Introducing MapBusinessOnline to First-Time Users

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Geoffrey Ives

First-time business mapping users should first relax. You’ve come to the right place. MapBusinessOnline is designed to support non-technical business folks who require a map as part of their job. I’ve included a link to an introductory Web Demo Video of MapBusinessOnline. This video walks you through the fundamental processes you’ll become familiar with using MapBusinessOnline business mapping software.

Typically, users purchase and apply MapBusinessOnline to conduct the following business mapping applications:

Introducing Map Business Online

I think it is helpful to take a few minutes to explore the business mapping application with no business goal in mind. Once you’ve registered and downloaded the Map App, launch MapBusinessOnline from the MapBusinessOnline Windows Start Menu folder (Application folder on a Mac).

Click the New map button on the left of the Master Toolbar. Select the USA Map template and view the map.  The Street background map layer is applied, giving the map user a view of the contiguous USA.

High-Income Earners by County with Nursing Home Locations – A Beautiful Business Map

You can ZOOM in by double-clicking on the map or selecting the zoom tools on the navigation scroll bar tool in the upper right corner of the map view. Here you can scroll in and out using the bar or choose the Magnifying Glass to zoom into a rectangle drawn on the map.

Those Blue Arrows below the Scroll Bar allow you to undo and redo your moves.

Navigation Scrollbar in the Upper Right, Back Arrows Above the Master Toolbar.

Zoom in and out to get familiar with the map’s look and feel. You’ll notice a grey box hovering over the map like a massive UFO. That UFO is Map & Data and presents a Map Layers checkbox list.  Note that the Street layer is checked on, which allows you to see the North American street map with states, roads, rivers, and basic land details. Map & Data and presents a Map Layers checkbox list.  Note that the Street layer is checked on, which allows you to see the North American street map with states, roads, rivers, and basic land details. Zoom in and out to get familiar with the map’s look and feel.

You can click the USA icon in the Navigation Scroll Bar tool to zoom back to the entire USA view.

Using the Map and Data Box

Now back in Map & Data, check on the ZIP code layer. Go ahead. Don’t be shy. You’ll see the ZIP codes populate all across the USA.  Now you can’t see the Street layer. Settle down easy slim.

In Map & Data, hover your cursor over the ZIP code layer. Click Edit Map Layer Properties. Once inside this editing tool, you will see the horizontal scroll bar to control the map layer’s transparency. Move that control bar to the right, and you’ll see the Street layer come shining through. You also know that you can adjust the fill color, the border color, and the thickness. There are label controls here, too – note the sideways tabs for General and Label.

Map & Data is your friend. Use it to control your maps’ look and feel. Keep in mind that the controls you’re using to adjust the look and feel of the ZIP code layer work precisely the same for the County, City-limit, State, Census, and Territory layers.

Health Care Insurance Network Map with a Unique Look and Feel

Also, use Map & Data to set up your ZIP code formatting.  This will impact every map you make moving forward. Go to the Map & Data Map Options, click the ZIP code tab and select USPS ZIP Codes with Fillers. You only have to do this once.

In the upper left-hand corner of the Map is the Address Bar or Search Map box. Type in your home address: 19 Norwood Ave, Rockport, MA, 01966. Be sure to include the commas.

This places a point on the map.  The point placement dialogue will ask questions about creating or adding to a dataset. MapBusinessOnline always wants to add plotted points to a dataset. This is so that your map stays organized. ‘Organazized,’ as Robert Deniro says in his Taxi Driver dialogue with Cybil Shepard.

Ultimately, MapBusinessOnline sets up the easy importation of address datasets. With the Standard subscription, you can import up to 50,000 location records per map. Try a sample dataset. Here are the importing Excel spreadsheet directions located in the Help documentation.

Remember:

  • Separate columns for each address component: Address | City | State | ZIP code. Don’t try to import a dataset with all the address information stuffed into one column.
  • Use header columns in your spreadsheet. MapBusinessOnline will accept the first row of data as the header, but regular headings on columns are more effective.
  • No weird characters and random spaces in your data. Keep your data free of bizarre stuff. Do not include extra text in your spreadsheet.

With your location data plotted on the map, you’ll be able to color-code points or create thematic maps by ZIP code using your imported data. Read more about ZIP codes:

Sales Territory Mapping

Sales territory mapping and customer mapping are two primary applications of MapBusinessOnline. You’ll find help docs and Blog articles to help you with essential sales territory management.

You can create territories using the Search Tools from the master toolbar or import your territories as an Excel Spreadsheet. Either way, you’ll be viewing and sharing your sales territories in no time. In your territory or location data imports, you can include sales data by address or any other relevant data to add to your analysis. The Data Window view lets you consider any associated data and adjust your sales territory visualization to reflect those critical business elements.

Here are a few more suggested articles relating to sales territory mapping for first-time users:

Adding demographic data to your sales territory analysis can illuminate market trends and sales patterns. Many can do just that. This, of course, depends on whether or not you can connect demographic data with your business’s unique sales patterns. Read more about using demographic data here.

Lastly, it would be best if you optimized your map visualizations. Make your map sing to your map audience. You have already explored map and data but consider the many other map variables that can impact how well your map communicates its intended message to your map viewers.

So, go forth and multiply. Or at least create some well-thought-out business maps using MapBusinessOnline.

_______________________________________________

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

The MapBusinessOnline Chat Window – Common Questions & Answers.

Posted on January 19, 2023 by Geoffrey Ives

MapBusinessOnline includes a Chat support service on the website.  Click the Chat Window in the lower right of any web page to ask questions or provide feedback.  Here are some common business mapping software questions and recent Chat Inquiries I thought might be helpful:

How can I toggle individual territories on and off? Right now, I am allowing territories to overlap, but I would like to be able to check and uncheck them to see them individually.

  1. Use the Data Window view.
  2. Select the Territory layer in the dropdown on the left side.
  3. On the Data Window Toolbar, under Filter & Search, in the blank box, key in a search term from your Territory Name. For example, if your territory name is Ryan Mulberry territory, you could key in ‘Ryan.’
  4. Click the Funnel Icon in the Search box.
  5. Then click the checkbox ‘Filter Map View by Content.’  The list will now display any territory with the word Ryan on the label.

The selected territories will appear on the map, isolated from the other territories.

Filter the Data Window to Isolate Territories.

Can I get a map where I can look at competitors in small regions, cities, or counties, for example?  Is that possible with this program?

