The Impact of Geographic Location On Your Business

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Geoffrey Ives

The ability to display imported data layers on a business map is a basic feature in any decent business mapping software. It’s also the primary benefit when you really think about it. Whether the location data you are importing is your own business data, a data set you’ve scraped from the web or data you;ve purchased, that data visualized against a map transforms its ability to inform you, your team, and your map sharing audience. In short, importing data onto a map expands your business awareness.

Address based or lat/lon based data import and visualization is better with Map Business Online for several key reasons:

  1. Data Imports are Easy & Fast – Press the import button find your data and go. There are a couple of stops along the way to deal with column associations and labels, but your data will be on the map in seconds. Even if it’s a large dataset. I challenge any other tool to import as much data as we do, faster.
  2. Map Business Online Allows up to 100,000 Records – No daily limits, no hidden controls, just wide-open data imports. Out of the thousands of customers we serve maybe a dozen want to import more than 100,000 records. And half of those are because users often don’t bother to clean and dedupe their data. If you have such a massive data requirement, we can try to advise. Contact us.
  3. Conduct Spatial Queries – Map Business Online makes it easy to query data inside of a map object (a circle or polygon), outside of that same map object, or to filter your data through data filtering. Data segmentation is a breeze.
  4. The Map Views are Compelling – Let’s face it, we’re Map Geeks. We love GIS and business mapping. Our maps are beautiful, accurate and include a variety of layer options. There are several base map options to choose from.
  5. You Can Heat Map – It’s easy to heat map your data. Heat maps are derived from a numeric column in your data. Simply click the Heat Map day glow target icon right in the middle of the toolbar.
  6. Symbolization and Color Shading – This is easy too. And you can import your own symbols. So, ladies, make Bradley Cooper your map icon if you want. We don’t care. Guys, go ahead import James Fenimore Cooper if it suits your map. Create large and small circles based on your data. Or use pie chart & bar chart symbolization.
  7. Map Sharing – Maps are for sharing and Map Business Online makes sharing wicked easy. Create static images, if that does the trick. But you can also share through interactive web maps or set-up collaborative map editing with individuals or teams. Remember, shared business maps drive accountability.
  8. Edit & Update – By adding a unique identifying column to your data you can make data updates a breeze. Edit data incrementally or set-up automatic updates from your desktop or network.
  9. SDK & API – For the programmers out there we’ve got database access tools that can enable application to application data feeds. Have someone who understands SD’s & API’s contact us. (API use requires a team subscription.)

Add to this list all of the other features in Map Business Online – like advanced territory mapping, our market analysis tool, optimized multi-stop vehicle routing, draw tools and the premium map layers – and your business may just become addicted to Map Business Online.

Business data provided by www.RealZips.com

Businesses use Map Business Online data visualization tools to visually understand things. Examples of visual comprehension are:

  • Competitor maps – Understand where your competitors are playing because they are probably not just playing.
  • Expansion plans – Visualize information about customers, area demographics, and businesses.
  • Customer maps – Understand where your customers are located and where they are not located. This can help businesses determine what you are doing right and perhaps what you may be doing wrong.
  • Operational coverages – What your businesses capabilities are and where they are effective.
  • Staffing maps – Who’s on first? What’s on second? Don’t let chaos rule your field force. Let maps identify who is required where today.
  • Resource planning – Where are all my bill boards? Where are all my antique stores? Where are all my ATM’s?  Where are all my car sales?  Where are all my storage facilities? Where are all my rented machines? Get the picture?
  • Prospect maps –  Imported dataset of potential customers can be a real eye-opener, especially when overlaid on existing customers and competitor locations.
  • Sales responsibility – Share sales territory maps with your team to drive accountability. Maps are real-good at emphasizing who’s responsible for what accounts.
  • Strategic planning – Business maps collect and define trends and bottlenecks in your business. They provide situational awareness. Use them for planning.

Visualize data related to your business. How many successful large retailers ignore the impact of geographic location on their business? Try none. Understand the impact. Now.

Find out why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com for their business mapping software and advanced sales territory mapping solution.

Contact: Geoffrey Ives geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson jhenderson@spatialteq.com (800) 425-9035

MapPoint users please consider www.MapBusinessOnline.com as your MapPoint Replacement.

Please read customer reviews or review us at Capterra, G2Crowd (LinkedIn connected), or at the Salesforce.com AppExchange.

 

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Heads-up Digitizing Using Map Business Online

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Geoffrey Ives

Last month I presented a webinar on Advanced Territory Mapping. I began by showing how to manage ZIP code Fillers to merge non-ZIP code areas into a territory color scheme. (Map & Data ZIP code Tab.) In preparation for the webinar and in testing Map Business Online 5.0, I must have run through that process a dozen times. Here are a few pointers I learned as I went about the ZIP code filler process, in essence using Map Business Online business mapping software for (what we call in the biz) heads-up digitizing – or digitally editing an online map.

