Maptive is mapping software that uses your spreadsheet data to create a Google map. However, it also offers several analytic and customization features that are useful for both business and personal use.
Chief among Maptive’s features is the Multi-Stop Route Planner. This feature lets you map out the most efficient route to get from one location to another, including multiple stops. In this way, you can figure out the best route to travel between multiple destinations easily. This is just one of the ways to use the Maptive route planner. Here are a few other things the route planner allows you to do.
The Maptive route planner makes it possible to:
- Discover the most efficient path between as many as 25 locations with up to 73 stops.
- Locate distances and find the projected travel time between locations.
- Determine the shortest route to get where you need to go.
- Modify the stop order of your route using the planner’s drag and drop function.
- Plan out several different direction options for different scenarios.
- Export your travel route as an Excel spreadsheet.
These features mean that you can ensure that when you travel for meetings when you plan your delivery route, or when you want to travel for vacation, your route is organized and optimized for efficiency.
Maptive’s Route Planner Optimizes Google Maps’ Functionality
Maptive’s multi-stop route planner works with Google Maps to provide you with a comprehensive map that is intuitive and customizable to your needs. However, Google Maps already offers a route planner, so you might be wondering why bother with Maptive?
Google Maps is great at planning travel from one location to another, and it even lets you enter multiple stops. However, it doesn’t have the same optimization capabilities as Maptive.
The Maptive route planner optimizes the functions of Google Maps. This means that it lets you compare different route options side-by-side and then select the most suitable route to your needs. For example, let’s say you have to make a series of deliveries. You would input all your delivery destinations into Maptive. You would then ask Maptive to create one or more routes to travel to all these locations. Maptive would then show you the possible route options, and you could choose the one that makes the most sense to you. For instance, you might analyze each route for fuel-efficiency or total travel time.
How to Use the Multi-Stop Route Planner
- Select a Starting Point
The default setting for this tool is your current location. However, you can also click on an existing map marker and select “Add to Route” or manually type in a location into the location window.
- Input All the Locations You Want to Visit
Select the location window and click on the plus (+) sign next to the text, “Add Additional Locations.” Next, write or copy and paste all the information for your destinations and or stops. You can also use the Lasso and Fill Location tools to add all of the locations in a given area to your route.
- Get Directions
After you’ve entered all your locations, you can view your route by clicking on the “Get Directions” button. Your first route option will then be displayed on your map.
- Optimize Your Route
Once your initial route has been plotted on your map, you have the option to view additional route options. To do this, begin by selecting the “Optimize Route” button. You will be presented with two options, “Add another directions instance” or “Replace existing directions.”
If you select “Add another directions instance,” you will get a different route option plotted on your map that you can compare to the first one to determine if one is better than the other.
If you select “Replace existing directions,” the route you initially plotted will be replaced with a different route. You can keep clicking this button until you find the route that suits you best.
Conclusion
Although Google Maps is often people’s first choice for planning their driving route,
Maptive’s multi-stop route planner is ideal for helping you find the most efficient route to get where you need to go. This is because Maptive offers the ability to view multiple ways to reach your destination so you can find the route that best suits your needs.
