Visio 2010 - Linking Excel

If there is a shape in each cell of the table in Visio then the answer is yes. Or if there is a shape you can use in each cell of the table, then the answer is also yes. Linking a diagram to data involves two steps: 1) linking the diagram to a data source (e.g., Excel, Access, SharePoint list, database); and 2) linking each row of imported data to a shape. As I suggested above, #2 can be accomplished by either by dragging a data row onto an existing shape or by selecting a master in a stencil, and then dragging a data row onto the page (in the latter case, Visio drops an instance of the selected master onto the page and then adds the data).

Let me know if you need more details...

Hi Scott Helmers,

It has been mentioned to use "visio 2010 reverse engineer sql server"

I am really knew to Visio, so I would need step-by-step detail

I have about 150 Tables with all there fields, index's,

Thanks for helping...

Thanks for the additional comments... I missed that you were talking about database tables in your original question.

The reverse engineering capability existed in Visio Professional up to and including Visio 2010. Consequently, neither Visio 2013 nor Visio 2016 includes this feature but 2010 and earlier do. Note also that you must have the Professional edition, not the Standard edition.

These instructions were written for Visio 2007 but they are essentially correct for Visio 2010.

If you have any trouble finding the Database Modeling template in Visio 2010, take a look at this page.

Hi Scott Helmers,

So you are saying that instead of me manually entering in each: Table, Field, Index which would take weeks to do.  I can do the same in a few hours?  By just using "reverse engineering "?

Wow

thanks...

Yes, that's the idea. The results may not be perfect, but when you point the reverse engineering add-in at a database, it will create a diagram that shows the tables and relationships.

Here's an example I just found: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/25701.reverse-engineering-a-sql-server-database-using-visio.aspx

Ok,

I don't even know how to connect, every time I try it just comes up with no listing at all.

I tried connecting to:
SQL Server
Excel (loco on C:)

Please help and thanks

Unfortunately, I can't help you with how to connect to your database. You'll need to talk to a database admin who can provide username, password, and other connection details.

Ok,

I tried to do the "reverse engineering " but with no luck.  Seems that I can not do this at all.  So I tried with DDS SQL Server Script.  I went into SSMS generated a script and I have it on the local machine.   But don't know enough about Visio 2010 to import that DDS Script into Visio.


Please help and thanks...

Thanks for your response.

Yes, I tried that.  Seems getting to the servers is the problem.  

So the next step would be to download a listing of just Tables and Fields to Excel. I did this and still having problems connecting to my Excel spreadsheet (local) on my C drive.

I tried:
ODBC Generic Driver and Microsoft SQL Server
Excel Files
<Next>

So in short this is the problem I am having:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/office/en-US/3c8eb13a-f5ec-4248-ac3b-620868bcd031/visio-fails-to-reverse-engineer-excell-database?forum=visiogeneral

In your first response I am guessing that you are not talking about "reverse engineering"

Please help and thanks

You are correct that in my very first response above I was not referring to database reverse engineering but to the more general data linking facility. While data linking will let you read data from Excel quite easily, it does not draw a diagram for you. Consequently, if you would still like to have Visio create all of the tables and links for you, I think you'll need to connect with someone local who can help you get access to the SQL database. Visio provides the mechanism for doing so, but it can't know about database locations, permission, etc. You will need that sort of local information in order for the Visio reverse engineering wizard to do its thing.

Thank you for helping me to understand...

A postscript to this question for anyone who is looking for the database reverse engineering (DBRE) feature in Visio: as of today, Microsoft has announced availability of a preview version of the DBRE feature for Visio Pro for Office 365.

Here's the announcement article.

Please note that the preview is currently restricted to Visio Pro for Office 365 and is not available for the desktop (msi installer) version of Visio Professional.