Create territories by ZIP code from file

This article demonstrates how to build ZIP code sales territories from a file with existing territory assignments.
Related article: Create territories by county or state from file.
Related article: Design sales territories by ZIP code.

In Map Business Online you can create sales territories by various alignment layers including ZIP codes, counties, states, Census tracts and MSA. If you don’t have existing territories defined for your sales force then start from scratch as described in the following article: Design sales territories by ZIP code. In many cases though our users have existing set of territories they want to visualize and then improve and optimize. That’s what we will demonstrate in this article.

1. Write down existing territory assignments in an Excel or comma/tab delimited file. The file shall map ZIP codes to sales territories – the content similar to one you can see on the picture below.

2. Now you are ready to import territories. Run Map Business Online.

3. Let’s decide whether territories are allowed to intersect. If you want to keep your territories disjoint then do the following:
   1. Open ‘Manage map and data’ dialog. Click gear icon at the top of main toolbar to open the dialog.
   2. Select ‘Territory options’ tab in ‘Manage map and data’ dialog.
   3. Uncheck ‘Allow territories to intersect’ box.

4. To start building territories from the file you’ve prepared, click ‘Create territories’ icon on the main toolbar. That will start ‘Create territories’ wizard.

5. On the first page choose ‘Create territories from dataset’ option (just click it).

6. The next page provides territory assignment file examples, help and video references. Just skip it by clicking ‘Next to plotting data’ button.

7. On ‘Select data’ page select ‘From file’ tab and choose the file that you’ve created with territory assignments. Click Browse button to locate the file. Hit Next button when ready. You can instead hit Plot button that will do all the magic, but we want to show every step of ‘Create territories’ wizard in this article.
   
   Map Business Online will start uploading the file selected.

8. Select worksheet or range to plot data from. This page appears only if you have more than one data range or worksheet in selected Excel file. Click Next button.

9. On the next page choose the column that contains ZIP codes. Make sure that other columns stay unselected: select <None> in all other boxes. Usually Map Business Online automatically makes correct choices for you, just double check them. The callout on the right shall state that locations will be plotted by ZIP.
   
   Check the box on the page instructing Map Business Online to skip any ZIP codes that have no corresponding boundaries.
   
   Click Next button.

10. Map Business Online will start plotting ZIP codes on map. That may take some time depending on number of ZIP codes you have. Once plotting is finished following page will popup with results. If not all ZIP codes are plotted you may want to check ZIP codes column in your Excel file for errors.
    
    Click ‘Next to creating territories’ button.

11. On the following page select column containing territory names. Normally Map Business Online makes right selection automatically.
    
    Check that territories will be created by ZIP code. If ZIP codes option is not selected automatically then you must have selected wrong columns on step 7 above.
    
    Click ‘Create territories’ button.

12. Creating territories may take some time. When territories are created you will see following page with summary of results.
    
    Click Done button to finish ‘Create territories’ wizard to see territories on map.

13. You may want to zoom or pan map to see your territories. See this article on how to navigate around map: Zoom & pan map.
    
    You can also move territory callouts for better view.

14. Following help articles may be useful when designing territories:
    • Change territory color, transparency & outline
    • Hide geographies that are not part of any territory
    • Rename territory & edit notes
    • Delete territory

15. This article explains how to show total sales or demographic data value in territory label: Customize territory labels.