Microsoft® Visio® contains a number of automatic devices to simplify creating timelines. When you input dates, Visio quickly formats your timeline to include the day, month, or year timeframes. The program also offers a range of timeline shapes so that you can quickly drag images onto your page. This tutorial is designed so that you can set up timeline formats before or during your lesson, depending on your curriculum objectives and the age of your students. Note that Microsoft Visio can be used when the timeline begins later than December 30, 1899. To create a timeline beginning before this date, use one of the other options included in the Timeline theme. 1. | Start Microsoft Visio. | 2. | On the File menu, point to New, point to Project Schedule, and then click Timeline. | 3. | From the Timeline Shapes stencil, drag one of the five timeline shapes (Block, 1-D, Line timeline, Ruler timeline, Divided timeline, Cylindrical timeline) onto the drawing page. | 4. | The Configure Timeline dialog box appears.
Note Leave this dialog box open until you are finished with this section.
 | 5. | In the Start date box, type or select the starting date for the timeline.
Tip: Click or use the arrow keys to move from month to day to year. | 6. | In the Finish date box, type or select the ending date for the timeline. | 7. | In the Time scale list, choose a time scale unit for the timeline. If you choose Weeks, you can select the week to start on Monday or Sunday. | 8. | On the Time Format tab, clear the Show start and finish dates in the timeline check boxes if you do not want to show the beginning and ending dates at the ends of the timeline. | 9. | In the first Date format list, select how you want the dates to look. | 10. | Clear the Show interim time scale markings on timeline check box if you don't want each time scale unit to appear on the timeline.
Note A limit of 60 time scale markings can appear on any timeline bar. | 11. | Clear the Show dates on interim time scale markings check box if you don't want a date attached to each time scale marking.
Note This option is not available unless you selected the Show interim time scale markings on timeline check box.) In the Date format list for this option, select a format for the unit labels.
When you reposition any milestones, intervals, or other markers on your timeline, Visio can automatically update the dates associated with the markers. If you don't want Visio to do this, clear the Automatically update dates when markers are moved check box. | 12. | Click OK.
Tip: To change any of these settings later on, right-click the timeline bar and then click Configure Timeline. |
After you have the timeline in place, you can start adding markers that indicate important milestones and events. The following table describes the milestone marker options available to you on the Timeline Shapes stencil. Milestone | 
| Indicates a specific date on the timeline (for example, the date when gold was first discovered in California). | Interval | 
| Indicates a critical time span on the timeline (for example, the time span for the Bubonic Plague in Europe). Choose an interval shape that matches the style of the timeline bar. |
To indicate a milestone on a timeline1. | Drag a milestone shape from the Timeline Shapes stencil directly onto the timeline bar. The Configure Milestone dialog box opens. | 2. | In the Milestone date box, type or select the date for the milestone. | 3. | In the Date format list, select how you want the date to look, and then click OK. | 4. | To add your own milestone description, double-click the text associated with the milestone. Select the words "Milestone Description," type the new text, and then click OK. Note When you add your own milestone description, make sure you select only the words "Milestone Description" and not the date associated with the milestone. If you inadvertently delete the date, right-click the milestone, and then click Show Date. Note If a milestone date changes, you can quickly update the timeline by dragging a milestone marker to its new position. |
To indicate a time span on a timeline1. | Drag an interval shape from the Timeline Shapes stencil directly onto the top of the timeline bar. The Configure Interval dialog box opens. | 2. | In the Start date and Finish date boxes, type or select start and end dates of the time span the interval represents. | 3. | In the Date format list, choose how you want the dates to look, and then click OK. To add your own time span description, double-click the text associated with the interval shape. Select the words Interval Description and then type your own time span description. Note When adding your own interval description, make sure you select only the words "Interval Description" and not the dates associated with the interval. If you inadvertently delete the dates, right-click the interval, and then click Show Dates. |
Inserting pictures1. | On the Insert menu, point to Picture and then click From File. | 2. | Choose the picture you would like inserted from your saved pictures, and then click OK. | 3. | Click the picture, and adjust the size of the picture by dragging the resizing handles.
Then, move the picture to the appropriate place on the timeline. | 4. | Draw a line to connect the photo with the time frame by selecting the Line Tool on the Drawing toolbar which can be accessed off the Standard toolbar.
Note After you switch to the line tool mode, you must switch back to the pointer tool mode or you will continue to draw lines. To return to the pointer tool mode, click the Pointer Tool on the Standard toolbar. | 5. | Complete the process with all your pictures until the timeline is complete. |
Creating a heading1. | To create a heading, click the Text Tool on the Standard toolbar. | 2. | Click the drawing area and drag until the text box is the correct size. Then, type your heading. 
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© 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This tutorial is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Companies, names, and/or data used in screens and sample output are fictitious, unless otherwise noted. Microsoft and Encarta are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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