it naming a specific pain point. Each future-state step card should have a green callout tag below it naming the corresponding benefit. The red and green callouts should be the most visually prominent elements on the page, with the step cards in neutral gray or blue behind them.

Save your file by pressing Ctrl+S.

Your diagram now carries real analytical weight. Next up, you'll add a design decision section that documents the rationale behind the redesign and export the finished analysis as a shareable PDF.

Add the Design Decision Section and Export

Your diagram now carries analytical weight. The red and green callouts transform the two process tracks from plain descriptions into a real analysis that stakeholders can read at a glance.

A workflow analysis without a documented rationale is incomplete. In this step, you will add a design decision section that explains why the future state was designed the way it was, polish the layout with a title, and export everything as a shareable PDF.

In this step, get ready to:

Add a design decision section documenting the rationale behind the redesign.
Polish the alignment and add a diagram title.
Export the complete diagram as a PDF.

Create the design decision section

The design decision section anchors your visual analysis to a defensible argument. It tells stakeholders why the future state was designed the way it was.

Scroll down below the future-state track and its green callouts, leaving some vertical space.
From the Shapes pane on the left, drag a Rectangle onto the canvas below the future-state track.
Resize the rectangle to span the full width of your diagram by dragging its corner handles.
With the shape selected, go to Home, click Fill, and choose a light yellow or cream color.
Select the shape and type "DESIGN DECISION" on the first line.
Press Enter to start a new line, then type your rationale text explaining the key choices behind the future-state redesign.
Press Esc to finish typing.

You should see a light yellow rectangle at the bottom of your diagram with your heading text and rationale inside it.

Double-click the design decision rectangle to re-enter text editing mode.
Select the "DESIGN DECISION" heading text by clicking and dragging across it.
In the Font group on the Home tab, click Bold.
Press Esc to exit text editing.

The "DESIGN DECISION" heading now appears bold, visually separating it from the body text below.

Text not appearing bold?

Make sure you selected only the heading text, not the entire shape. Double-click the shape to enter text editing mode, then click and drag across just the "DESIGN DECISION" line before clicking Bold.

If the whole shape is selected instead of the text inside it, pressing Bold applies to all the text at once.

Help me format just the heading text inside my Visio shape.

Add a title and polish the layout

Your diagram needs a title at the top so anyone viewing it knows exactly what they are looking at. You will also clean up any alignment drift across the three sections.

Zoom out by pressing Ctrl and the minus key to see the full diagram.
Go to Home, find the Tools group, and click Text.
Click on the canvas above the current-state header to create a text box.
Type "Placement Workflow Process Analysis".
Press Esc to finish typing.
Click on the text box you just created to select it.
In the Font group on the Home tab, set the font size to 18 and click Bold.

You should see a bold, 18pt title reading "Placement Workflow Process Analysis" above the current-state header.

Check that the current-state track, future-state track, and design decision section are vertically stacked with consistent spacing.
Select any shapes that look misaligned, then go to Home, click Align, and choose the appropriate alignment option to clean up any drift.
Save your diagram by pressing Ctrl+S.

What should I see?

Your canvas now has four visual layers stacked from top to bottom: the bold title, the current-state track with red callouts, the future-state track with green callouts, and the light yellow design decision section. Everything should be neatly aligned with consistent spacing between each section.

Shapes overlapping or unevenly spaced?

Select the shapes that overlap, then drag them apart manually. Use Home and Align to snap them into a straight line.

If you need the page to fit all your content, go to the Design tab, click Size in the Page Setup group, and click Fit to Drawing. This resizes the page boundary to wrap tightly around your shapes.

Help me align and space my Visio diagram sections evenly.

✔️ Awesome, I've got everything!

Great. Make sure you have saved your file before moving on to the export.

ⓧ I’d like to double check my diagram

Confirm your canvas has all of these elements, from top to bottom:

A bold, 18pt text box reading "Placement Workflow Process Analysis" at the top.
A dark header reading "CURRENT STATE: Fragmented Workflow" with 5 step cards below it, connected by arrows, each with a step number, title, and description.
A red callout rectangle below each current-state step card naming the pain point.
A dark green header reading "FUTURE STATE: Controlled Workflow" with 5 step cards below it, connected by arrows.
A green callout rectangle below each future-state step card naming the benefit.
A light yellow rectangle at the bottom with a bold "DESIGN DECISION" heading and rationale text.