Most often I use the Polygon tool to select ZIP code and Filler areas. When you select and use the Polygon Search tool you draw a line by dragging your mouse, lift your finger up, and draw another one. Bring that line back to the beginning to finish the search. It’s like a lasso. The ZIP codes are your dogies. and you are the cowboy or cowgal. Tidbits:

  • I left my ZIP code map layer turned on with boundaries colored a light blue – just enough to see them.
  • Keep in mind, ZIP codes often cross state boundaries. I assigned ZIPs to the state territory that carried the most ZIP area. You’ll see some jagged state territory boundaries that reflect this.
  • Keep the Allow Overlapping Territories or Intersection function turned on to catch overlapping ZIP codes. Black is a great color for displaying overlap. Once you’ve completed a territory it’s easy to rectify overlap by selecting the ZIP(s) and choosing to Remove from or Add to a territory.
  • State boundaries along a river can be tricky for selecting ZIP codes. Use the State Boundary line as a guide for collecting ZIP codes. In Map & Data move the State layer above your Territory layer. Beige is a nice soft color allowing the state boundary to show through but not overwhelming the map. Consider using the incremental selection method in these boundary areas – especially where a river is involved.  Select one ZIP and hold down the shift key. Now select as many as you need to.  Create a Territory. Now go back and grab the whole state’s ZIP codes using a Polygon Tool.
  • When using the polygon tool to create territories you can finish your polygon outline, close the search function and easily adjust your drawn polygon to accommodate line errors. Just mouse select the line and move it.
  • Once you’re work feels done, look for straggling ZIP fillers across the country, especially along the Mississippi River. Try zooming in to a regional level and panning across the map to find unfilled ZIP code stragglers. Or Create a USA Wide Division (territory) with thick dark boundaries, which will make unfilled ZIP code holes glaringly obvious.
  • To deselect a selected ZIP code – click in open bodies of water, hit the Escape button on your keyboard, or try holding the Shift key and click the selection.

At some point in your process you’ll think you’re finished but you’re probably not finished. That’s life, right? Review your work. Take a step back with your zoom tool and look the map over. Make a cup of tea, smoke a cigarette, or twiddle your thumbs while you view your nice online mapping work and look for errors, label placement issues or cranky colors that could use adjustment.

I really felt the NEW territory select tool came in handy – just click the territory label to adjust names and colors. I think I created a really nice looking map of state territories by ZIP code. What started out as a tedious mapping task, when I had other things I could be doing (like writing a blog), turned into a fun business mapping project.

Sales Territory  Haiku

We gaze at my map.

Colors define our sales role.

Is vacation here?

Find out why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com for their business mapping software and advanced sales territory mapping solution.

Contact: Geoffrey Ives geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson jhenderson@spatialteq.com (800) 425-9035

MapPoint users please consider www.MapBusinessOnline.com as your MapPoint Replacement.

Please read customer reviews or review us at Capterra, or at the Salesforce.com AppExchange.

 

 

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Map Business Online 5.0 Quick Tips

Posted on May 31, 2017 by Geoffrey Ives

You can watch our full 40 minute webinar video describing Map Business Online 5.0 here. Map Business Online 5.0 adds Advanced Territory Mapping to major use cases of our business mapping software.

Hierarchical Territories 

Major changes included the ability to create territories, regions, and divisions based on the same originating map layer.  In the webinar example, I used ZIP codes as the territory basis, but you could start with the country layer, city limits, Census tracts, MSA’s, ZIP 3, or even states. Rock that sales territory map.

To create a Region, use the polygon search tool to select a group of territories and name the region.  To create Divisions, use a polygon search tool to select a group of regions and name the division. It’s like in the Bible: ZIPs begat Territories, Territories begat Regions, Regions begat Divisions.

And remember, if you don’t want to call them Territories, Regions or Divisions, in Map & Data click the edit Pencil for that layer name and change the layer name to Zones or Areas or even Mildred. Name your layers whatever works for your business.

Visual Layer Edits

Map Business Online 5.0 includes a variety of new ways to edit your map layer’s boundaries and fill colors:

  • NEW! Use Map & Data edit gears to adjust boundary color and thickness on territory, region and division layers
  • NEW! Use Map & Data edit gears to adjust fill transparency across all layers
  • NEW! Use Map & Data edit gears to color code territories by demographic data or imported data
  • NEW! In the Data Window select territory, region or division layers and easily access color fill adjustments or name edit
  • NEW! Select an individual territory, region or division to access editing gears, summary, search and delete options
  • NEW! Territory labels now offer five flexible fields for reference data

Display One Territory at a Time

To view only one territory at a time you will need to filter a single territory using your territory layer:

  1. In the data window select your Territories layer
  2. Click on the Filter button
  3. Next, choose General and Name. Using the = modifier type in the name of the territory you’re targeting. Click the Filter button in the lower right.
  4. Now click the Filter Data on Map button to display that one territory

Imported Location Data – Territory Append

Many Map Business Online users have sought to import their business data by address and ZIP code while appending territory names to their data as a column. Well now you can.  Simply import your data in the usual way and then, in the Data Window click More Data.  In the Database Management tool you’ll see in the left panel Territories and Territory count, move those to the right and Set Data Columns. You can also move regions and divisions to the right if you’d like those associations as well in your export.

Or you can select your target imported data in the Data Window and then click the Yellow Search Data Inside a Territory  button along the Data Window toolbar. Choose the bottom option and add your territories to your data lickety split.

You’re welcome.

