How to prepare data for importing or linking to a map (256260)

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• Make sure that at least one column of data (the same field in each record) contains location information, such as city, state, or ZIP Code information.
  
  When you map data in MapPoint or Streets & Trips, the program searches for a column of data that contains location information, and then, based on this location information, the program maps your data.
  
  For example, if one field contains the name of a county, and another field contains the average income of residents in each county, MapPoint or Streets & Trips first locates the column of county names (the location information), and then maps the average income of residents in each county to each county that is listed in the County column.
• Make sure that the data is entered in a consistent fashion.
  
  For example, if you import a set of addresses, make sure that the street address for each record is in the same field throughout the data set.
• Select or create relevant column headings for each field.
  
  The Link Data Wizard and the Import Data Wizard in MapPoint or Streets & Trips recognize certain standard column headings, such as Address1, City, Information, Total Sales, and ZIP Code. When you use a standard column heading, you ensure that MapPoint or Streets & Trips can identify your data correctly.
• Make sure that your address data is as complete as possible.
  
  For example, if you include the name of the state in the address information, MapPoint or Streets & Trips requires less time to map your data.
• Organize your data so that each field or column is designated as a discrete category of information, such as street address, city, ZIP/Postal Code, state/province, or country. Do not place more than one category of information into a single field.
  
  For example, do not include an entire address in a single field.
• If your data contains different types of location information, create a different data file for each type of location information, and then link or import the data from each data file to your MapPoint or Streets & Trips map.
  
  For example, if your data contains records with complete addresses and records with only ZIP Codes, create two separate data files, one file for complete addresses and the other for ZIP Codes. Then link or import the data from each data file to your MapPoint or Streets & Trips map.
• Use the "Information" column heading for a field in which you want the field's data to be displayed in either the information balloon of the record's corresponding pushpin, or in the shaded or sized circles that you may use to identify a point on the map.
• Use the "Name1" or the "Name2" column heading for a field in which you want the field's data to be displayed in either the gray area of the information balloon of the record's corresponding pushpin, or in the shaded or sized circles that you may use to identify a point on the map.
• If the data that you want to link or import to a MapPoint or Streets & Trips map contains the name of more than one country, make sure that the data includes a Country field or column.
• If you want to link or import data to a MapPoint or Streets & Trips map, your data must contain a field that serves as a "primary key."
  
  A primary key is database term for a field that uniquely identifies each record in a data set. The primary key makes it possible to
  identify and update a record, even if you change the name of the record. For data that you want to import or link to MapPoint 2001, the primary key can be a name, an address, or another category of information that serves as a unique identifier.
  
  If your data does not contain a primary key, add a field or a column to your data, and then enter a unique number in each field.
  
  
  To conveniently enter a primary key in a Microsoft Access database, create a field for this purpose, and then format the field as AutoNumber.
  
  To conveniently enter a primary key in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, select a column for this purpose, and then use the Autofill feature to automatically enter unique numbers in each cell in that column.
  
  Note Avoid five-digit primary keys, because MapPoint 2001 identifies five-digit numeric data as ZIP Codes.
• If your data file is a text (*.txt, *.csv, *.asc, or *.tab) file, use the TAB key, a semicolon, or a comma to separate each field in your data.
• When you import data from an Excel spreadsheet in which cells in a certain column are formatted as currency, you must format the entire column as currency.