Microsoft MapPoint 2013 is a powerful mapping program that can be used with CLIP to graphically display your properties on a map. It can also efficiently arrange your properties in the best driving order, dynamically change that route on a day to day basis, and print both a map and directions that match the route sheets for your crews. 

This article will go over steps to take in order for Microsoft MapPoint to work with CLIP.

To begin using Microsoft MapPoint with CLIP, install the program on the same computer that you have CLIP installed on. After the installation is complete from the disc, you do not need to keep the disc in the drive to run Microsoft MapPoint. In the examples below, we will be using Microsoft MapPoint 2013.

Contents

Click Files>Global Replacement>then Routing with MapPoint.

CLIP will warn you to make a backup when using this function - click here for more information on how to backup CLIP (https://app.intercom.io/a/apps/um1ikb9l/educate/articles/405590/show).

First, enter the routing sequence number. This will be a number that CLIP starts with on the first job on the route. Some companies find it convenient to start with 1000. "Space Out By" allows you to add numbers in between your jobs on the route, we recommend using 10.

Filter Options:

Only Active Customers will only use customers that have a status of "Active."

All Job Numbers allow you to change every job that has a number in your CLIP database.

Include Jobs On Hold? will include those job that have the "On Hold" status.

Crew # will allow you to select and filter the global replacement by crew in case you only have certain crews you want to change in your CLIP database.

Zone filter when selected will allow you to select certain customer's jobs that are setup in zones - for more information on zone scheduling click here.

Step 2 - Gather the Data

Click the "Generate List" button and you will see an alert if you have any empty address, city, state, zip codes, or lat/lon found.

Click "Yes." CLIP will now show you the list. That way you can go back into customer screen or file maintenance window to fix the records that are wrong.

If you decide to proceed and click "No", CLIP will remove addresses from the list so they will not be routed along with the other properties that have wrong information.

Once you are finished with the list and you are ready to proceed, click "Yes." Proceed to step 2b, "Rerouting with MapPoint."

Once you click "Re-Route with MapPoint", a window will open for you to enter the starting location.

If you wish to set end location the same as the start location, then check the option. Click "Generate Route."
After you click Generate Route, the process will take awhile. This process will take longer depending on how many customers you have in your customer database.

If a property is not found, CLIP will alert you and give you the chance to print a report of all addresses that did not match up when CLIP counted up properties to hand them off to MapPoint.

You can go back and correct them as necessary.

CLIP warns you when MapPoint is about to open. Remember, do not close MapPoint manually but come back to CLIP to finish.

Here you can optimize stops, take customer off of the list, or rearrange the list if needed.

Click "Yes" when you are finished with MapPoint. CLIP will close Microsoft MapPoint and bring you back to the generate route screen. Click "Return."

Under step 3b, you have two options and you can do either or both. 

"Replace in Jobs" will find the jobs that you have selected and replace the routing sequence with the new one that MapPoint generated. 

"Replace in Customer Defaults" will tell CLIP to replace the default settings with the new routing sequence when new customers or new jobs are added. This is important when adding jobs to new customers and depends on whether you copy defaults or use the pattern jobs settings.

Routing your jobs for each days work will be a daily task to perform. Click Daily Routines>Route Sheets>Print Route Sheets or click "Work Orders" from the main screen. From here, click the "Sort Options" drop-down menu and select "Manual/MapPoint."

Click the "MapPoint Routing" button.

Enter your starting point address and select the options you want:

Crew Number: Enter the crew number that you wish to reroute or print a map for.

Limit to the first: Enter a number if you want the map and routing to only effect the first number of jobs depending on the entry. This is useful when you have a lot more jobs that can be done in a day on a crew's route sheet. Simply enter a quantity of jobs that you feel the crew can accomplish and MapPoint will only map out those jobs.

Custom Map Title: If you want the map's title to be your own text, enter it here.

Show MapPoint: MapPoint will open to make adjustments once you generate route. Just remember to let CLIP close MapPoint once you are finished.

Optimize Map: By checking this option, MapPoint will optimize the route for you. If you do not check this option, the map will be generated much quicker but the route will be based on your routing sequence numbers. In most situations, customers will want to "Optimize Map."

Show Map: If you check this option, MapPoint will show you the map after it plots the course. Once MapPoint opens, you will have the opportunity to make adjustments and print if needed. Close out MapPoint when finished.

Map Type:

Map Only will only print out the map with the stops placed on the map. 

Directions Only will only print out the directions from your shop to each property and back again. 

Turn by Turn will print out each turn on the map with directions and a small map showing the directions to turn.

Any addresses that are not found in MapPoint will be presented in a report to print out. This report will explain why MapPoint was unable to find the addresses.

Click "Generate Route." The new suggested route will be displayed on the map. When you print route sheets they will now be in the new order.

The screen above is an example of a route being generated after using "Show Map."

Another option you can use to manually sort jobs on the route sheet is "Manually Order Rt. Sheets." Once you click the "Manually Order Rt. Sheets" button, click and drag the jobs up and down the list using the arrows on the left hand side.

Remember, this is only a temporary order. This will not change the routing sequence number permanently in the job.

                           Let us know if you need any further assistance!