Map Business Online 5.o Haiku

“It’s Map Business Online 5

Users are very happy

Feet up on the desk”

Find out why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com

Contact: Geoffrey Ives geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson jhenderson@spatialteq.com (800) 425-9035

MapPoint users – please consider www.MapBusinessOnline.com as your MapPoint Replacement.

Please read customer reviews or review us at Capterra, or at the Salesforce.com AppExchange.

 

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SpatialTEQ Inc. Releases Map Business Online 5.0 – Advanced Territory Mapping

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Geoffrey Ives

We’re very excited about this latest Map Business Online software update:

CORNISH, ME (May 22, 2017) — SpatialTEQ Inc., publisher of North America’s fastest growing business mapping software, today announced the release of Map Business Online(Map Business Online) 5.0, advanced territory design and management for sales organizations, and medium to large enterprises.  Building upon current territory mapping capabilities, Map Business Online now supports the creation of hierarchical territories, such as territories, regions, and divisions.

Join our webinar on Map Business Online 5.0 on Thursday May 25 at 11:00 AM EST

Map Business Online 5.0 enhancements reflect a careful assessment of customer requests, especially those submitted by large enterprise users seeking business mapping alternatives following the cancelation of Microsoft MapPoint.  “Our customer base grew rapidly following MapPoint’s exit,” explained SpatialTEQ President Geoffrey Ives. “We’ve tried to pay careful attention to this core group of business mapping software users, often large USA industrial clients. MapPoint left a big hole in the mapping software market and Map Business Online is working diligently to satisfy those requirements. We just made flexible more affordable, with regard to territory mapping.”

Territory Design Enhancements

While Map Business Online has always supported the creation and maintenance of territories, Map Business Online 5.0 elevates the control of territories and market areas of interest to the level of map layer. This means territories are now controlled in the same way counties, states, and ZIP codes are controlled. Map Business Online territories now include control over boundary line color and thickness. Territories may be color-shaded according to territory demographics or aggregated imported data. Color shading is now adjustable by a transparency scroll bar. Each territory, region, and division now includes a notes section for text describing territory creation logic, creation dates, or other related references.

Hierarchical Territory Support

With Map Business Online 5.0, territory map managers will be able to create territories within regions, and regions within divisions, all based on the same geographic map layer – a choice of Census tracts, ZIP codes, cities, counties, MSA’s, and states. This hierarchical territory design is critical for businesses with nationwide sales organizations, sales management tiers, or complex distribution networks.

Independent territory boundary control is now available and applies to territory, region and division layers, with the ability to adjust border line color and eliminate internal boundaries. Users may edit layer nomenclature to match their business’s terminology; change region to zone, or division to district.   In addition, territory labeling now supports referential data display from up to five data source columns. Territory labeling data source options include demographic data layers, calculated data, or imported business data layers.

Reverse and Intersecting Spatial Searches

Map Business Online spatial search capabilities have also been enhanced. Map Business Online now allows the user to request a reverse or inverse spatial search.  Queries typically search map objects like circles and polygons, returning all records within a searched object by data layer. With Map Business Online 5.0, a user may request a reverse query search for all records outside of a map object. Reverse spatial search is a powerful tool for the assessment of territory accountability outside of existing account assignments. An intersecting search command enables data searches across two map objects at the same time.

Additional New Features in Map Business Online 5.0

In conjunction with advanced territory support Map Business Online 5.0 will also include:

  • One click Table Summary view of all territories for easy data append and export
  • Data Window ability to merge imported data and territory designation for easy export
  • Spatial searches by territory and territory groupings are now allowed
  • Territory editing tools’ list now includes Intersection and Compliment options
  • Enhanced Data Window and map level territory views and controls

Find out why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com

Contact: Geoffrey Ives geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson jhenderson@spatialteq.com (800) 425-9035

MapPoint users – please consider www.MapBusinessOnline.com as your MapPoint Replacement.

Please read customer reviews or review us at Capterra, or at the Salesforce.com AppExchange.

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How to Create a Drive Time Polygon

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Geoffrey Ives

Drive time – For business mapping software developers, GIS graduates and MapPoint users, Drive Time refers to the polygon that results from deriving a constant driving time away from a central point in all directions along a road network. Put a point on the map and then imagine driving away from that point in a thousand cars, each one in a slightly different direction, for 30 minutes. The resulting mess, when viewed from above, is a drive time polygon.

The actual definition of Drive Time has a variety of nuances to it. Driving time could mean the time it takes a vehicle to drive from point A to point B. people mix the two business mapping definitions up. Sometimes they mean the time to drive from here to there and at other times they want to know the area encompassing a 30-minute drive time.

In Map Business Online you can select a point on the map and use the Drive Time button to create a drive time polygon. In the above example, that would be a 30-minute drive time polygon for that point.  Map Business Online will also allow the user to change the drive time analysis from Time to Distance. This will also calculate a polygon, but in this case, it’s the driving distance polygon reflecting 30 miles in all directions along the road network from that same central point.

If you used that same point to start a driving route and drove along the road network to another single point, 30-minutes away, you would have a route with a driving distance of X miles and a route driving time of 30-minutes.

Advanced GIS applications offer the export of drive time polygon analysis results, which would be a matrix of distances or times. Map Business Online does not offer such analysis. We do however, offer the saved file export of your optimized driving route from the routing window. This will include the route driving time and distance estimates.

