Top 10 Online Diagramming and Flowchart software

Latest news about Online Diagramming and Flowchart software

2020. Draw.io's open source diagramming is moving to diagrams.net



Popular open source diagramming web app Draw.io is migrating away from its iconic .io domain name to Diagrams.net in order to improve security and ethics. The main impetus for the move is a security issue inherent to .io top-level domains that the administrator behind issuing said domains has provided zero communication addressing. This complete lack of communication has caused the diagrams.net development team to lose their trust of the .io TLD administrator. The transition from Draw.io to diagrams.net will be slow and last through all of 2020. The Draw.io domain name will continue to serve the diagramming web application without any redirects until the transition has fully completed.


2019. Google Drawings can now be embedded into Google Docs and easily updated



Google Drawings will soon feature improved Google Docs integration by allowing a direct and updating embed. At the moment, users have to manually create a new drawing from the Google Docs insert menu. A separate window opens to allow users to work on a Google Drawings file, with the ability to insert once they are finished editing. With the new integration, heading to “Drawing” in the “Insert” menu will reveal a new “From Drive” option that opens up a Drive file picker to select an existing Drawings file. Once embedded, the drawing is linked to that doc, with users able to update it if changes are made to the source. You can also unlink the work to make further customizations and edits that won’t be reflected.

2018. Gliffy acquired by RogueWave Software



Gliffy is joining forces with Rogue Wave Software, the company that helps global enterprise customers tackle the most complex issues in building, connecting, and securing applications. Its platforms, tools, components, and support are used across financial services, technology, healthcare, government, entertainment, and manufacturing to deliver value and reduce risk. Joining forces with Gliffy will improve Rogue Wave Software's ability to help companies speed up development cycle time. For Gliffy customers and community members, this new collaboration will only increase our ability to expand and improve Gliffy products. No changes to license agreements are expected.


2018. LucidChart raises $72 million to grow the web-based diagramming software



Web-based visual design platform Lucid Software has raised $72 million in a round of funding. Founded in 2010, Lucid Software is best known for its flagship Lucidchart product, which is kind of like a Microsoft Visio-style collaborative diagramming app that’s used for wireframing, UI prototyping, and similar use cases. Companies can use it to create an organizational HR chart, for example, though in reality anyone from freelancers to students can use the software. Lucidchart competitors include tools from the likes of Adobe and, as noted, Microsoft Visio, while other players in the field include SmartDraw, Gliffy, and the open source Draw.io. Lucidchart aims to differentiate itself through a combination of ease-of-use, access on any device or platform, real-time collaboration and advanced functionality, like automating diagrams and combining them with external data sources.


2018. Microsoft Visio integrates with Hololense



Microsoft is putting its AR headset Hololense forward as a way to increase productivity, quality, and safety by helping companies reimagine processes, data, and people to accelerate business impact and create value for customers. In particular, Microsoft Visio has been updated to address intelligent manufacturing scenarios, including facility layout. Microsoft will be showcasing Intelligent Manufacturing scenarios supported by Microsoft customer Dürr AG and incorporating Microsoft Visio Partners FaciWare GmbH (facility management solutions) and X-Visual Technologies GmbH (PnID solutions).


2018. draw.io allows to automatically create diagrams from CSV files



Many different company departments and professionals work with data that is or can be represented in a table or spreadsheet format, and often, that data is more quickly understood when converted into a diagram. If you want to see that data visually, it’s now easy to import it into draw.io. Each row represents a shape, and the columns contain the shapes’ data. You can see that not all columns are included as data in the diagram – some of these columns tell draw.io how to format the shape, or are used as identifiers for drawing connectors between the shapes. You can set the formatting for the shapes.


2018. Gliffy adds AWS Simple Icons



To make documenting their infrastructure and offerings easy, Amazon's brilliant designers have created icons to represent every service they provide. And as the offerings are always evolving, so are the shapes. Gliffy developers thought it would be useful to create a template with all the most up-to-date AWS simple icons (which you can use as a starting point for creating your own network documentation). There are so many shapes, that the template takes a minute to load. You can view it at 50% zoom since the shapes are large (for optimal resolution).


2018. OmniGraffle for Mac gets the new Stencil Browser experience



In the new version of OmniGraffle 7.6 for Mac the Stencil Browser can be positioned in the left or right sidebar, or the two views you’re familiar with: popover and detached window. You can add new objects to any stencil by dragging them from the Canvas to the Stencil Browser! (Just hold Option while doing it.) Multiple Stencils can be selected for use at a time, rearranging or reorganizing by with Folders is a snap, and more.


