Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) in Visily

Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) in Visily

Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) help you model the structure of a database by showing entities, their fields, and the relationships between them.

Before you start

Make sure you have permission to edit the board and are in design editing mode.

Available ERD elements

Open the Entity Relationship Diagram section of the Diagram Library to find entities and relationship connectors.
  1. Entity types. Entities work similarly to tables, allowing you to organize database fields into rows and columns. Visily provides the following entity formats:
    1. Field: Displays field names only.
    2. Field + Type: Displays each field and its data type.
    3. Key + Field + Type: Displays keys, field names, and data types.
  2. Relationship types. ERD relationships support the following cardinalities: One, Many, Zero or one, Zero or many, One and only one, One or many. Use these relationship endpoints to show how records in one entity relate to records in another.

Add an ERD element

Open the Entity Relationship Diagram section of the Diagram Library, select an entity or relationship element, then click the canvas to add it. Move or resize the element as needed.

Customize an entity

An entity works similarly to a table. Select it to edit its structure, content, and appearance. For more information about editing table-based elements, see How to use Table elements.

Customize an ERD relationship

An ERD relationship works similarly to a connector. You can change its type, color, line style, start and end points, and add text labels.
For more information, see Connect diagram elements. 


Idea
Tips for creating a clear ERD
  1. Use consistent naming conventions for entities and fields.
  2. Clearly identify primary and foreign keys.
  3. Choose the correct cardinality for each relationship.
  4. Keep related entities close together to reduce crossing connectors.
  5. Add relationship labels when the connection is not immediately clear.
  6. Turn on Grid Mode to help align and snap elements into place.

Need more help?
If this does not solve your issue, contact support and include a screenshot if possible.

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