A reassuring issue list needs a known scope. Before accepting a process diagram, record which checks were intended and whether any findings were deliberately set aside.

In Visio Professional 2024 or 2021 on Windows, use a copied Basic Flowchart practice diagram. Give one disconnected connector a recognisable label or location in your notes. Keep the untouched copy so the deliberate test defect cannot be mistaken for an approved process design.

Make the suppressed issue visible

Process, Check Diagram runs the diagram’s active validation rules. In the Issues window, Ignore This Issue hides one finding; Ignore Rule hides findings from that rule. Show Ignored Issues reveals them again, and the context menu lets you stop ignoring an issue or rule.

Run the check and identify the disconnected-connector finding. Ignore that occurrence, reveal ignored issues and locate the same finding again. Then restore checking. The disappearing row demonstrates suppression, not a repaired connector.

Use the arrow beside Check Diagram and Rules to Check to inspect enabled rule sets. Preserve that selection with the result, especially if someone else will review the same file later.

Keep the decision behind an exception

If a real finding is intentionally ignored, write a short explanation linked to the affected element. State who should reconsider it and what would make the exception obsolete. A permanent unexplained dismissal is difficult for a later maintainer to assess.

After the practice exercise, remove the deliberate defect or return to the untouched copy. Rerun the intended checks and inspect the resulting issue state. Ask a process owner to review the actual sequence and responsibilities separately; software structural rules do not establish that the organisation’s procedure is appropriate.

Deliver the diagram with its rule scope and unresolved exceptions. A clear account of what was checked is more useful than an empty panel whose omissions nobody can explain.

Sources: Microsoft official guidance.