You can zoom into counties, cities, and ZIP codes.  Business locations are not automatically included on the map like in Map Point, which is now obsolete. But MapBusinessOnline does include access to Business Listings. You have these options:

  1. You can upload or import competitor location data you may have in a spreadsheet. Go to the Adding to Map section of the Master toolbar.  Click the Dataset option to upload spreadsheets. Read more about importing spreadsheets.
  2. Upload Business Listings or competitors by name as a paid service.  Read more here. Remember, business listings cost $0.15 each, but your subscription will include free listings. Search by business name, especially if you know who all your competitors are. There’s also an industry lookup by keyword. Free business listing credits are noted on the pricing page; scroll down.

How do I Export ZIP codes or counties segmented by sales territories?

 I wrote a whole blog about this inquiry a few months back. This feature is easy once you understand how it works. In the Data Window, select the Map Layer (ZIP codes, counties, city limits, etc.) Once selected, click the Export button to the far right of the Data Window toolbar. After that, you’ll be prompted to check a few boxes, including segmentation by territory. Data is always exported as a CSV file which you can open with Excel.

Why won’t MapBusinessOnline work for my associates anymore?

MapBusinessOnline has permanently restricted the use of each subscription to one email login. Recently we’ve enhanced the software to prevent installations on more than three machines. We recommend purchasing additional licenses for business associates who use business mapping software or sharing publicly shared, non-editable maps with associates who require map access.

Will Mexico ever be released as a background map?

Additional background map coverages are dependent on many factors, including:

  • MapBusinessOnline user requests.
  • Available map layers, demographic data, and routing data licensing availability and costs.
  • The existence of a viable market for online business mapping software.

No release date is planned for Mexico or any other nations or continents. Email feature requests here.

What’s the deal with ZIP codes?

ZIP codes are a significant and popular feature in MapBusinessOnline. You can use ZIP codes to build thematic maps, create sales territories, or for more informative map visualizations. You can highlight one or many ZIP codes. You can also color-code all ZIP codes or groups of ZIPs based on imported user or demographic data.

Below is a ZIP code primer for MapBusinessOnline users.

  • In Map and Data, Map Options, ZIP Codes, choose the type of ZIP codes you prefer – we recommend USPS ZIP Codes with Fillers. This optimizes ZIP code appearances by cleaning up areas with no ZIP assignments, like national parks.
    This setting will impact new maps moving forward; it is not retroactive to existing maps.
  • ZIP code look and feel adjustments are located in Map and Data, ZIP Codes layer, and Edit Map Layer Properties. You can change colors, boundary thicknesses, layer fill, and transparency here. You’ll find filtering capabilities here and the ability to append data to label fields. Read more here.
  • Missing ZIP codes in imported data work.  Sometimes clients gather periodic sales and technical data based on imported ZIP codes. When users report ‘missing ZIP codes,’ the usual suspect is Point ZIP codes.  Read more all about ZIP codes here.

Why is my data not importing correctly?

The first thing to realize is that we’ve had thousands of users importing data successfully with minimal issues for over a decade. So, it’s probably you, not us. But we’re here to help.

  • Please ensure your address data is separated by column in your spreadsheet: Address | City | State | ZIP code. Many of the spreadsheets we review have all the addressing in one column. That just won’t work.
  • Consider how old the addressing data maybe? – Obsolete ZIP codes can sometimes be an issue. This can be especially problematic for data imports from MapPoint clients. MapPoint has been canceled for almost ten years, and MS neglected to update data for years before cancelation.
  • We can troubleshoot your data if you send it via email. Ensure you are allowed to share your business data first, then send it to one of the emails listed below.

I’m getting an error message instructing me to Update MapBusinessOnline. Where is the Updater, and how do I update it?

The Map App is downloaded from the website – https://www.mapbusinessonline.com/App-Download.aspx.  After installing the Map App, the MapBusinessOnline Launch Button and the Updater will be located in the Windows Start Menu or the Mac Application folder:

  1. Find the MapBusinessOnline folder using the Start Menu
  2. Click the folder’s dropdown arrow and choose the MapBusinessOnline
  3. Find the Updater and click the link. It will run and let you know when it’s complete.
  4. You also can drag the MapBusinessOnline launch Icon to the taskbar for a quick launch button.

Where are my Saved maps?

All saved maps will be available through your Open Map Library Folder, the second button from the left on the Master Toolbar. (Green File Folder icon.) Note that within the Open Map dialogue, there is now a folder called Recent Maps, a very helpful and fast way to access recent work.

_______________________________________________

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, Sales and marketing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

MapBusinessOnline’s Territory Management System

Posted on January 11, 2023 by Geoffrey Ives

MapBusinessOnline provides sales, service, and franchise territory management tools for various businesses and industries. Sales territory management software organizes and manages sales processes, balances workloads, and addresses the issues of sales accountability within any sales organization.

Service businesses use territory management software to establish informative coverage area maps, address driving distance fees, and monitor daily field service workloads. Service industries cover many specific types of business, including construction, repair, medical, and pool cleaning services. Any company that requires a vehicle in the field.

Sales territory management tools from MapBusinessOnline are used by franchise businesses, insurance companies, large and small retailers, large enterprise sales orgs, medical providers, hospital systems, and thousands of smaller firms.

Drive Time-based Sales Territories in MapBusinessOnline.

MapBusinessOnline sales territory management tools provide the following business mapping functionality:

Sales Territory Mapping

  • Import territory spreadsheets for automatic territory system creation.
  • Create territories from ZIP codes, city limits, states, and counties using polygon search tools or selecting map objects incrementally.
  • Clearly define the spatial boundaries of sales and business territories.
  • Establish spatial search and analysis areas for account and sales activity tracking.
  • Define and display sales rep and technician coverage areas.
  • Define franchisee sales operating areas.
  • Generate multiple territories in one pass using driving time queries.
  • Save sales territory map templates that protect valuable territory setup work.
  • Share territory map visualizations using the application, interactive map share links, or shared image files.

Sales Territory and Market Analysis

  • Use MapBusinessOnline as a Customer/Prospect data analysis platform. View, manipulate, and export tabular data in the Data Window.
  • Develop and share sales forecasts using the business mapping platform.
  • Color-code and balance territories using US Census Bureau demographic data.
  • Conduct thematic mapping and comprehensive map visualizations.
  • Supports the import of up to 250,000 location records per map.
  • Balance sales opportunities and workloads using sales territory analysis.
  • Conduct market analysis studies on spatial targets.
  • Establish ZIP code profiles based on customer sales activity & demographic makeup.

