If you are looking for an application that just about any level of user can take advantage of, and you don't want to shell out the cost for Visio, Edraw Max is an ideal alternative to the Microsoft standard. Although this task isn't difficult, it isn't terribly intuitive.especially for an application that targets average users. The other issue is that, in order to create properties for an object, you will first have to define customized properties to suit your needs. How complex these diagrams are will dictate how much time the diagram will take to open. The biggest problem I have found with Edraw is that opening up previously created diagrams can take a bit of time.
Because Edraw Max doesn't include some of the more advanced features of Visio, it also gives the less-than-technically inclined the ability to create professional looking diagrams on par with that of Visio. To put this in simplest terms, Edraw Max gives users a Visio-like, professional quality diagramming tool at a fraction of the cost. But for standard, well designed and professional-looking presentations and network diagrams, anyone will find themselves comfortable with this tool. Fortunately, Edraw Max is fully integrated into Microsoft Office, so you will be able to add Edraw Max drawings into Office documents. With Edraw Max you will be able to create presentation-quality diagrams, you just won't have some of the more powerful features like the Macros and Visual Basic Editor tools. Because of this, Edraw Max will find itself much more at home with the average user. Visio, however, does offer the user a bit more power-user focused tools.