Why Use a Drive Time Polygon?

A drive time polygon comes in handy when your company wants to analyze operations taking into account the time spent driving the road network.  One example might be a florist trying to determine the delivery fees for customer who live within a 45 minute drive of the shop. Perhaps he wants to charge $2.50 for 15 minute drives, $3.50 for a half-hour drive, and $5.00 for deliveries that take 45 minutes.  Three drive time polygons will answer that question.

Another example might be retail store proposed locations. The company may already know that few customers will drive more than 35 minutes to buy product at any store. After that 35-minute boundary, customer interest drops off. They never build a store in a location that has fewer than 20,000 households within 35 minutes of the proposed store. Drive time will be used to help define which locations are optimum. This might be called a drive time customer map.

Yet another example – the ornery Sales Manager. “I don’t want my sales people spending any more than thirty minutes behind the wheel!” Mr. Nice Guy could apply drive time analysis to control where the sales people drive to – no more than thirty minutes from their starting place.

How to Create a Drive Time Polygon

In Map Business Online, map objects (polygons and circles on the map) are created by selecting a search tool and clicking the map where you desire your map object to be located.

  1. In the master Toolbar drop down on the Search Data in Circle button. Choose the bottom option – Search Data in Drive Time. The button will turn Green to denote selected status.
  2. Place your mouse cursor on your map at the center point for your Drive Time polygon. Click the mouse to drop the drive time point.
  3. In the mini-menu that pops up, insert your time restraint minutes in the box provided. (You may change Time to Distance here if you desire to.) Click Search Data.
  4. Choose a data set to search if you have one or simply close the dialogue and view your drive time polygon. Click out of the selected polygon to view its outline. Adjust colors or line thickness in the Drive Time adjustment box.

So, make sure your clear on what the boss wants when she says, “Drive time.” Ask if she wants a drive time polygon analysis or the driving time between two fixed points.  Dazzle them with your geospatial acumen.  Once they’ve got the information they want, ask for a raise.

Drive Time Haiku

“Are we there yet Dad?”

“Would you like to walk next time?”

A child ponders life.

Find out why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com

Contact: Geoffrey Ives geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson jhenderson@spatialteq.com (800) 425-9035

MapPoint users – please consider www.MapBusinessOnline.com as your MapPoint Replacement.

Please read customer reviews or review us at Capterra, or at the Salesforce.com AppExchange.

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Creating & Using ZIP Code Maps in MapBusinessOnline

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Geoffrey Ives

In Map Business Online, a business mapping software user can create a ZIP code map simply by selecting the ZIP code layer in the Map & Data box. Viola – you have a ZIP code map. But we know business people use ZIP code mapping software for more reasons than simply viewing ZIP codes on a map.

When Map Business Online users create a business map by ZIP code, most often, they are looking for ZIP codes within a radius. ZIP code radius mapping,  or circle mapping, quickly identifies the list of ZIP codes within a defined area (it could be any shape) and allows the user to export that ZIP code list out of the application as a CSV file.

Those ZIP code lists are helpful for marketers, retail store owners, political polling commissions, non-profit donation seekers, and outside and inside salespeople.  eck, a soccer mom or dad planning a bake sale might use an exported list of ZIP codes.

ZIPs are essential and ubiquitous. In Map Business Online, users typically seek to identify specific ZIP code areas of interest on a map. We provide the entire list of USPS ZIP codes in the exportable ZIP code layer. These layers are readily available in the Map Business Online FREE trial or paid subscriptions.

Business map users might desire printable ZIP code maps, or be interested in ZIP code territory mapping software.  n Map Business Online, you get it all.

How to Create a Basic ZIP Code Map

  1. In a fresh map view, make sure your ZIP code layer is turned on in the Map and Data layer control box.
  2. Choose a geometric search tool from the Search Data Button – typically, users choose a circle or polygon search tool.  he button will turn green.  ou will be searching the ZIP code layer.
  3. On the map, create a shape that encompasses your target ZIP codes.  omplete the shape – the Radius Search will present a radius distance option box.  nput your radius distance.  ame your map area of interest or territory.  f you chose the Polygon Search, the line must be brought back to the beginning, and then the site is named.
  4. The Data Window will open, presenting your list of ZIP codes.  ou may edit this list and export the list.  dit by clicking on the map view and selecting a ZIP code for addition or deletion from the list.  elect more than one by holding down the Shift Key.  lick the Blue puzzle piece icon to Add, Update or Create a new list.
  5. Export the final list by clicking the Data Window TToolbar’sfar-right Export Data button option

Creating a Map from a ZIP Code Spreadsheet

Alternatively, a business map user could create a ZIP code map from a list of ZIP codes.

Business mapping enables fast and informative views of address spreadsheets.  ometimes those spreadsheets are pretty basic, and sometimes, they have complete address data.  or instance, a non-profit organization or a local grocery store may not collect complete addresses when they compile customer data.  hey might collect the customer/donor names and ZIP codes.

Instead of looking like this:

Your spreadsheet could be as simple as this:


 

 

The map visualization process will still work, but the points will be placed at the center point of ZIP Code.  ull address placement puts a point on the exact address, a ZIP Code only placement is less accurate.  ultiple map points in the same ZIP code will be stacked one on top of the other in ZIP Code only location placements.  lick that point to see a list of addresses.