2017. draw.io is now available as a Trello Power-Up



It’s now much easier to keep related draw.io diagrams with Trello tasks – embed one or more  diagrams into any Trello card instead of using a shared folder or cloud file service, or worse, bouncing the diagrams around via email. You’ll be able to collaborate with your team much more effectively and efficiently. draw.io lets you create a wide range of diagrams: flowcharts and BPMN diagrams, mockups and wireframes, UML and ER diagrams, floor plans and electrical circuits, infographics and many more. It has an extensive shape library, robust tools for importing diagrams in other formats, and stores all data within Trello.


2017. OmniGraffle 7.5 gets big automation update



In OmniGraffle 7.5 for Mac, new automation features are introduced, a whole lot of functions and classes are improved, and a lot of bugs are vanquished. The release notes give all the details, but this is a big release if you’ve been working with Omni Automation. You can feel free to share your scripts and quick workspace improvements that Omni Automation brings to OmniGraffle.


2017. Microsoft launches Visio Online editor


Microsoft Visio was the first popular tool for building schemes and diagrams, designing software and site interfaces. But then a lot of online alternatives (like Gliffy, OmniGiraffe) appeared with collaboravite features, and most users forgot about the heavy Visio. For some reason Microsoft didn't release the online version of Visio together with other Office editors (Word, Excel...). Then, some years later (in 2016) the company launched just Visio Online viewer. And only now Visio Online becomes full-featured app that allows to build and edit diagrams in browser and organize teamwork on them. It costs $5/month per user. The free Visio Onilne viewer is available in almost all Office 365 plans.


2017. OmniGraffle gains drag and drop for iOS 11



The drawing and charting software OmniGraffle 3.2 has been updated for iOS 11 to take advantage of the new operating system's drag and drop features to change and improve how you work with the apps. OmniGraffle is often used for organization charts or for floor plans. You can get very elaborate and detailed, so much so that app designers can mock up in OmniGraffle how their software will look. OmniGraffle is also meant for just explaining things quickly so it has tools and features to make drawing fast. It's also got an extremely dedicated following among its users who share and sell collections of templates called Stencils.


2017. Visio Online adds new themes, shapes and guides



Microsoft has updated its service Visio Online that allows anyone to create, edit and share diagrams through any web browser. Users can now create diagrams more easily with the help of Quick Shapes. When they hover over the arrows near any shape, they will see the quick shapes panel. They can select the needed shape and it will auto-connect with their existing shape. Users can use the smart guides to align their shapes. And they can also change connector types according to their needs. Microsoft has also added more shapes to the Visio Online. They can now search for desired shapes using the search-box above shape panel. Apart from the ability to add their own pictures, users can now use the “Find and Add a picture from web” option to add other pictures from the web.


2017. Microsoft Injects Power BI Insights Into Visio Diagrams



Microsoft Power BI users can now link their business analytics to floorplans, business processes and other diagrams created in Visio. Currently available in preview, the new visual allows users to take diagrams created in Visio and use them as a foundation on which to overlay meaningful business insights. Using Visio and Power BI together, you can illustrate and compare data both as diagrams and as traditional Power BI visuals in one place, driving operational and business intelligence to understand the overall picture. You can connect to a Visio diagram hosted on SharePoint or OneDrive for Business. The underlying Power BI data is then automatically and intelligently linked to the diagram based on its shape properties, eliminating the need to do this manually.


2017. OmniGraffle brings its Mac-features to iOS



OmniGraffle released new version for iOS. It adopts the paneled design found on the Mac, which should make fans of that version feel right at home with the update. Navigation and object inspection are handled by the new panels. On an iPad or in landscape mode on a Plus-size iPhone, the panels slide in from the sides of the screen. On smaller iPhones or portrait mode on a Plus-sized iPhone, the panels slide up from the bottom of the screen. The app also brings the iOS version in line with the core functionality of the macOS version including features like artboards. It’s nice that OmniGraffle is Universal because it can be handy to make quick edits on your iPhone if that’s all you have, but using OmniGraffle is a much better experience on the largest iPad screen you can afford.


2017. Gliffy is extending its enterprise offering



Gliffy is extending its enterprise-level tier (previously available in the Atlassian ecosystem only). Gliffy Enterprise is the bridge between talking about something and getting it done. It ensures that corporate assets stay secure, information remains within the company even if employees leave, and most importantly, that teams are better aligned. It features cross-team sharing & collaboration - Increases visibility into what you and your team are working on. Provides a high-level overview of cross-departmental projects. Allows teams to work with the tools they love best by integrating with popular platforms including Basecamp and Slack. Easy user management makes it easy for admins to create new accounts and manage privacy settings, saving valuable time and simplifying work processes.