Additional Functionality

MapBusinessOnline Standard and Pro versions provide easy-to-use and affordable business mapping tools for Sales Territory Mapping projects.  Used by thousands of organizations all over North America, select the MapBusinessOnline version that best fits your business requirements:

MapBusinessOnline Standard:

  • Import up to 50,000 customer or prospect location points per map.
  • Create up to 50 territories per saved map.
  • Supports hierarchical sales territory creation for region, division, or zone areas.

MapBusinessOnline Pro:

  • Import up to 250,000 customer or prospect location points per map.
  • Create up to 1,500 territories per saved map.
  • Supports hierarchical sales territory creation for region, division, or zone areas.
  • Includes all the capabilities of MapBusinessOnline Standard.
  • Conduct driving time and distance analysis, batched origin & destination calculations.
  • Includes advanced market analysis tools and driving time and distance queries.
  • Append geographic and demographic data to exportable location datasets.

NYC Franchise Map Development Targeting 800,00 to 1 million Population Segments

MapBusinessOnline turns business sales activity, customer data, and accumulated location data into actionable business intelligence. Use MapBusinessOnline business analysis and sales territory tools to create competitor analysis, expansion plans, and new market profiles by geographic area.

Examples of how MapBusinessOnline customers apply Sales Territory Management software:

  • Construction – Site analysis, job site monitoring, and optimized routing.
  • Franchise Sales and Marketing – various applications:
    • Documentation for franchisee purchases and territory ownership.
    • Balance franchise territories using demographic data or other industry-specific data.
  • Insurance Companies – various applications:
    • Customer and prospect visualizations that expose underserved markets and clients.
    • Field insurance claims tracking and hired contractor monitoring.
    • Field sales force management
  • High Tech Company – Field service technical repairs using hierarchical territory support for service zone creation.
  • Manufacturing Enterprise – various applications:
    • Monitor product sales using hierarchical sales territory management by product line, sales rep, and manufacturer’s rep group.
    • Sales territory management and sales trip planning.
  • Marketing Firms – New market analysis and market demographic profile development.
  • Medical Systems – – various applications:
    • Field clinician staff management and optimized routing.
    • Health care systems service area matching.
  • Restaurant Chains – Analyze sales by city or ZIP code to justify expansion investment.
  • Large Retail Chains – Sales and marketing program management, including advertisement distribution and channel coupon tracking.
  • Subscriptions Management – Import up to 250,000 location records. Plot and organize by territory to track coupons, offers, and revenue.

MapBusinessOnline will turn your location data into business achievements and sales & marketing milestones. You’ll be amazed at what a basic map visualization of your business can teach you about your business.

_______________________________________________

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.

Posted in Business Mapping Software blog post, Sales and marketing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Exposing Underserved Markets with Business Mapping Software

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Geoffrey Ives

The cloud-based, MapBusinessOnline business mapping platform provides a unique and informative tracking system for recognizing and addressing underserved markets.

The Underserved markets I refer to here are those defined by geography, industry, or niche. For example, biotech has taken off over the last ten to fifteen years. Across the entire USA, biotech businesses have emerged to address specific healthcare problems. These medical issues include the growing need for cancer research, veterinarian technologies, and many other healthcare-related developments.

During the Pandemic of 2020, precise and fast COVID-19 testing requirements became a severe nationwide issue. Multiple testing companies sprouted up here in Maine to address this expanding challenge. A Maine-based medical diagnostic testing market was born.

Faced with such a brand-new marketplace, medical supply businesses, medical manufacturing software developers, and other testing-related peripheral providers had an underserved market to address.

Map Visualization Platforms Expose Trends & Opportunities

Enter business mapping software. MapBusinessOnline location-based market analysis could help define underserved medical markets associated with disease diagnostics. By regularly importing all customer location records onto a business map, medical sales and marketing folks could classify and color code those records by industry, product, or size.

Business intelligence professionals can access online mapping tools to identify new market segments visually. MapBusinessOnline’s demographic analysis tools combined with imported relevant user data, will expose hidden business trends and point to new areas of opportunity for sales and marketing campaigns.

Spreadsheets and CRM systems are great tools, well worth the investment, but business mapping software augments customer lists and tracked sales figures with a geographic and demographic analysis’ focus on where and why changes are occurring in the marketplace.

Business mapping software helps:

  • Identify and Track New Industries and niche markets – such as COVID testing equipment.
  • Confirm Sales Firmographics and business sizes across niche markets that are growing.
  • Identifies and Solidifies Specific Opportunities through demographic and geographic analysis applied to markets and industries across the nation.
  • Improve Sales Outreach to important customer contacts to learn about the new market’s business requirements, manufacturing processes, and critical business challenges.
  • Develop Success Stories demonstrating how your company has assisted any new market, connecting value to features.

Armed with sales justification and market requirement details, underserved market-aware businesses start researching for new prospects.

  • Find Prospects – Search the Internet for other businesses with similar requirements. Import prospect lists into a business map visualization.
  • Tap Into Key Industry Contacts for similar business suggestions in and outside your standard operating areas.
  • Load and View the Locations of all possible new market prospects in MapBusinessOnline.
  • Assign Target Business to Territory Managers. Establish sales routes with customer visit times to gather more information and sell products and services.

Many sales and marketing professionals use business map projects and sales territory systems as market tracking tools. Prospective and existing customer locations are plotted against digital maps of North America.

In MapBusinessOnline, plotted points are simultaneously added to a datasheet view of all customers. Critical data columns are developed that expose new market elements, such as demographic or firmographic details that match business requirements with products and services.  New market elements like employee counts per location, key contacts, or industry raw material delivery data, pave the way for a better understanding of new opportunities.

Creative Business Listing Searches Expose New Opportunities

Accessing business listing location data can be very helpful in exposing underserved markets. Business intelligence and business listings are paid for contact data records from various USA business data providers. MapBusinessOnline offers access to a leading provider’s business listings for a per-record fee (prices start at $0.15 each and decrease with volume.)

Industry searches allow marketing pros to identify businesses in niche markets across the USA. MapBusinessOnline business listings are searchable through keyword lookups, tapping into the SIC and NAICS industry data search engines. Business listings can be gathered by polygon area, ZIP code, or City Limit. SIC and NAICS industry data search engines.

Niche markets could be ethnic restaurants, vintage clothing retailers, window manufacturers, or adhesive chemical plants. I list these options to show that business listings are a huge database encompassing all businesses. Casting such a wide net is very helpful when identifying specific businesses within an underserved market. Get familiar with search terms and strategies that expose your business targets.

