MapPoint 2011 for North America was just released as of March 1, and we'd like to review here the features available for both 2010 and 2011 versions.  MapPoint is the Microsoft mapping software that works with our Excel add-in CDXZipStream, performing a variety functions within Excel such as driving distance and time calculations, route optimization, geocoding, map creation, and address verification.

The main difference between the 2011 and 2010 versions is the additional street update in 2011 – about 88,000 miles of roadways were added.  That represents about 2 percent of the approximately 4.8 million miles of roads in the US and Canada.  Particularly if you're using MapPoint for address verification or geocoding, the street update can be a significant factor in improving direct mail and customer outreach efforts.

If you're using an older, pre-2010 version of MapPoint, you may also want to consider upgrading to MapPoint 2010, which also includes updated street data over previous versions as well as some significant functional improvements.  For instance, MapPoint 2010 allows sharing of data with other mapping software or even portable GPS devices, by both importing and exporting gpx files.  It can also send location information to a mobile phone or GPS device.  MapPoint 2010 users can specify an easier-to-remember name for a route stop in lieu of an address, and can import more than 10,000 addresses into the software at one time, a limitation in other versions.  And best of all, pricing for the 2010 version is more than a few pennies cheaper than the 2011 version. 

MapPoint 2011 is currently available as a free trial from Microsoft, and you can directly compare it to the version you're now using – just specify that you want to keep your current version intact during the installation process.  And if you're ready to purchase either MapPoint 2010 or 2011, consider the excellent pricing available below from our partner site mp2kmag.com:

MapPoint 2010 Pricing

MapPoint 2011 Pricing

We would like to highlight here the availability of monthly and annual average unemployment data in the Premium and Premium ACS versions of CDXZipStream.  This data is updated every month and is provided by state, county, and CBSA (Core Based Statistical Area).  The source of the data is the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) of the Bureau of Labor Statistics; this data is issued approximately six weeks after the end of the month, so, for example, unemployment statistics for January are issued about mid-March.  When we update our premium databases, unemployment statistics are updated for CDXZipStream at the end of the month when the BLS data is issued.

The data we provide is not seasonally adjusted, since the BLS does not provide adjusted statistics for smaller geographies with smaller populations.    (National and state unemployment statistics that are announced in the media are seasonally adjusted to account for variations in holiday and summer hiring practices, for example.)  As a result, the unemployment statistics we provide are most useful when analyzing year-to-year (vs. month-to-month) variations.  All year-average data from the BLS, regardless of geography, are not seasonally adjusted.  

When BLS unemployment statistics are first issued, they are normally considered preliminary and are subject to changes and adjustments in the future, sometimes even several months later.  Therefore, in CDXZipStream, we also update historical data every month to reflect these potential changes.  If you are tracking unemployment changes over time, any data you've obtained in the past should be requested again from the CDXZipStream database, to ensure these changes are reflected in your worksheet.  

If you are interested in unemployment for a limited number of geographies, the BLS has an excellent on-line tool for tracking unemployment.  If you need to track unemployment for multiple states, counties, and or CBSA's, CDXZipStream is the tool of choice.

Here's a quick overview of the purchasing process for CDXZipStream.  It does vary somewhat depending upon if you purchase directly from the "Buy Now" link on the website or through the trial version; the differences between the two cases are also covered here:

1. Go through the secure check-out

You can check-out either directly from our "Buy Now" link on the left side of the CDXZipStream website, or if you've already installed the trial version, press the third button "License Information and Software Updates" on the CDXZipStream toolbar in Excel, and press "Buy Now" to initiate check-out.  (If you are using Excel 2007 the CDXZipStream toolbar is located under the "Add-Ins" menu.)  If you've started check-out from the trial version, your computer ID will be automatically included in the first check-out step, like this:

If you haven't installed the trial version yet and don't have a computer ID, no worries - you can complete the purchase and get one later in the next step.

Also, note that this ID is for the computer where the trial was installed; if you would like to use it on another computer, you can transfer it later (see our recent newsletter article on how to do this).