How to Create a Map from a ZIP Code List

  1. Create or save your ZIP code data on your computer.
  2. Click the Dataset button under the Adding to Map section of the master toolbar.
  3. Navigate to your saved dataset, select the data and click next
  4. In the Dialogue box for addressing double-check that the application is matching your columns as expected.  Addressing buckets should match based on your data column headings.  If latitude/longitude points are used, verify that they match in the dialog.
  5. In the label dialog match the name column from your data to the name column in Map Business Online.  This is usually the left hand column in your data – but you could choose to have another column be the controlling data column.  Choose up to five columns from your data to be displayed in the plotted points’ label field.
  6. Click plot to process your spreadsheet data, which will place point locations on the map.

Imported ZIP codes lists can be color shaded points or symbols.  You could also turn off the point layer itself and still color-code the ZIP codes based on your imported data.

Blog Bonus ZIP Code Haiku!

Tiny ZIP Code sits.

So many people inside.

My mailman is old.

_______________________________________________

Discover why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com for their business mapping software and advanced sales territory mapping solution. The best replacement for Microsoft MapPoint happens to be the most affordable.

To access MapBusinessOnline, please register and download the Map App from the website – https://www.mapbusinessonline.com/App-Download.aspx.

After installing the Map App, the MapBusinessOnline launch button will be in the Windows Start Menu or Mac Application folder. Find the MapBusinessOnline folder in the Start Menu scrollbar. Click the folder’s dropdown arrow and choose the MapBusinessOnline option.

The Map App includes the Map Viewer app for free non-subscriber map sharing.

Please read customer reviews or review us at Capterra or g2crowd.

Contact: Geoffrey Ives at geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson at jhenderson@spatialteq.com.

 

 

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How to Create a Concentric Circle Map

Posted on May 3, 2017 by Geoffrey Ives

A concentric circle map is a map with a series of circles of varying radii based on the same center point. Like a circle in a circle, like a wheel within a wheel… The Thomas Crown Affair understood business mapping and concentric circle maps. Well, at least the theme song did. And I preferred the Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway version. Grammarly is going to torture me for opening with this paragraph.

A business map describes your business or aspects of your business with an accurate map of the world. It could reflect a sales territory, an enterprise strategic plan, or an emergency buffer zone. Your map could be a drive time area with demographic estimates of how many people may attend the school fair next week or a block-by-block political polling campaign. In the same way, a MapQuest map might describe your vacation plans; a business map describes your organization’s business.

Create a Radius Map Here.

Concentric Circles

Concentric circle maps are map visualizations that display multiple circles of varying radii from the same center point. Most business mapping software should include a feature for creating concentric circle maps.

Map Business Online includes a “Radius Tool” for creating radius maps or maps with circles. Typically, a radius map means drawing a circle on top of a ZIP code layer for visual purposes or extracting the defined areas list of ZIP codes. This could be referred to as a Zip Code Map.

Business mapping software users often create maps with variations on a radius map or circle map. Sometimes they want many circles made at different points across the map simultaneously. Multiple radii on the map functionality are available for MapBusinessOnline Pro subscribers. These tools are in the Analysis button.

Concentric Circles Around One Point

Concentric circles or radii are different than multiple circles. Concentric circles are more than one circle around one central point. Multiple circles would be many circles around many points.

Map users like concentric circles for a bunch of reasons. Usually, these circles represent gradations of service based on distance from a central point:

  • Delivery fees can be noted as Map Text related to each circle. The price usually increases in proportion to the distance from the center point or warehouse location. For example, $5.00 for deliveries of 10 to 20 miles and $7.50 for deliveries of 21 to 30 miles. And so on.
  • Medical coverage areas with gradations of clinician coverage based on travel times. The time to travel to each circle could be generalized—for example, 15 minutes at 5 to 10 miles and 30 minutes at 11 to 25 miles.
  • Retail store projected customer travel times. An outer circle for 45 minutes, a middle circle at roughly 30 minutes, and an inner circle at 15 minutes.

These concentric map images can be shared interactively as a shared web map or as static files on a website, or included in a pamphlet. The user decides how to communicate their concentric circle map message.

How to Create a Concentric Map Circle

  1. Place a center point on the map either by keying in an address in the Address Bar or simply dropping an issue with the Draw Tool’s Location button. You could also begin your concentric circle on any point you’ve imported as part of a dataset. In any case, select your concentric circle center point, and the Mini Tool Bar appears right next to the point.
  2. On the point’s mini-toolbar select the first button listed – Circle. Insert your first circle’s radius distance
  3. The Properties box opens up, but you can always click the Properties gear on the mini toolbar to adjust color shade, line thickness, fill, or add text to the circle.
  4. To start your second and additional circles, reselect the point symbol and repeat the Circle process at a new radius distance. Repeat until you have all the circles required
  5. Adjust color, fill, and thicknesses as necessary using the Properties gear
  6. Save your work and share as required

Concentric circles are easy to construct once you’ve got the process down. Filling in the various circle layers is tricky because the wider circle fill will trump the inner circle fill. Experiment to see what fill schemes work best for your map purposes.