2017. Microsoft releases public version of Visio Online for Office 365 commercial users



Microsoft has pushed out cloud version of Visio, making it available for the first time for paid Office 365 users. A preview version of Visio Online was first made available to a select group of Office 365 users in November and Microsoft utilized their feedback in launching the current version. Like the previous version, the public release is free and aimed primarily at allowing users of the full Visio for Windows application to view and collaborate on Visio diagrams on any platform that can run a web browser. Because Visio Online is just a viewer, you will need to create your Visio diagrams in the full version and then share them using OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online. Once they are available online, then you can also share them using the Visio Online version.


2017. Visio allows to convert process map data in Excel into Visio diagrams



Microsoft announced a new feature in Visio called Data Visualizer that will automatically convert process map data in Excel into data-driven Visio diagrams. Business Analysts can now visualize process steps and associated metadata in a structured Excel table as Visio diagram. They can do this by using a premade Excel template or an existing spreadsheet of their own design. There is a basic template and then there is another template for cross-functional flowcharts providing a sample mapping table to populate with diagram metadata. The table includes predefined columns for process step number, description, dependencies, owner, function, phase and more. Users can also customize the table with their own columns to meet specific business requirements.


2017. OmniGraffle adds Artboards to presentation mode



OmniGraffle 7.3 added the ability to present your artboards in Presentation Mode. OmniGraffle’s Presentation Mode has always allowed you to treat each canvas like a slide to showcase them full screen—now you can present individual artboards, too. Presenting your individual designs, isolated from your busy canvas with artboards, only show your content within each boundary shape and above it in your layer hierarchy. To start a presentation, use the item in the View menu. When presenting, the up and down arrow keys move between canvases while the left and right arrow keys move between artboards.  To help with navigation, we’ve simplified the sidebar to minimize accidental clicks—just move the cursor all the way to the left.


2017. Microsoft Improves Database Diagramming in Visio Pro



Microsoft is using Visio Pro, the company's diagramming application, to shed light on complex database deployments and businesses processes. The company announced a database reverse engineering tool that allow users to explore the structure of their databases and how the various elements work together. Available in the Database Modeling add-in, the tool supports several popular databases, including MySQL, Oracle, and of course, Microsoft's own SQL Server. Using an intuitive wizard, you can select the source database and specific elements to include in the visual, giving you full control over the resulting diagram. Best of all, the database diagram updates when the source information changes, helping ensure everyone has access to the latest data.


2016. OmniGraffle 7 plays better with other graphics apps



Vector drawing and diagraming tool OmniGraffle for Mac gets a big update. With version 7, OmniGraffle supports an infinitely expandable canvas. When you start a new document in any graphics app and am asked to pick a size, it’s often no more than an educated guess at what my needs might be. OmniGraffle 7 plays better with other graphics apps. The app previously added support for exporting your work as an SVG file, but now, you can also import SVG graphics, which means OmniGraffle can become part of whole new workflows. Pro users can also take advantage of artboards in OmniGraffle 7. With the Artboard tool, you can draw any shape supported by OmniGraffle around objects on your canvas the same way you would draw shapes with the shapes tool.


2016. Microsoft is bringing Visio to Android and Windows Phone



Just a few weeks after Microsoft started testing Visio for iOS, the company announced that the Visio app will be coming to Android and Windows phones sometime soon. Unfortunately though, there aren’t many details about the app itself. For example, Microsoft is yet to share when the app will be available for download on Windows Phone or even Android. However, what we do know is that the Android and Windows Phone app will have feature parity with the iOS app which is pretty good to know. Visio is an app mostly used for diagrams and charts. Despite its utility, it’s not a very popular app, and many users don’t even know it exists. Visio simplifies complex information through simple, easy-to-understand diagrams, and it a very useful tool for business professionals.


2016. Microsoft Visio is coming to iPad



Microsoft has announced a limited new Visio on iPad Insider Program that will help bring Microsoft’s diagramming solution to iPad. Visio will work on all iPads, from the iPad mini to the iPad Pro, and it will require iOS 9 or newer. It will be available in at least English, Chinese, French, German, Russian, and Spanish, during the pre-release period. You will need to sign-in with a Microsoft account. You'll be able to view files from OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, or SharePoint, or files received as email attachments. The Pan and Zoom experience is optimized for a small touch screen. It allows to turn the visibility of layers on or off, copy the current view of a Visio diagram as an image and paste it in another app, share a file as a link or attachment, find text in a shape.