Plotted business listings, along with customer locations and other sourced prospect locations, are viewed as color-coded points on a map within the business mapping software.  Sales territories, sales trips, and other marketing efforts can be created based on the geographic placement of these customer addresses. Underserved markets are identified based on areas with active customers and visualized sales activity per business. Find the untapped areas with the most likely business targets and the least amount of business – those areas are underserved.

Identify Areas that Purchase Products & Services

Why do customers purchase your product? This is the most critical question you can address as a sales and marketing professional.

Why did customers purchase Maine-based COVID testing kits?

  • Maine companies were early to market.
  • Maine is relatively close in proximity to major hospital systems in the Northeast US.
  • Maine has several seasoned and influential Senators and Representatives in Congress.
  • Maine’s labor pool is both well-educated and cost-competitive.

Researching Maine Testing Equipment Manufactures.

Customer product purchase data is critical intelligence for a supplier in the test kit industry. Such business intelligence is essential for any industry. By gathering this information and matching it with City and ZIP code demographic as well as firmographic data, a marketing team can identify comparable geographic areas across the nation that may be ripe sales and marketing approaches already driving business in known markets.

A sample question might be: Why did our new Beer Brewing Tool take off in the Northwest section of the USA? Answers might read:

  • Test cases of our streamlined mixing system were easily presented and sampled to over thirty breweries in our Oregon business’s backyard.
  • Industry word of mouth spread like wildfire when the cost savings were quickly recognized.
  • Multiple breweries passed on those cost savings to end users improving their market share.

Once again, what worked well in Oregon would surely perform well in other areas of the nation that support dozens of craft breweries within a 50-square-mile area.

Developing Market Area Profiles Using MapBusinessOnline.

The MapBusinessOnline business mapping platform combines map analysis of sales data, demographic analysis by region, and the development of prospective customers by targeted industry. By carefully creating business analysis maps, your company can start identifying and investigating underserved and new market areas for your business.

Additional location-based analysis tools are available through MapBusinessOnline. These include:

Isn’t it time your sales and marketing team started leveraging the power of location-based analysis to identify your underserved markets? Or are you leaving that up to the competition?

_______________________________________________

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, Sales and marketing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Working Through Our Boundary Issues, with MapBusinessOnline

Posted on December 14, 2022 by Geoffrey Ives

Some people, you know who they are, spend most of their lives learning about boundaries. It’s a challenge for many of us. But personal boundaries aside, I thought reviewing business mapping boundary line options in MapBusinessOnline might be a valuable discussion.

Who knows? Perhaps the very beginning of mankind’s need for map visualization took place due to violations of personal, if not territorial, boundaries. Picture several clans of cave-dwelling hunter-gatherers arguing over control of a blueberry barren. ‘Grog stepped all over my berries, which hurt my feelings!’

Eventually, the two groups had to establish clear boundaries and create a map that informed the various clan members where they could gather berries and where they could not. Maps beat open warfare every time – especially when fighting over berries.

Fast forward to MapBusinessOnline, which provides business mapping software with an assortment of boundary options. The possibilities for boundary representation in modern mapping are many. I will list the boundaries used in the business map below for your edification. Most of the boundaries presented below, standard fare in business mapping software, are associated with Map Layers – such as ZIP codes or counties.

A Business Map with Many Boundaries in MapBusinessOnline.

  • County Layer – There are 3,221 counties across the United States. A county is a government jurisdiction and may or may not have elected officials representing authority in the area. (Counties are checked off in the above map)
  • ZIP Code Layer – ZIP codes are delivery zones initially established to facilitate U.S. postal service delivery systems. Today there are 33,426 ZIP codes with boundaries (subject to change), which are used in mapping for many business and government purposes, including territory assignments, Census demographic categorization, delivery systems, and even Credit Card security checks. Read more about ZIP codes here.
  • State Layer – State boundaries provide map viewers with familiar lines of demarcation. The map viewer thinks, ‘Ah yes, that’s the boundary for Pennsylvania. I know where I am now.’
  • City Limits – Boundaries for city limits down to small towns define municipal areas. City limit areas are excellent units for business and market analysis.
  • Also Included in MapBusinessOnline – ZIP3 codes, Census tracts, Metropolitan Statistical Areas, and School Districts.
  • Sales Territory Boundaries – Sales territories are often created by MapBusinessOnline users. Map Layer and Boundary controls apply to these user-defined areas in the same fashion as States or ZIP codes.

The map included above presents interesting state boundaries.  I noticed the arc at the boundary between Pennsylvania and Delaware. I suspected a story behind it. So, I did what any half-decent map geek would do when confronted with a map oddity – I Googled it. Lo and behold, there’s a whole multi-century debate about this border. Read more about the issue here on Wikipedia.

The long and the short of the Penn/Delaware 12-mile arc is that boundaries matter. Whether you are creating boundaries for the 13 Colonies or outlining sales territories for a traveling salesforce, boundaries matter for a variety of reasons:

  • Boundaries serve as jurisdiction lines defining physical and legal limitations.
  • Boundaries define ownership and accountability.
  • As Robert Frost questions in The Mending Wall, ‘Walls (stonewalls) make good neighbors.’

In business mapping, boundaries abound. Here at MapBusinessOnline, we find boundaries of serious concern to many industries.

  • Franchise businesses rely on boundaries to identify franchise territory areas. Franchise boundaries define active territories – they define the business to be invested in.
  • Insurance company policies and financial regulations change from state to state. State boundaries are essential for resolving issues.
  • Manufacturing facilities also must comply with state-based rules covering the environment and labor issues.

Defined areas of operation are essential for businesses and governments. Jurisdiction boundaries not only define where business can occur but also regulate the area of operation, which helps accurately estimate required resources, system costs, and potential income and liabilities.

Boundary Options in MapBusinessOnline

Business mapping software provides map creators with an array of boundary visualization tools. Each map layer includes user controls over boundary look and feel, layer fill color, and transparency.

These map layer boundary controls are tucked neatly into Map & Data.

  1. Go to Map & Data.
  2. Hover over a subject map layer, such as ZIP codes, and click the Edit Map Layer Properties button.
  3. In the Editing Panel, under General, you can adjust the map layer outline’s thickness and color. You can also change the fill color and transparencies here or turn off the fill altogether, keeping in mind that no fill means the map user cannot select the object (ZIP, State, or County) for territory creation.
  4. exit out, and changes are saved.