Export as PDF

Exporting as PDF makes the diagram shareable with anyone, regardless of whether they have Visio installed.

Click File in the top-left corner.
Click Export.
Click Create PDF/XPS Document.
Click Create PDF/XPS.
In the save dialog, choose a save location on your computer.
Enter Placement Workflow Analysis in the File Name field.
Click Publish.

What does Create PDF/XPS do?

This exports your entire Visio diagram page as a PDF file. The PDF preserves the exact layout, colors, and text you see on screen. Anyone can open it with a standard PDF reader without needing Visio.

Before you open the PDF, think about what you expect to see in it. Will every section of your diagram be there?

Navigate to the location where you saved the PDF and open it.

Your PDF shows the complete placement workflow analysis diagram with the title at the top, both tracks with their red and green callouts, and the design decision section at the bottom.

PDF looks blank or cuts off parts of the diagram?

Your shapes may extend beyond the page boundary. Return to Visio, go to the Design tab, click Size in the Page Setup group, and click Fit to Drawing. This resizes the page to wrap around all your shapes.

After resizing, repeat the export steps to generate a new PDF.

Help me fix my Visio PDF export so nothing is cut off.

Secret mission

Add a Gap Analysis Section

Your diagram shows two separate tracks, but it does not explicitly connect each problem to its solution. Add a gap analysis section that bridges the current-state pain points to the future-state benefits, making the transition path visible at a glance.

Clean Up Your Resources

This project uses the Visio Plan 2 free trial, which automatically converts to a paid subscription ($15.00/month) after 30 days. Decide whether to keep your resources running, pause them to come back later, or delete them entirely.

Cost warning

If you do not cancel your Visio Plan 2 trial before the 30-day period ends, Microsoft will begin charging you $15.00/month for the subscription. Cancel from the Microsoft 365 admin center to avoid charges.

Resources you used:

Visio Plan 2 trial subscription (Microsoft 365).
Placement Workflow Analysis.vsdx file saved to OneDrive.
Placement Workflow Analysis.pdf file saved to your computer.
Visio desktop app installed on your computer.

Keep everything running

No action needed. Choose this if you plan to continue using Visio and want to keep building diagrams.

Your Placement Workflow Analysis diagram stays saved in OneDrive and accessible from the Visio desktop app.
Your 30-day free trial continues running. Remember to cancel before it ends if you decide not to keep Visio.
The Visio desktop app remains installed and ready to use on your computer.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Your trial continues running and you can cancel at any time before it ends. No immediate action is needed.

Your diagram stays saved in OneDrive for when you return.
Set a calendar reminder to cancel the trial before the 30-day period ends if you do not plan to continue with Visio.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Remove all project resources and cancel your trial to avoid future charges.

Cancel your Visio Plan 2 subscription

Go to admin.microsoft.com in your browser.
Sign in with your work account (the @xxx.onmicrosoft.com address from signup).
Select Billing in the left sidebar.
Select Subscriptions.
Find your Visio Plan 2 subscription.
Select the subscription and cancel it.

What happens to my diagrams after canceling?

Your diagrams saved to OneDrive remain accessible in read-only mode through Visio for the web. You can still view them, but you will not be able to edit them without an active subscription.

Delete the diagram file from OneDrive

Open File Explorer from your taskbar.
Navigate to your OneDrive folder.
Select Placement Workflow Analysis.vsdx.
Press the Delete key on your keyboard.

Delete the exported PDF

Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where you saved Placement Workflow Analysis.pdf.
Select the file and press the Delete key on your keyboard.

Uninstall the Visio desktop app

Press the Windows key and type Control Panel.
Select Control Panel from the search results.
Select Programs.
Select Programs and Features.
Find Microsoft Visio in the list.
Select Uninstall and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the removal.

Nice Work!

You just built a professional placement workflow analysis diagram from scratch in Microsoft Visio. From a blank canvas to a color-coded, exportable process analysis ready for stakeholders.

You've learned how to:

Build a current-state and future-state workflow comparison that documents a placement process before and after redesign, using shape formatting, connectors, and section headers in Visio.
Add a color-coded analysis layer with red pain point callouts and green benefit callouts that transforms a process description into a visual process analysis.
Create a design decision section documenting the rationale behind a redesign, and export the complete diagram as a shareable PDF.
Secret Mission: Add a gap analysis section with dashed connectors bridging the two tracks, mapping each pain point to its corresponding fix.

Ready to quiz yourself?