Many users will label the various circles in a graduated scheme, perhaps for a delivery charge:

Concentric circles, like other Map Business Online map objects, can be used to query imported data – like customer lists – or as a query/geographic filter for business listing acquisition. For business listings, click a circle object and note the Mini Toolbar that is associated with it. You will note the Yellow Pages Book icon with a pair of Binoculars. That’s the tool for assessing business listings. You can use that Business Listing tool to search businesses by industry category (think gas station, variety store, oil refinery) within your selected circle. Read more about business listings here.

Enjoy all the circles. Euclid sure did.

_______________________________________________

Discover why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com for their business mapping software and advanced sales territory mapping solution. The best replacement for Microsoft MapPoint happens to be the most affordable.

To access MapBusinessOnline, please register and download the Map App from the website – https://www.mapbusinessonline.com/App-Download.aspx.

After installing the Map App, the MapBusinessOnline launch button will be in the Windows Start Menu or Mac Application folder. Find the MapBusinessOnline folder in the Start Menu scrollbar. Click the folder’s dropdown arrow and choose the MapBusinessOnline option.

The Map App includes the Map Viewer app for free non-subscriber map sharing.

Please read customer reviews or review us at Capterra or g2crowd.

Contact: Geoffrey Ives at geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson at jhenderson@spatialteq.com.

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How Do I Create a Map with Multiple Pins?

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Geoffrey Ives

Creating a map with multiple pins (or map points) is easy. Usually, those pins represent addresses, addresses where people live, or businesses with a facility. A pin on an address can be placed manually by dropping a point on the business map, one point at a time. But that is a slow process for locating many pins. The best or fastest way to create a multiple-pin map using business mapping software is to start with a spreadsheet of all your address locations. Such datasets are sometimes called location intelligence.

For MapBusinessOnline, location intelligence datasets are usually customer lists. But they could also be patient lists, donor lists, or all the people you plan on inviting to a college reunion after the COVID-19 Pandemic has passed.

Read More About Multiple Pin Maps!

How Do I Create a Map with Multiple Pins?

  1. Create an Excel spreadsheet that lists your address locations broken out into separate columns by Name, Address, City, State, and Zip code. Read more about preparing a Map for business mapping here.
  2. Ensure your column headings are labeled: Address, ZIP code, etc.
  3. Click the Import or Plot button in the mapping application. An import wizard will open up that will walk you through the process.
  4. Please pay attention to the mapping dialogue to confirm address columns are located where they should be (match your dataset’s ZIP code with the application’s ZIP code etc.)
  5. Adjust labeling options to your liking
  6. Click the Plot button in the lower left to place your points on the map

Here’s a video that shows how to Create a Map with Multiple Pins.

Once your data is imported into the business mapping application, you should see pins or buttons on the map representing your addresses. You may now adjust the symbol selection to your liking. You can also change the symbol size, shape, and color to match your map objectives better.

Incremental Point Placement

MapBusinessOnline has two ways to place a point on the map manually

  1. In the upper left-hand corner of the map (above the tool bar), use the blank white Address Box to key in the address of your proposed pin location. This way, format the address with commas: Address, City, State, ZIP Code. Click the Binoculars icon to the right of the address box, and viola – you’ve made your point!
  2. An alternative approach – On the master toolbar, click the dropdown on the draw tools – usually, the draw tools display an ABC icon. Select the bottom option of the dropdown list: “Location.” Move your cursor to your location on the map and Click the map to place the point.

Callouts or labels are also configurable. When placing individual points on the map, click the label to edit the location name. Be sure to consider naming your data point’s data layer because you are creating a data layer or adding to a data layer every time you add a new point.

In MapBusinessOnline, a user may adjust the pin symbol, color, and size in the Data Window view or by Editing the Data Layer in the Map & Data control box. Read more about Map and Data here. Also, read more about editing data in MapBusinessOnline.

Import Your Own Symbols

MapBusinessOnline provides an entire library of MapPoint symbols, but you can also import your own symbols to the map. These imported symbols should be small Jpeg files. Sometimes, you may find a whole set of symbols specific to your industry so ask around. Maybe the plastic dog toy industry has symbols? Who knows? Read more about MapBusinessOnline symbol import here.

Creating a basic multiple pin point map is a great place to start for your first business map. Many MapBusinessOnline users begin their mapping work similarly – importing a spreadsheet of location points and viewing their business on a map. Importing symbols is a popular feature of online mapping tools. Save that first map using the Save Map button on the left of the Master Toolbar. It’s a good idea to save it as a template for future map work.

Add to your work by importing business listings or creating sales territory maps. Business listings are now available through MapBusinessOnline. Click the Yellow Pages icon in the middle of the master toolbar. Listings do cost money – $0.15 each. But there’s a credit balance for free listings with each subscription so that you can try them.

Read more about putting business listing pins on your business map here.

Why Bother Creating a Multiple Pin Map?

First-time business map users usually place address points on a map to visualize their customer, donor, patient, or vendor lists. Seeing their constituents spread out across an accurate map of the USA or Canada is an illuminating experience.

Longtime business map users view their business address lists for the same reasons. Visualizing clients or patients on a map never gets old. These visualizations reveal patterns in our work that often reveal business intelligence.

