Mapping addresses

It is commonly asked “..can you map our existing list of customers..”? The answer is usually yes. We have the capacity to process your database table or spreadsheet and add geographic coordinates to each, which then allows us to render your records in geographic space, similar to examples on our Postcode Maps page, or like the “pins” you have probably seen marking attractions or businesses in Google Earth. If your own data has additional columns, for example sales figures, or customer service schedules, additional value can be leveraged from the processed records, such as this example relating to a manufacturers agent prioritising visits to clients. To perform this task your table must include a valid street address for each record. While the technology we deploy for this is highly sophisticated, experience shows that a typical address table will return coordinates for about 80% of the records on a first pass. Most address data is captured “free-form”, which means it is not validated against a central database of valid addresses, consequently typos and other data entry errors tend to creep in and accumulate unnoticed. While we are happy to process your data “as is” (we can return to you a copy of failed records along with successful ones, if required), it is sometimes opportune to spend a little time standardising and cleaning up your data beforehand. We have created a “template” which lays out how an “ideal” table appears for this process. As well as a suggested structure of columns, it has detailed comments on the most common “errors” found in address lists and suggestions on how to edit such records to maximise the chance of returning accurate locations. You can purchase a copy of the Mapmakers Ideal Address Format IAF_001 for $90 + GST, it could save you heaps! We also make a bare-bones version available for download, free of charge.