Recommendations of process flow chart platform/software?
Jacqueline LeeSr. Manager - Project Management| The Marketing StoreHong Kong, Hong Kong
I work on project management mainly on business solutions. SOP setup and improvement is one of my key focuses. I've been planning to put the process flow charts in a centralized location and searching for a platform to allow the flow charts to be displayed from high level to detailed levels for end-to-end process. Do you have any suggestions on the platform/software? I used to use QPR to display a small number of charts but for some reasons my company cannot continue to use it. Some flow charts created by users are in various format, e.g. Visio, Excel, etc. Ideally there is high level charts and click into one/each of the steps to go to a lower level. Then click on a step to go further down to the next lower level for more detailed processes. It would be helpful if the Visio files can be imported to the new platform. My company is in supply chain from product concepts to product development to production and shipments. Any experience to share and any recommendations? Thank you. Saving Changes...
Jacqueline LeeSr. Manager - Project Management| The Marketing StoreHong Kong, Hong Kong
Oct 20, 2022 11:45 AM
Replying to Keith Novak
...
Yes adding the hyperlinks straight to Visio is easier however generally I would not share the Visio files themselves. That would require everyone to have a license. I find it a great tool for creating and editing flow chart type graphics but I would generally export it to pdf for others.
For protecting your base files, what I tend to do is create a password protected server or other portal for all the files rather than each individual file. Then I put the PDF exports in the location accessible to anyone.
On my protected server, I can then keep the archived copies of the process flows for reference with the version number. I keep the same file name for the PDF files regardless of version. That way you can replace the accessible file versions without updating the hyperlinks, and if anyone else links the files themselves, you don't break their links when you revise a process flow.
Thanks a lot for these additional information.
However, I foresee there will be a big challenge with the hyperlinks on different level of flow charts. The hyperlinks are mainly for connecting to multiple flow charts. If the PDF will be shared to everyone, I imagine the hyperlinks are connected to the PDF of charts instead of the Visio. If so, whenever any hyperlink needs to be adjusted or added in Visio, another PDF should be created that means all connected flow charts will be impacted and should be re-exported to a new PDF. If there are 50-100 inter-related flow charts and the no. of steps on each flow chart would be about 30-300 steps, the adjustment of any hyperlinks would be cumbersome. I’m not sure if my understanding in the way of managing hyperlinks is correct. That’s why my previous thought was sharing Visio files. Suggestions?
I haven’t been able to figure out whether your suggested way of excluding version no. of files could be applied to the challenge mentioned above.
BTW, are the free Visio viewer sites good for audiences to view the Visio charts so Visio license isn’t needed for everyone? Just want to explore this option.
Thank you.
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1 reply by Keith Novak
Oct 24, 2022 11:25 AM
Keith Novak
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I guess I can’t visualize the linking problems you are thinking, possibly because I’ve used this method for many years at some of the largest and most heavily regulated companies in the world. 😊
By maintaining a stable file structure/document tree, and stable file names for the latest version, the links always point to the same place. The target file is simply replaced at that location.
One of the big benefits is that whenever you revise a process document, the links always point to the latest version regardless of how many times a process has been revised. It avoids people maintaining links to an older version.
The links point to the process name PRO-1234, not PRO-1234 Rev C. The latest version is always in the PRO-1234 folder and the file name doesn’t change so if you roll Rev C to D, the revision will be listed in the file itself, not in the file or folder names. That generic 1234 folder contains every prior version with the rev in the title, and if D is the latest version, the folder contains both 1234 Rev D, and a copy without the rev level that is the new target file so all the links stay intact.
If you reorganize the folder structure however, you will mess everything up and make many people very irritated.
In fact, if you see pages of documents that contain nothing but the words THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK, it is likely to maintain the page numbers for internal links or references. Keeping critical things on the same page number is like putting them in the same file structure.
I can’t speak to the free Visio viewers as I have not used any. They probably work fine, but using industry standards like PDF simplifies things so that anyone in the world can view the files without special software. The added benefit is less software integration required and better IT security.
Thanks a lot for these additional information.
However, I foresee there will be a big challenge with the hyperlinks on different level of flow charts. The hyperlinks are mainly for connecting to multiple flow charts. If the PDF will be shared to everyone, I imagine the hyperlinks are connected to the PDF of charts instead of the Visio. If so, whenever any hyperlink needs to be adjusted or added in Visio, another PDF should be created that means all connected flow charts will be impacted and should be re-exported to a new PDF. If there are 50-100 inter-related flow charts and the no. of steps on each flow chart would be about 30-300 steps, the adjustment of any hyperlinks would be cumbersome. I’m not sure if my understanding in the way of managing hyperlinks is correct. That’s why my previous thought was sharing Visio files. Suggestions?
I haven’t been able to figure out whether your suggested way of excluding version no. of files could be applied to the challenge mentioned above.
BTW, are the free Visio viewer sites good for audiences to view the Visio charts so Visio license isn’t needed for everyone? Just want to explore this option.
Thank you.
I guess I can’t visualize the linking problems you are thinking, possibly because I’ve used this method for many years at some of the largest and most heavily regulated companies in the world. 😊
By maintaining a stable file structure/document tree, and stable file names for the latest version, the links always point to the same place. The target file is simply replaced at that location.
One of the big benefits is that whenever you revise a process document, the links always point to the latest version regardless of how many times a process has been revised. It avoids people maintaining links to an older version.
The links point to the process name PRO-1234, not PRO-1234 Rev C. The latest version is always in the PRO-1234 folder and the file name doesn’t change so if you roll Rev C to D, the revision will be listed in the file itself, not in the file or folder names. That generic 1234 folder contains every prior version with the rev in the title, and if D is the latest version, the folder contains both 1234 Rev D, and a copy without the rev level that is the new target file so all the links stay intact.
If you reorganize the folder structure however, you will mess everything up and make many people very irritated.
In fact, if you see pages of documents that contain nothing but the words THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK, it is likely to maintain the page numbers for internal links or references. Keeping critical things on the same page number is like putting them in the same file structure.
I can’t speak to the free Visio viewers as I have not used any. They probably work fine, but using industry standards like PDF simplifies things so that anyone in the world can view the files without special software. The added benefit is less software integration required and better IT security. Saving Changes...
Jacqueline LeeSr. Manager - Project Management| The Marketing StoreHong Kong, Hong Kong
Oct 20, 2022 11:45 AM
Replying to Keith Novak
...
Yes adding the hyperlinks straight to Visio is easier however generally I would not share the Visio files themselves. That would require everyone to have a license. I find it a great tool for creating and editing flow chart type graphics but I would generally export it to pdf for others.
For protecting your base files, what I tend to do is create a password protected server or other portal for all the files rather than each individual file. Then I put the PDF exports in the location accessible to anyone.
On my protected server, I can then keep the archived copies of the process flows for reference with the version number. I keep the same file name for the PDF files regardless of version. That way you can replace the accessible file versions without updating the hyperlinks, and if anyone else links the files themselves, you don't break their links when you revise a process flow.
Thank you. I haven't been able to figure out an "easier" way to manage revised hyperlinks on Visio and PDF. It's because the links are interdependent. Any hyperlink is changed then export to a new PDF again, the PDF url will change and will impact the dependent files.
Apologies if I make it complicated. It's the challenge that I foresee.
Thanks. Saving Changes...