Business mapping – pins on a map – are simple, fun, and something humans have been doing for years.

Picture the Caveman named Terkoz giving directions in the dirt with his toe. “To find Grog, head toward the rising sun and pass the giant rock in the field here. When you get to the river here, face the tallest mountain and walk in that direction until you see the wicked huge, dead pine tree with my initials scratched in it (CT), roughly here where my toe is. Then start screaming for Grog. If Grog doesn’t answer in the time it takes for the Loon to call, run as fast as you can to this safe cave here. Grog is Saber Tooth Tiger dinner. You should be fine.”

From caveman stories.

Be sure to download MapBusinessOnline’s free Map App. The Map App download provides a set of apps that let you launch MapBusinessOnline without using a Web Browser. There are a few utility apps for troubleshooting and, best of all, a Map Viewer so that non-subscribers can access shared maps for free. Read more about the Map App free Map Viewer here.

_______________________________________________

Discover why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com for their business mapping software and advanced sales territory mapping solution. The best replacement for Microsoft MapPoint happens to be the most affordable.

To access MapBusinessOnline, please register and download the Map App from the website – https://www.mapbusinessonline.com/App-Download.aspx.

After installing the Map App, the MapBusinessOnline launch button will be in the Windows Start Menu or Mac Application folder. Find the MapBusinessOnline folder in the Start Menu scrollbar. Click the folder’s dropdown arrow and choose the MapBusinessOnline option.

The Map App includes the Map Viewer app for free non-subscriber map sharing.

Please read customer reviews or review us at Capterra or g2crowd.

Contact: Geoffrey Ives at geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson at jhenderson@spatialteq.com.

Posted in Business Mapping Software blog post, How to instruction | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

How Do I Share My Map with Map Viewers?

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Geoffrey Ives

Maps are for sharing. Most of us don’t create detailed business maps to store in our secret diaries. No way. Maps overlaid with business data are generally created for the benefit of an audience to describe a situation geographically.  Business mapping software provides situational awareness and must be shared in some way.

Print Your Map

There are many ways to share a business map. A primary, old-school method is to print the map and hand it to your associate. Printed maps can be printed on your desktop printer in regular 8.5 x 11 size or printed on a plotter from saved large-format PDF files.  Printed maps are appropriate for sharing basic information that doesn’t often change, like a coverage area or directions to a facility.

Static image files are not interactive. They are simple image files, a picture. In MapBusinessOnline static map images can be saved and shared as JPEGs, PNG files, ad PD. These image files are a good way to store a map view for later or simply fire off an email with a map file related to the subject matter at hand.

Go Interactive

A more interactive map-sharing solution is to generate an interactive shared map. A shared map allows map viewers to create multi-stop optimized routes, view data layers, click on points, and even query data for export. In MapBusinessOnline, map sharing lets the user share an interactive map with constituent non-subscribing map viewers. Your sharing audience can explore the map to their liking, zooming in to street-level detail or panning worldwide. Multi-stop optimized routes, view data layers, click on points, and even query data for export. At the same time, a MapBusinessOnline shared map is protected from editing. Your constituents have view-only privileges, and no map editing is allowed.

Interactive shared maps are great for a call center to look-ups, sales territory map sharing, or traveling clinician map sharing. Any map exercise that supports sharing information but needs to protect the original map from editing.

How do I share my map with map viewers?

  1. Create and save your business map. Remember, what you save is what you will share.
  2. Make sure your Map Viewers are registered and that they download the MapBusinessOnline Map App, a free download.
  3. Click the Share Interactive Map button on the MapBusinessOnline toolbar and choose Public Sharing.
  4. Enable data exporting and password protection as required.
  5. Click the Share Map button in the lower right-hand corner.
  6. Copy the generated URL, paste the link into an email, or click the Show e-mail button to create an email from your default email tool.
  7. Send your map share via email.
  8. Make sure your Map Viewers use the Start Menu > MapBusinessOnline > Map Viewer.
  9. Your Map Viewer can then click the link in the email, and MapBusinessOnline launches to the shared map view. Easy!

The Map Share dialog

Advanced users should consider sharing MapBusinessOnline live using a web-share application like Join. Me. Great for training or interactive meetings.

Read more about the Map App Viewer App here.

Why Shared Map Editing?
You’ve heard the phrase; two heads are better than one. Well, this age-old concept applies to strategic planning through maps too. Collaborative map editing leverages the ideas of multiple map editors. Your company gets the benefit of team collaboration when solving location-based business challenges:

• Sales territory management collaboration encourages greater accountability across the organization and assures data updates are timely. Share sales goals and objectives and publish periodic results through shared maps.
• Collaboration on operational maps ensures cross-department assessment of business challenges, such as balancing cost savings strategies against customer service tactics. Get accounting and sales to share responsibility for the same problem
• Shared map editing can bridge the time gaps left by 24/7 operating schedules as teams of editors can update map data and ensure the most recent data gets shared with the most crucial map audience
• Market analysis maps can be collaborative, too, bridging the gap between agency and client in a visual way. Tweaking demographic map views and market areas of interest can lead to faster solutions for campaign development and management
• Collaborative maps are a great way to share updated business information with teams of free viewers. Map editors keep the shared data fresh and accessible for your field of map viewers. New data leads to better and faster decision-making.

