Traveling Salesman Problem

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....

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...

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.