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Hi, all!
Short and skinny: I make 10-20 sales calls (cold) per day. Three days per week I drop off literature. My prospects are saved to an Excel spreadsheet. I can re-format this spreadsheet however is needed.
What mapping software, under $500, is the best software for my laptop?
Needed features:
1. multiple waypoints/stops and optimized routing - the more the better.
2. upload waypoints from spreadsheet
3. GPS tracking functionality via laptop
Everything else, I don't care as long as it gets me from point A to B to C to D to E... and so on.
I appreciate your help and thank you in advance. This will be my first laptop GPS software.
EDIT: I live in the United States. Don't know if that is relevant....
Short and skinny: I make 10-20 sales calls (cold) per day. Three days per week I drop off literature. My prospects are saved to an Excel spreadsheet. I can re-format this spreadsheet however is needed.
What mapping software, under $500, is the best software for my laptop?
Needed features:
1. multiple waypoints/stops and optimized routing - the more the better.
2. upload waypoints from spreadsheet
3. GPS tracking functionality via laptop
Everything else, I don't care as long as it gets me from point A to B to C to D to E... and so on.
I appreciate your help and thank you in advance. This will be my first laptop GPS software.
EDIT: I live in the United States. Don't know if that is relevant....
A couple of options, depending upon how cheap you are and how well you would like the GPS program to integrate with Excel.
Microsoft Streets and Trips - really cheap ($35 or $65). Option to purchase a bundle that includes a USB GPS receiver or just the software only and use your own GPS receiver.
Pro: You can import waypoints from an Excel spreadsheet.
Con: You can't go the other direction.
Microsoft MapPoint - More expensive ($269). Software only. You have to supply your own GPS receiver (not necessarily a bad thing).
Pro: You can integrate Mappoint with MS Office very tightly, including using maps in Powerpoint and Excel charts. You can go both directions (import/export) with data in an Excel spreadsheet.
The reason I suggest that buying a seperate GPS receiver isn't such a bad thing is my bias about the best type of receiver to use with a laptop. I have two USB receivers and two Bluetooth (wireless) receivers. I much prefer the Bluetooth receivers because there is no restriction on where I place the receiver in relation to the laptop. I can place both in the optimum locations without any concern for a cable between them.
...ken...
Microsoft Streets and Trips - really cheap ($35 or $65). Option to purchase a bundle that includes a USB GPS receiver or just the software only and use your own GPS receiver.
Pro: You can import waypoints from an Excel spreadsheet.
Con: You can't go the other direction.
Microsoft MapPoint - More expensive ($269). Software only. You have to supply your own GPS receiver (not necessarily a bad thing).
Pro: You can integrate Mappoint with MS Office very tightly, including using maps in Powerpoint and Excel charts. You can go both directions (import/export) with data in an Excel spreadsheet.
The reason I suggest that buying a seperate GPS receiver isn't such a bad thing is my bias about the best type of receiver to use with a laptop. I have two USB receivers and two Bluetooth (wireless) receivers. I much prefer the Bluetooth receivers because there is no restriction on where I place the receiver in relation to the laptop. I can place both in the optimum locations without any concern for a cable between them.
...ken...
Hi PhilK, and welcome to the forums. As Ken suggests, I'd also try Streets and Trips first. See if it can do all that you need.