Boundary controls work the same for territories, regions, and divisions.

Adjust Boundary options using MapBusinessOnline.

Boundaries Abound in MapBusinessOnline

MapBusinessOnline draw tools allow free-form, circle, polygon, or drive time object creation, including boundary editing features. So, one could develop a business map that showed:

  • A general area-of-interest polygon bounded by a thick red line to get the map viewer’s attention.
  • A group of state boundaries is highlighted.
  • All relevant ZIP codes, county, city limits, or Census Tract boundaries are highlighted.
  • Click the Map Layers button on the Master Toolbar to access more map layers.

All in all, this would be a lot of boundaries for a map viewer to consider. Remember to keep maps as uncomplicated as possible. I would suggest boundaries be included only for those map layers that impact the map’s objective.

Do Boundaries Change?

MapBusinessOnline includes eight formal Map Layers in our online business mapping software. These boundaries are layered into the application as web services from leading geographic data providers like Esri, Pitney Bowes, and others.

Many of the map layer boundaries are subject to change. ZIP codes are updated twice a year. ZIP code updates include changes to boundaries, which are rare but do occur. The Census Bureau updates for Census Tracts arise much less often but can be significant, so be aware of that.

States, in my experience, do not change. Boundaries for states are pretty locked in. However, a boundary update would be required if Puerto Rico became a state. The last time a state boundary was changed was in 1961, when the border shifted between Minnesota and North Dakota.

Here in Maine, we’ve seen our share of boundary disputes. In 1839 the ‘Aroostook War’ threatened to break out between Canada and the USA over Maine’s northern boundary. The dispute led to a negotiated settlement before it came to blows. But it is why Maine has such a large land area north of Bangor. Read more here.

So, keep these issues in mind as you work out your boundary issues. Consider bringing a laptop to marriage counseling sessions so you can consult MapBusinessOnline before you let your spouse walk all over your boundaries. Or sign up for a Team Subscription and work things out through role-play! Business mapping to the rescue!

_______________________________________________

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, Sales and marketing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Augment Market Analysis – Identify Prospects & Competitors with MapBusinessOnline Business Listings

Posted on December 7, 2022 by Geoffrey Ives

Remember – MapBusinessOnline includes access to Business Listings, a downloadable paid service for lead generation, business analysis, and competitor mapping.

Our Business Listings are gathered and managed by one of the world’s leading business data providers. Access up to 15 million businesses and 43 million businesspeople with contact information. Once purchased and downloaded to your MapBusinessOnline application, the data is entirely exportable. That’s right. You can export those business listings until the cows come home. Well, if any of you have cows.

FREE! Business Listings Credits

Subscriptions for MapBusinessOnline Standard or Pro include complimentary Business Listing Credits:

  • MapBusinessOnline Standard – 1200 Search Credits ($180 Value.)
  • MapBusinessOnline Pro – 3000 search Credits ($450 Value.)

Use the free listings to explore what is possible in your business mapping with access to MapBusinessOnline business listings.

Business Listings searches are accessed through the Yellow Pages icon on Master Toolbar.

The Business Listings button.

Alternatively, map creators can search for and download business listings by clicking the Business Listing option in the pop-up menu associated with drawn circles, polygons, or selected ZIP code and City Limit areas.

Search for Business Listings

Search for Business Listings by Business Name, Industry, Area (Circle or Polygon), ZIP Code, City, or State. Use the Business Listings search tool to determine the number of listings in each area and filter your searches to match your business listings budget.

Business Listing buttons are highlighted in the picture above.

MapBusinessOnline includes Industry Search options that let the user search for business listings by:

Industry or Name – Search by business names or industry keywords. MapBusinessOnline enables business listing lookups through industry search organizations:

NAICS – Search the NAICS database for your business listing requirement.

SIC Code – Search the SIC code database for your business listings requirement.  These two search options return different results. They each have their strengths in gathering business listings.

With MapBusinessOnline, you can select a radius or polygon area on the map and query it for business listings. The tool works like this:

  1. Select a Polygon or Circle Search and create a polygon or circle on the map. Or use the Master Toolbar Business Listings button to search the whole nation.
  2. In the associated pop-up menu, select the Business Listings option.
  3. Use the Industry Search mentioned above to search the area for business listings.
  4. Move those results into the Count/Gathering Area by clicking Validate.
  5. Note the count provided to estimate costs using a $0.15 per record fee. Prices decline with volume.
  6. Click Next to process the download and set up a credit card payment.
  7. Once processed, the points will appear on the Map and in the Data Window.
  8. Use the Data Window Export button to extract business listings for use outside MapBusinessOnline.

Search results compiled in the Data Window will include sales estimates in dollars, employee count estimates, and key contacts with phone numbers. These results are fully exportable to CSV files.

Processing a Business Listings search in MapBusinessOnline.

Common Business Listing Applications

MapBusinessOnline subscribers use Business Listings for multiple business applications:

Competitor Mapping – Download major competitors in areas where you do business. Visualize trade areas and consider business saturation levels before investing in new market areas.

Customer Mapping & Outreach – Download and map existing and prospective customer locations to support marketing and sales campaigns. Reach key decision makers using business listing contact information. Generate direct mail campaigns and estimate mail deliveries using ZIP5 and ZIP3 map layers.

Market Analysis – Add business listing data to market studies—download business listings for crucial customer targets. Explore market potential by contacting industry leaders, C-Suite execs, or critical account titles. Use business listings firmographic data to estimate sales potential for new markets or strategic planning.

Prospect List Gathering – Search, select, and download key industry targets for sales campaigns or information gathering. View prospects on the map—export business listings to CSV files.

Resource Planning – Develop critical resource maps in support of business initiatives and manufacturing projects. Search by industry or company name to add unique resources to business planning maps.

Sales Planning – Add prospective business listings to your critical account map visualizations. Create sales territory maps and sales planning routes that include prospects for planned visits or fill-in visits in the event of appointment cancelations.

Sales Territory & Franchise Mapping – Supplement sales territory potential with prospective customers.  Search business listings by up-and-coming industry categories—balance territory workloads and opportunities with additional business listings by area of responsibility.

MapBusinessOnline business listings offer location-based prospects, resources, and competitors for map visualizations and data gathering. Supplement your sales and marketing programs with this valuable information. Keep growing your sales opportunities because the unknown prospects you reach today will become the core business of tomorrow.

_______________________________________________

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.

