Microsoft Visio: Create Shape - Here's how

With Microsoft Visio you can quickly create your own drawings using so-called shapes. This practical tip shows you how to create your own shape.

Create your own shape with Microsoft Visio

You can reuse your own shape in all of your Visio drawings without having to completely redraw each time. To create your own shape, you have to do the following.

1. Open a new Visio drawing by starting Visio, clicking on "Empty drawing" and then on "Create".
2. Then click on "More Shapes" under the "Shapes" category on the left and then on "New Stencil"
3. Now right-click on the new template on the left and click on "Save". The file name is also the name of the new template.
4. Now right-click on "Place quick shapes here" and select "New master shape ...".
5. Enter a name for your own shape under "Name:" and click "OK".
6. Now right click on the new master shape, click on "Edit Master Shape" and then again on "Edit Master Shape".
7. A new window opens in which you can draw your new shape. After you are done, you only have to close the window and confirm the dialog with "Yes".