2015. OmniGraffle released universal iOS app



The Omni Group has released a new OmniGraffle 2 iOS app transforming it into a universal application, that is now capable of running on Apple’s iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices. Besides, the developers added new language support for Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, and Spanish. The new OmniGraffle 2 iOS App also includes a professional upgrade that is available as an in-app purchase for $49 and provides support for the new Fill Effects and Filters that were recently introduced into OmniGraffle 6.1 for Mac. The new OmniGraffle 2 Pro upgrade effects offers Fill Blend and Filter effects making it possible for users to blur, pixelate, and magnify content behind a shape. The latest iOS App update also brings with it a new updated Layout that has been adapted to work on smaller iPhone and iPod touch screens.


2014. Grapholite - MS Visio alternative for Android



Microsoft so appreciates its diagram-drawing application Visio, that sells it separately from the Office 365 for as high as 18/month/user. The most popular alternatives to MS Visio - is a great SaaS service Gliffy, which costs $5/month and free Google Drawings, which, however, is only suitable for simple diagrams. But it turns out that there is another serious alternative to MS Visio - Grapholite. This is online service + desktop app. Few days ago they also released the first full-featured Android app for drawing business graphics on tablets. Now, with the help of your finger you can draw quite complex and beautiful charts. Despite the fact that it is a mobile application it contains all features that can be expected from the mature state-of-the-art diagramming solutions like Visio: a rich set of built-in themes and styles, sophisticated connection auto-routing algorithms, dynamic grid, snap lines and hundreds of smart shapes on the toolbox. The unique “sketch” mode allows single-click styling of any figure as if it is sketched by hand. The unique “sketch” mode allows single-click styling of any figure as if it is sketched by hand. The app costs $15.99 while the desktop+online application costs $49 (one-time fee).


2014. Gliffy integrates with online versions of JIRA and Confluence



Atlassian, a leading provider of collaboration software for teams, launched Atlassian Connect - an extensible new framework for developers to build add-ons that deeply integrate with online versions of JIRA and Confluence. Gliffy has become one of the first adopters of the platform. "We see Atlassian Connect as an opportunity to re-architect our successful diagramming and mockup tool for JIRA," said Chris Kohlhardt, CEO of Gliffy. "Based on Atlassian Connect, the next version of Gliffy for JIRA OnDemand will maintain the same intuitive interface and we'll be able to deploy product improvements instantly."


2013. OmniGraffle Pro 6 gets a facelift



OmniGraffle 6 gets a modernized engine to enjoy and some interface changes to, well, get used to. Using version 6 is not dramatically different from OmniGraffle Pro’s previous incarnation. All of the tools and controls have been redrawn with an eye to making their functions easily understood at a glance. OmniGraffle Pro’s new Resource Browser offers various templates and shape collections called Stencils for creating these documents. If, say, you’re working on a new floor plan for an office, you can choose from the Resource Browser a space-planning template where 1 inch equals 1 foot. Then in the template you can drag and drop walls, doors, and furniture objects from the space planning stencils.


2013. Gliffy launched Chrome app



Diagramming and business graphics tool Gliffy is now available for Chrome in the new Google Chrome Web Store. Developed as a Chrome App, Gliffy Diagrams offers users the best of all worlds: It works on and offline, seamlessly integrating with the desktop, and it is automatically updated as new versions are released. It is also integrated with Google Drive so users can share and collaborate with clients or other users. By providing an up-to-date business graphics tool, customers now have a nimble and powerful alternative to Visio and LibreOffice Draw. Since it is the full version, customers are up and running quickly and are able to create an unlimited number of drawings without any time trial limits.


2013. Gliffy moves to HTML5



Web-based diagram creation tool Gliffy has been rewritten in HTML5, allowing its developer to add a slew of new features, including support for Microsoft Visio as well as Google Drive cloud storage. The shift from Flash to HTML5 was "highly risky," but something that the developers have seen as necessary. Gliffy is now actually live in both Flash as well as HTML5, but given the large number of HTML5-compliant browsers available, the Flash version is quickly losing relevance. The new release also adds features such as the ability to drag and drop images, and coherent themes that can be extended across a diagram or flowchart as a whole.


2010. Google Docs adds Visio killer, collaborative editing in Google Wave style



When Microsoft demoed the Office Web Apps, we noted that nobody knows what will Google Docs look like when Office 2010 finally launch. MS Office Web will appear at least in 2 months and this question is still relevant. While Microsoft is fixing bugs in its web office, Google is constantly improving Docs. The new version of Google Docs features the significantly improved collaborative editing technology. It has a sidebar, which displays a list of users who are editing or viewing the document right now. On the same panel is chat. Each user is assigned a color and you can watch in real-time how your co-workers edit document (like in Google Wave or Etherpad). Moreover, this technology works in text documents and spreadsheets, and in the new Google Drawings. ***