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

How Do I Run the MapBusinessOnline Updater?

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Geoffrey Ives

This blog describes the process for running the MapBusinessOnline Updater, found within the Map App folder. The MapBusinessOnline Updater ensures your software version is the latest available release. Read on for a complete understanding of how to access the Updater.

Thank you for using MapBusinessOnline Business Mapping Software.

Access to MapBusinessOnline begins when a new user registers for the free trial and subscription. We use your business email as the login credential for daily application access. The login process for MapBusinessOnline Standard & Pro requires an email and password. A change password option is presented at login. 

The Map App & Updater 

Once registered, a newly paid or free trial user must download the Map App. It’s an easy installation. Once installed, to access the MapBusinessOnline Map App from your desktop on Windows machines, use the Start Menu and scroll down to the MapBusinessOnline folder. Inside the Map App folder, use the Dropdown arrow to view the five options included in the Map App. 

The Map App provides five specific functions, listed here in dropdown order: 

  • Compatibility Test – We may ask you to run this test if you get Internet access or other network errors. The Compatibility test will often return port identifiers that require settings adjustments. 
  • MapPoint Conversion Tool – Use this tool to see if your map project in MapPoint can be converted to MapBusinessOnline. Feel free to ask for assistance. 
  • MapBusinessOnline – Use this button to launch the MapBusinessOnline application. You can drag the icon to your desktop or taskbar for a launch button. I made mine a Start button launch icon. 
  • MapBusinessOnline Updater – The Updater will update the software to the latest release. Use this button to correct aberrant behavior in the application. When in doubt – run the Updater. 
  • MapBusinessOnline Viewer – The viewer enables public map sharing. Use this button to view a shared business map created by a MapBusinessOnline subscriber. 

The Map App Dropdown from the Windows Start Menu.

On Mac machines, find the Map App in the Applications folder. 

Run the Updater 

Running the MapBusinessOnline Updater is fast and easy. It’s a good idea to run the Updater regularly to stay on top of software updates.  

Software controls are not behaving as expected. Software issues that suggest an update is necessary: 

  • Background map access is impeded or missing. 
  •  
  • Features are missing from the popup menus. 
  • Other random issues. 

When in doubt – run the Updater. 

NYC Franchise Map Created Using MapBusinessOnline.

Technical Support Options 

If you run into system errors when using MapBusinessOnline, run that Updater. But if bad things persist, which is rare, contact us via email and always include a screenshot of the error. We’ll get back to you rapidly within regular East Coast working hours. Outside of those times, we will do our best. 

Email addresses: JHenderson@spatialteq.com or Geoffives@spatialteq.com 

There is also a chat service located on the website – MapBusinessOnline.com. 

And of course, there is always phone contact – 800-425-9035. But phone contact will lead directly to a request for an email containing error messages.  

Thank you for using MapBusinessOnline.com, your access to business map visualizations, sales territories, drive time calculations, and new market analysis.

_______________________________________________ 

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

Where is the Best New Market for Our Latest Product Release?

Posted on November 16, 2022 by Geoffrey Ives

Complex business map operations can be beneficial in teasing out answers to business questions. One of the more difficult questions MapBusinessOnline helps to answer is, ‘Where is our next market?’

Sales and marketing professionals use business mapping software to conduct market analysis because the tool merges client data with demographic data and geography. Customer, audience, and area define markets. Other elements of market analysis can be overlaid on the study as long as the data includes a location component, such as an address, ZIP code, or latitude-longitude coordinate.

So, I wanted to walk through a basic scenario using MapBusinessOnline to illustrate how multiple features are brought to bear on a market analysis problem.  The initial marketing goal is to find areas across the continental USA that have similar characteristics to a successful test campaign conducted in a local market.

We’re going to be using four major MapBusinessOnline features:

  • Manage Calculated Data Columns – This feature is located in Map and Data at the bottom of the first panel for each map layer – ZIP code, County, State, City Limit, and other map layers. It is a summation/formula tool.
  • Demographic Data – Access categories of demographic data to assign specific characteristics to areas for analysis.
  • Color-Code Boundaries – Color-coding map layers based on demographic data, imported data, or data counts.
  • Filtering in the Data Window –The Data Window lets the map user view multiple relevant demographic datasets by geography. Each data column can be filtered or sorted, revealing the geographies with salient characteristics.

Acme Personal Care Products

For this analysis, we’ll consider the personal care products of a fictitious company called Acme Personal Care Products. Acme is a makeup producer interested in expanding its personal care product sales, targeting single women actively dating.

The company has existing channels but is ready to expand from local test areas to a national sales program for ‘ACME PCP’ at retail.  The immediate task is to determine where these products might find the most welcome audience and then develop retail endcaps and kiosk units to expand sales in known retailers.

The critical marketing question is, where are Acme PCP products most likely to sell nationally?

As mentioned above, the products were designed for women actively engaged in dating. That’s the target audience.  Using MapBusinessOnline demographic data, we found two Census Bureau data categories that approximate the market:

  • Female – Marital status never married.
  • Female – Martial status divorced.

*My point in using single females as a market target is to show how demographic data can be applied. Census population categories for age, gender, ethnicity, and marital status, are designed to create groupings for market studies. Stereotyping is not the intent.

We also identified a Census Bureau Consumer Expenditure category for Personal Care Products. Consumer Expenditures are estimates of the dollars spent per year per individual on specific products and services. Census Demographic provides a long list of population segments that give a window of analysis on possible customer types. Consumer expenditure categories also offer a variety of study subjects. Generalizations can be made based on your organization’s understanding of its products and customers. It’s quite an extensive list, so your company may find a category that fits.

Use Calculated Data Columns to Combine Demographic Categories or Create Simple Formulas.

Calculated Data Columns

Using MapBusinessOnline Calculated Data Columns (CDC), we created a formula indexing Census categories for single females based on annual spending on personal care products:

(Female Newer Married + Females Divorced)/Personal Care Products spend = Ratio Market Analysis)

By creating a ratio formula using the Female population estimate over the dollars spent on personal care products, we can create a CDC map layer that generalizes interest by area. Each calculated data column formula is associated with a map layer.  So, I made one CDC for ZIP code and one for City Limit map layers.

Color-Coding by Calculated Data Columns

Color-coding using the Boundary button on the Master Toolbar, the map creator chooses the ZIP code layer for color-coding:

  1. Click the Boundary button.
  2. Select Calculated Data Columns as the data layer to be thematically represented or color-coded on the business map.
  3. The Single Female Formula is selected for the application.
  4. The color band ranges are kept to four bands to keep the map concise and focused.
  5. Further map adjustments in Map and Data ZIP and City layers to border color and thicknesses help to optimize the map for viewing.

