The External Data window appears automatically after you have successfully linked shapes in your Visio drawing to an external data source such as Excel spreadsheet, Access database, SQL Server database, SharePoint list, an OLEDB or ODBC data source, to name a few.
You can't drag or otherwise edit the data within the External Data window, but you can use the Column Settings dialog box to rename or reorder the columns.
Note: To display the External Data window, on the Data tab, select the checkbox next to External Data Window.
Rename the columns
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Right-click any column heading in the External Data window, and then click Column Settings.
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In the Column Settings dialog box, select the check box next to the column that you want to rename. This makes the column name in the list editable.
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Type a new name in place of the original name.
Note: You can't use a name that is already being used.
Click Reset Name to change the name back to what it is called in the original data source.
Reorder the columns
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Right-click any column heading in the External Data window, and then click Column Settings.
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In the Column Settings dialog box, click the column that you want to move.
Tip: Select the check box for the column that you want to move if it isn't already selected. Only columns with selected check boxes appear in the External Data window.
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Click Move Up or Move Down.