Edit Worthy or Free Map Viewer?
Creating a team of map editors means your business needs to decide who will be on each team. How many of your employees are map edit worthy? This critical decision will determine how much you spend on subscriptions per year.

Each full-year subscription allows team editing subscribers to share up to 1200 FREE MapShare sessions per year. These are free interactive, publicly shared map sessions designed for non-editing map viewers. They can pan/zoom, query, filter, export, and route – but free viewing users cannot edit the map. As a map editor, you can share 200 sessions at no charge with your map-viewing audience. We can provide expanded views for a reasonable fee if you require significantly more map views than are available with the subscription. For most businesses, the free MapShare allowance is more than enough shared map views.

Who on your team is edit-worthy? So, a prospective buyer of MapBusinessOnline should consider how many of your map users are editors and how many are map viewers. This will significantly impact your initial pricing. And consider that you can always purchase a subscription for up-and-coming editors a little later.

Another consideration, as you estimate free viewership requirements, is that people do not click on maps as much as you expect them to. Sure, your shared map might get a whole bunch of clicks as people test the link (and we do not count first-launch views in hit/click calculations). But in the long run, you’ll find people clicking on these links only when they have to. So don’t overthink your free Map requirement. To encourage use, make the free map view part of your process.

Private Sharing – Collaborative Map Editing

Private Sharing/Team Mapping is for sharing maps between fully subscribing users to share map editing privileges. This is an advanced use of the MapBusinessOnline application. Consider this approach for team problem-solving challenges. Go to Shared Map Editing for Business Workgroups to learn more.

_______________________________________________

Discover why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com for their business mapping software and advanced sales territory mapping solution. The best replacement for Microsoft MapPoint happens to be the most affordable.

To access MapBusinessOnline, please register and download the Map App from the website – https://www.mapbusinessonline.com/App-Download.aspx.

After installing the Map App, the MapBusinessOnline launch button will be in the Windows Start Menu or Mac Application folder. Find the MapBusinessOnline folder in the Start Menu scrollbar. Click the folder’s dropdown arrow and choose the MapBusinessOnline option.

The Map App includes the Map Viewer app for free non-subscriber map sharing.

Please read customer reviews or review us at Capterra or g2crowd.

Contact: Geoffrey Ives at geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson at jhenderson@spatialteq.com.

Posted in Business Mapping Software blog post, How to instruction | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How to Replace Microsoft MapPoint?

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Geoffrey Ives

What will your next map be?

MapPoint was canceled by Microsoft in late 2014.  Thousands of MapPoint users have turned to Map Business Online for a MapPoint replacement.

Microsoft MapPoint was the leading desktop business mapping software for years. The tool retailed for about $350.  MapPoint offered address spreadsheet visualizations, multi-stop vehicle routing, and sales territory management tools; as well as other features.

Although MapPoint did provide a proprietary, exportable file format for mapping projects, most business mapping companies do not support a direct import or conversion of those files. One major challenge surrounding conversions from MapPoint to other business mapping software is that MapPoint neglected to update map administration files (ZIP codes, counties, etc.) over the last decade. This makes map conversion difficult and subject to error.

Replace MapPoint with Map Business Online

Map Business Online is a cloud-based business mapping software that competed successfully against MapPoint from 2010 on. The tool has all of the basic business mapping features MapPoint users look for including:

  • Multi-stop point-to-point routing with time windows
  • Sales territory mapping design, creation and editing tools
  • Up-to-date local, state, and national administrative districts for the USA, Canada and the UK
  • A full library of exportable demographic data layers covering 2010 through 2016
  • Drive time analysis and driving distance analysis
  • Advanced map sharing options – printing, static images and shared interactive Map URLs
  • Collaborative team map editing capabilities

How Do I Replace MapPoint?

To easily replace MapPoint:

  1. Sign up for Map Business Online Free Trial at www.MapBusinessOnline.com
  2. Request a web demo of the tool from one of our mapping experts
  3. Decide how many active map creators your company needs to support (you can always share interactive, non-editable web maps with constituents for zero to low-cost, depending on volume)
  4. Purchase the commensurate number of Map Business Online subscriptions – see pricing options
  5. Review Map Business Online applicability for the entire enterprise and our privacy and online security protection
  6. Contact Map Business Online for complex territory conversions, if necessary. Usually an export to CSV file or Excel formatting is easily imported into Map Business Online

Other Map Business Online advantages over MapPoint are tied to the fact that cloud service software trumps clunky and expensive desktop software, every time. These advantages include:

  • Affordable access to advanced software.  Cloud services are easily accessed and generally lower in price than the outdated desktop model
  • Cloud based software updates happen while you sleep. No awkward reinstalls. Down time is rare
  • Look forward to huge advancements over MapPoint. A lot has changed since MapPoint’s last feature enhancement a decade ago. Yikes!
  • Need help? Give us a call (800) 425-9035. As if speaking to a human was easy through MapPoint

Find out why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com

Contact: Geoffrey Ives geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson jhenderson@spatialteq.com (800) 425-9035

MapPoint users – please consider www.MapBusinessOnline.com as your MapPoint Replacement.

Please read customer reviews or review us at Capterra, or at the Salesforce.com AppExchange.

 

 

 

 

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