Once check-out is complete, you will receive a follow-up email with instructions on how to register the software and obtain any associated data files, as well your account username and password.  Please store account information in a safe place so you can use it in the future; for instance, to add additional keycodes, upgrade your product or purchase data updates. You can contact us at support@cdxtech.com if your account information is ever lost or misplaced. 

2. Register the software

Registration requires a product keycode.

If you purchased CDXZipStream through the trial version (and had a computer ID at check-out), you will be shown the product keycode on the website immediately after checkout.  It will also be included in the follow-up email.  From Microsoft Excel press the "License Information and Software Updates" button on the CDXZipStream toolbar, copy and paste the keycode into the keycode box at the bottom, and press OK: 

Registration is now complete  

If you purchased CDXZipStream directly through the website (and did NOT have a computer ID at check-out), then you must download and install the trial version using the link provided in the follow-up email.  When installation is complete, from Microsoft Excel press the "License Information and Software Updates" button on the CDXZipStream toolbar. (If you are using Excel 2007 the CDXZipStream toolbar is located under the "Add-Ins" menu.)  Press the "Buy Now" button followed by pressing "Generate KeyCode" and log into the website using your account information.

A web page allowing you to generate a keycode should appear with your computer ID automatically entered.  Then press "Next" to generate your keycode.

Copy the keycode and then press the "x" in the upper right corner to minimize the browser. Then paste the copied text in the "Keycode" section of the "CDXZipStream Purchase and Registration" box (shown above) and press "OK". Registration is now complete.

3. Download and install the data files

Data files containing zip code, demographic, or other data required for your particular version of CDXZipStream are available from your account on the CDX Technologies website.  Log into your account with the user name and password provided in the follow-up email, and press "Download Data Files".  Please download and install the listed files shown for your account.  If you purchased CDXZipStream through the trial version (and had a computer ID for check-out), you will also have the opportunity to download these files immediately after check-out.

We like to think of CDXZipStream as a Swiss-army knife for working with location-based data, be it zip codes, addresses, or latitude/longitude (geocode) points. Since it performs so many functions, ranging from retrieving the most up-to-date demographic data to optimizing driving routes, we've put together in our CDXZipStream links page a virtual supermarket of resources that helps our clients get the most out of the software.   Here's a quick review of some of our links:

"One-Click" CDXZipStream Templates

These are free, downloadable, pre-formatted Excel files that perform CDXZipStream functions with a single click of the mouse.  Just enter your address, zip code, or other data of interest, and click a command button to start the calculations.  We currently have templates designed for route optimization, geocoding and reverse geocoding, and for driving calculations such as driving distance, time, cost, and total trip duration.  These templates can also be used with the trial version of CDXZipstream, so they're especially well-suited for doing a quick and easy evaluation of whether CDXZipStream is right for you.  Client feedback has been extremely positive, and we will be adding new templates to cover all CDXZipStream functionality.

YouTube Videos

These are short, informative videos that show you how you can use CDXZipStream in a Microsoft Excel worksheet.  We've found that video instruction is extremely effective in helping our clients understand what CDXZipStream can do, and is a great way to get the word out when new functionality is added.  Consider subscribing to our YouTube channel if you would like to be notified when new videos are released.

Technical Articles

These include Microsoft Excel files showing concrete examples of how CDXZipStream can be used, our on-line help file, a video quick-start guide to CDXZipStream,  and a spreadsheet of all available demographic data fields and their descriptions.

Close-Up Articles

These are an informational series of articles highlighting how you can get and use address, zip code, and geocode data to help grow your business.  These provide a good introduction on how to leverage location-based information into improved efficiencies, more targeted marketing and identification of your customer base, and direct cost savings, using CDXZipStream.  Four areas are covered: customer demographics, route optimization, driving (such as driving distance, time, and cost) calculations, and geocoding.  

We also include links to our newletters, articles on Ezinearticles.com, PC Magazine, and Squidoo.com, as well as links to the many awards won by CDXZipStream.  So please feel free to check back frequently, as we continually update and add to this page as CDXZipStream grows.