How to Adjust Your Sales Territory Map Using MapBusinessOnline

MapBusinessOnline is often used by business map users to create sales territories. Sales territory management tools in MapBusinessOnline enable territory creation in multiple ways:

• Incremental administrative district (city, county, state, ZIP code) selection – Pick ZIP codes one-by-one
• Freeform or drive time/distance polygon tool lasso of administrative districts
• Excel spreadsheet territory data import
• Data filtering of the ZIP code layer
• Other creative user approaches to developing territory areas

Once a MapBusinessOnine territory has been created, map creators have options for adjusting the look and feel of the territory map.  I’ve written about tweaking territory map settings before, but we often discover new approaches to territory management worth mentioning in a blog.  Let’s talk about your sales territory realignment  options.

Map and Data Tools

As with all map layers in MapBusinessOnline, easy territory map adjustments can be achieved readily through the Map and Data box. Hover your cursor over the territory layer and click the Edit Gear when it pops up.

Under the General Tab you will find adjustments for several aspects of your territory map’s look and feel:

• Line Adjustments – These ‘lines’ are your territory’s boundary. Change their color, make them thicker or thinner. I like darker outlines but that’s up to you.
• Hide Internal Boundaries – This checkbox will hide any internal boundaries for your territory. If your territory was based on ZIP codes, this checkbox makes those ZIP code boundaries disappear. This creates a cleaner, more focused territory map.
• Fill Adjustments – The checkbox turns the color fill of your territories on or off. The transparency scrollbar, to the right, adjusts your territory fill from opaque to transparent.
• Color Code by Data – This option provides the ability to color-code your territories by imported data values or by demographic data.

Use these tools to better define your territory’s look and feel. Make it plain and simple without internal boundaries. Or, reset the territory with no internal fill at all, just a nice thick territory boundary in blue or red or whatever color works best for your map audience.

Map and Data Labels

Also, in Map and Data, you’ll see the Label Tab along the right.  Click into the Label area and explore the options within the map labeling software. Here you will find the ability to adjust text size, text color, text centering, and boldness. Text controls help emphasize key aspects of your map. You’ll also find:

• Format Labels – Click here to append data to your territory labels. You see you can add up to five flexible data fields. Append MapBusinessOnline demographic data or your imported data. Numeric data will aggregate or sum by territory. Data appending labels are great for sales reporting through map sharing.
• Color Code Display by Label – This tool lets you color-shade the actual territory label by a color-code scheme.

Use these label controls to add aggregated data values to your territory map or to inform your map audience of demographic characteristics associated with your territory areas.

Where did Map and Data go?

Map and Data Territory Options

The Map and Data Territory Options tab let map creators allow or disallow territory overlap. To identify overlapping territories MapBusinessOnline color-shades  those areas with a user-defined color. Map viewers will know that overlap exists for territories when they see a stand-out Bright Red or Black. You decide.  The map viewer can then click on the territory to explore ownership further.

Other Map Layers

In Map and Data, the map user can adjust other map layers (ZIP codes, counties, states) just like the territory map layer adjustments outlined above. All map layer adjustments work the same. Try some adjustments to other layers, keeping in mind that too many layers and labels can detract from your map’s core purpose. Keep it simple.

Adjustments from the Map

MapBusinessOnline users can also access map adjustment tools from the map view. Looking at your territory map, notice the Territory Label.  Click the Territory Label to access tools.

The selected territory label launches a mini-toolbar. It includes six buttons.

1. Add to Territory – Use this Blue Puzzle Piece button to add or subtract administrative districts from a territory.
2. Search – Conduct a spatial search for data within your territory.
3. Summarize – Create quick data analysis accessing demographic and imported datasets.
4. Zoom to – Quickly Zoom in. Use the back button on the Navigation Scroll Bar to reverse the zoom action.
5. Properties – Change the territory name, adjust the territory fill color, and access Label formatting.
6. Delete – You guessed it. Delete the territory.

Tweaking the Territory Scope

To add or subtract one or more administrative districts from a saved territory, click the target ZIP code, county, state, etc. Hold down the Shift Key to select more. When ready, click the Blue Puzzle Piece button. Now select the operation you wish to apply: Add, Remove, Update, Intersect. The Data Window pops up to confirm the selection.

You could also conduct a new Drive Time/Distance or Polygon search around the territory center point and perform the same update. In this way, a map creator could shift their territory construction from simple polygon lasso to a drive time-based query.

Whichever method you use to reselect administrative districts, the Blue Puzzle Piece button makes it happen.

Additional References for Territory Map Management

Here are links for more details on sales or operational territory creations and  management:

• Top 6 Questions We’re Asked About Territory Mapping
• How to Search Data by Territory
• How to Split a County or ZIP Code in Territory Mapping
• How to Prepare Data for Sales Territory Mapping
• How Do I Edit MapBusinessOnline Maps

Here are two key videos around territory creation:

• Creating and Editing Territories
• How to Create Territories from an Excel Sheet
• How to Create Territories from Scratch

MapBusinessOnline provides all the tools you require to create or manage your territory mapping. It’s the best replacement for MapPoint available.

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