In step four above, the map creator spreads the ranges out numerically to ensure that distinguishable areas of high interest are displayed. The map creator controls the map’s look and feel. Areas of the highest interest are shaded Red to stand out.

The same Calculated Data Column setup and color-coding arrangement are applied to the City Limits layer. This way, the map analysis provides two map layers with similar market analyses. Using two map layers can help underscore the results of the market analysis.

Because ZIP codes and City Limits are relatively small areas of interest, the most informative map views are zoomed-in regions. Look for corridors and clusters. Think in terms of logistics too. For instance, apparent interest in Southern California and Pheonix, AZ, suggests a southwest marketing zone needs to be explored.

Map Views

No surprise, the northeast corridor reveals major city areas ripe for market testing. Ithaca, NY was a surprise – see below at the top left of the ZIP code image.

Best Potential New Market Areas Circled for More Research.

Data Window Views

The MapBusinessOnline Data Window provides a tabular view of map layer data. The data columns can be filtered to show the best city-limit locations for proposed marketing launches.  New York, Boston, and Washington, DC, quickly rose to the top.  Other cities will be considered as part of different regional views.

Best-performing ZIP codes can be selected on the map and highlighted in the Data Window.  Demographic data and Calculated Data Columns can be added to the analysis for a national evaluation of the best potential ZIP codes or City Limit jurisdictions – test areas for market viability.

Data Window Views are Sorted and Filtered to Expose Potential Marketing Zones.

Data Window columns can be quickly sorted by ascending or descending order to view top cities or ZIP codes for specific data characteristics. Work to expose the top 12 to 20 cities for core demographic categories. Marketing discussions should use the map and data window views to consider specific cities and areas for marketing launches.

MapBusinessOnline doesn’t guarantee marketing success. That’s what marketing departments are for. But business mapping software suggests positive-audience areas of interest for market studies. Business mapping offers market analysis that’s fast, easy, affordable, and based on data.

The above product scenario is simply an example of how a marketing team might consider combining mapping tools, demographic data, and data analysis tools toward new market identification. Additional mapping tools can further benefit any market analysis:

_____________________________________________________

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, Sales and marketing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Saving Your Business Map Work Using MapBusinessOnline

Posted on November 9, 2022 by Geoffrey Ives

Life is complicated. Cloud-based business mapping software is convenient, but sometimes it gets complicated too. Saving map files can be more complex than just saving your work, especially if you share your map projects with others.

MapBusinessOnline enables any map user with a paid subscription to create compelling and accurate digital maps that visualize business systems geographically. Users utilize location data importation capabilities and graphic tools to generate sales territories, market analysis, and business planning maps.  Safely saving and storing that map work is critical to business viability and growth strategies.

At this time, MapBusinessOnline does not autosave to the cloud. To save a map, MapBusinessOnline has a Save button located two buttons from the left on the master Toolbar. Use this button to:

  • Save your new map projects with a unique name.
  • Save any changes you’ve made to an existing map.

Because MapBusinessOnline is a cloud-based service, your most recent map work will be displayed when you open the application.  This is not necessarily a saved map. It is a held web cache view, just like when you return to CNN.com in the afternoon and see this morning’s news still presented on your screen.

Do not be fooled by a cached web map image.  Make sure you save your work using the Save button on the Master Toolbar.

The Save Dialogue in MapBusinessOnline.

Saving Your Map Work

The Save map dialogue offers two dropdown options – My Map or My Template.  Save all major map projects in the My Templates folder. This is the place to save sales territory map work, map-based market analysis, and franchise map analysis.

Use the My Map folder for light mapwork and one-off maps created from templates.

When creating a new map project, think about its level of importance. At first, your map may be a simple geographic scratchpad, not an entire business mapping project. Save such light map work as a My Map.  But as your map work develops and your investment in time increases, especially if your business depends on the integrity of the map data applied, save your map as a My Template map.

My Template maps are stored protection for these common types of map work:

  • Sales Territory Maps – Consider saving a template map every December or January that supports the year’s baseline territory map(s).
  • Market Analysis Maps – Set up management reviews of market analysis maps and save parent copies as map templates, which can be valuable starting points for ongoing analysis.
  • Strategic Planning Maps – Always a good idea to save strategic planning maps by year or period.
  • Complex Map Visualizations – Map visualizations can be basic easy to rebuild maps or more advanced thematic and demographic map projects. If they take hours to make, save them as template maps.

Template maps protect existing work.  Use templates as a starting place for additional map work. This saves time when creating new maps that add just a few layers to existing maps. Templates help prevent inadvertent overwriting of shared maps.

Here’s a link to the MapBusinessOnline Help documentation for creating and saving business maps.

Tip: I do a lot of map work for the website and custom maps for clients. When I start a new map, I often look through the My Maps and My Template map folders, scanning the map preview for similar maps. I then open the map and save it with a new name. This habit can be a real time saver.

If you create similar maps over and over, open one with relevant work and save it as a template for future maps.

You will notice a third folder in the Save dialogue dropdown – Maps Shared with Me.  This folder records all the maps shared privately with you for collaboration, usually through Team subscription membership. This is where a user would go to find maps shared for collaborative editing work.

Overwriting Map Work

We do get emails and calls from clients who have lost their saved work. For the eleven years, I’ve worked with MapBusinessOnline business mapping software; I have yet to run across a situation where the mapping application is overwriting map work. It’s always user error.

Here are the significant reasons why clients discover inadvertent overwrites of their map work:

  • Shared Login Credentials – Each single-user MapBusinessOnline Standard and Pro subscription is licensed for single-user access. Shared login credentials violate the Terms of Use and lead to overwritten maps. This is by far the most common reason for map overwriting. Share credentials make the rounds, and extra users overwrite the map.
  • Team Mapping – Shared maps for collaborative editing require that user teams manage their map updates. Only one editing user should be updating MapBusinessOnline at a time. Updating privileges must be carefully assigned for critical business maps, and editing sessions should be planned. Make sure shared maps for editing have clear policies for access and updating changes.

Team Map Editing

Team Edition subscriptions allow maps to be shared among subscribing constituents for collaborative editing.  Owners of original map work can assign editing rights to specific and invited users.

