How to Enable a Shape's Description to Be Viewable on Mouse-Over in Visio

April 13th, 2006 (kb#58)

In order to get a shape's description visible on a mouse-over, you will need to insert information in the description field of the shape. To do this, right-click the shape and select Properties.

Version 4 automatically enables you to view the description field on mouse-over; however, prior to version 4, you will need to to the following:

Select the Activity or Deliverable and click Window > ShowShapesheet from the Visio menu. This should bring up the shapesheet window.

In the ShapeSheet, scroll down to the group Miscellaneous and type in "=Prop.Description" (without the quotes) into the Comment field as shown below.

Press the Enter key after typing and close the ShapeSheet. Now mouse over the Activity or Deliverable and you will see the description name as shown below.

Note: In Visio 2002, if a hyperlink is associated with this shape, the comment will take precedence over the hyperlink's description. In Visio 2003, the opposite is true. To overcome this, press the control key down and then mouse over the shape.