Because MapBusinessOnline does not support concurrent editing (multiple seat access simultaneously), the originating map owner must set the terms for editing privileges. Each shared map can be shared with a constituent user with a valid subscription to MapBusinessOnline. The map owner can assign shared status to any users:

  • View only status
  • Data editor only
  • Map editor only.
  • Full map and data editor.

Invoking Map Lock

Make sure every invited user understands the rules for collaborative editing:

  • Set an editing schedule.
  • Assign a third participant to review editing work for errors.

Map owners sharing maps for editing can also invoke Map Lock. Map Lock controls the editing privileges, preventing accidental overwriting of map work. Only the originating map owner can edit a map once Map Lock is selected in the Share Map dialogue.

Once your team understands the rules, Map Lock may not be necessary. But if a new team member joins your shared map editing team, Map Lock might be a good idea for a week or two.

Business maps are edited and shared. These editing processes generate more valuable maps for planning and analysis. Protect and expand your use of business mapping by developing solid save map protocols.

_______________________________________________

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, Sales and marketing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Edit MapBusinessOnline Sales Territories

Posted on November 2, 2022 by Geoffrey Ives

Because almost any business in any industry creates sales territories, I’ve penned a few articles on how to create territories using MapBusinessOnline Standard and Pro:

This link takes you to our help documentation on creating and editing territories.

With this article, I’d like to address the general process for editing existing territories using MapBusinessOnline. Territories change; stuff happens, so you need to be able to edit sales territories.

Remember first that MapBusinessOnline territories are always based on an alignment map layer such as:

  • Census tracts
  • City Limits
  • Counties
  • Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)
  • School Districts
  • States
  • ZIP codes (5 and 3 digit)

This means that editing territories entail selecting one or more of these map layer units (ZIP codes, for instance) and applying an Operation from a list of options. The operations are the click options presented to edit territories. Operation options are listed below:

  • Add to the territory.
  • Move to the territory.
  • Update the territory.
  • Merge Territories (Requires selecting territories, not individual map alignment layer objects.)
  • Intersect with a territory.
  • Remove from a territory.
  • Remove from all territories except.
  • Create a new territory.

Incremental Editing of Territories

I will use the ZIP code for this article as the map layer alignment unit. All edits of territories work the same way regardless of the map layer alignment unit selected. Here’s the step-by-step process for incremental territory editing:

  1. To edit a MapBusinessOnline territory, use your mouse cursor to select a ZIP code.
    1. If the ZIP code is already part of the territory, you’ll be presented with selecting the whole territory or just the ZIP code. Select the ZIP code.
    2. Hold down the shift key and select more ZIPs with a series of mouse clicks if you want multiple ZIP codes.
  2. The operations list mentioned above is presented. Select the operation you would like to apply. Add to, for instance.  Now the menu will display a list of territories you can add to. Select the territory target and click Edit.
  3. MapBusinessOnline then presents the adjusted Data Window view of the territory edited. This is for user verification.
  4. To Undo your territory edit, click the Blue Back Arrow at the top of the application, just to the right of the Search Map box. You’ll see both Undo and Redo Arrows there.

Understanding the impact of each edit operation is helpful:

  • Add to – Adds the selected set to your selected territory.
  • Move to – Adds the selected set to the suggested territory and removes them from the previous territory. This is my most used editing operation.
  • Merge – Combines the coverage areas of selected territories and provides options for deleting or leaving an outline of the old territory.
  • Update – Converts a selected set into the selected territory as if you were creating a new territory. The original territory selection is now gone.
  • Intersect – Updates selected territory to include only map layer objects that intersect with the selected set.
  • Remove from – Removes the selected set from a selected territory.

Editing Territories in MapBusinessOnline

The above selection processes can also be accomplished using a Search Tool polygon, freeform, or radius search tool to gather map layer objects. Once an area of ZIP codes is selected, the Popup Menu offers the option to Edit Territories. Proceed as noted above.

TIP: I use incremental ZIP code selection when editing small ZIP codes in challenging areas, like around a bend in the Mississippi River, where ZIP codes are small and numerous. Polygon search tool ZIP selection is more convenient for large fields of ZIP codes over vast areas. Then use incremental editing to fine-tune your work.

Editing a Territory’s Map Properties

To select a territory for color or name adjustments, select the Territory Label. MapBusinessOnline then presents a popup menu. Click the Properties button and proceed with edits to Fill or Territory Name.

Click the Label tab to append data to territory labels. Here you will also find tools to edit Font size, Bold, and Positioning. Label box controls are also here. Read more on Editing Labels using MapBusinessOnline.

There is a Territory Label control on the Data Window toolbar as well. With the Territories layer selected in Map and Data, click the Manage Regions button. Here, with the Territories dropdown layer selected, the map editor can delete selected territories or change names for multiple territories quickly.

Please note there is also a Merge Territory button on the Data Window toolbar. Select multiple territories to merge territories using this button.

Adjustments to the Map Look and Feel

Alternatively, a map editor can hover over the Territory Layer in Map and Data and click the Edit Map Layer Properties button to access map look and feel controls, including:

  • Borderline thickness and color controls.
  • Hide internal boundary control.
  • Fill Transparency controls.
  • Labels are also accessed from these editing controls. (See the Label tab.)
  • Intersection or Overlap Controls.

Experiment with these controls to find ways to enhance your business map.  Borderline, fill, and transparency controls can create a more pleasing map. Labels help explain your map’s meaning. Hide internal boundaries remove ZIP code boundaries, and focus the viewer on territory boundaries. Seek to keep things simple and clean.

Read more about map visualization optimization.

Addressing Overlap & Checking Your Work

Territory intersection or overlap is controlled in Edit Map Layer Properties and Map Options, both within Map and Data. Here the Territory Options tab allows the map editor to turn on overlap controls. Click Territory Options to Highlight territory intersections on the map and to adjust the color shade of the overlapping areas.

I usually highlight overlapping territories in bright red or black.  The apparent color shade alerts the map creator that an overlapping territory exists. Overlapping territories can then be fixed or addressed per company rules.

Even if your company doesn’t allow overlap (in general, territories are not created with overlap), it’s a good idea to turn it on to check your work. An overlapping territory will be oblivious and may indicate an incorrect territory assignment.

MapBusinessOnline provides an easy-to-use sales territory management tool. Editing those territories is easy and fast. Choose a territory management tool that suits your sales organization’s rules, workflows, and style. Consider MapBusinessOnline as your territory mapping solution.

_______________________________________________

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, Sales and marketing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment