BALANCED TERRITORIES Add-In (beta)

The Balanced Territories Wizard provides you with an automated method of creating territories balanced by a specific demographic. To use the tool, you’ll need a map of the country or region that you’d like to create territories in and a demographic of your choice.

To install:*

  1. Download the file balanced-territories-wizard-addin.exe.
  2. Double click the executable to launch the installation.
  3. Confirm that you’d like to allow the installer to make changes to your PC and follow the instructions in the installation wizard.
  4. Once installed, the add-in can be launched by opening a Maptitude map and choosing Tools>GIS Developer's Kit>Add-Ins>Balanced Territories Wizard.

*NOTE: The Balanced Territories add-in works only with Maptitude 2024.

To Create Balanced Territories

  1. Open or create a map containing the area layer upon which you want to build the territories. If necessary create a selection set of the area to include in the territories (e.g., select all of the ZIP Codes in Connecticut if you want to build balanced territories for just the state of Connecticut). If you want to build the territories around specific locations, make sure the map contains a point layer of those seed locations.
  2. Choose Tools>GIS Developer's Kit>Add-Ins>Balanced Territories Wizard to open the Balanced Territories Wizard.
  3. Make changes to the map settings as follows:
    To do this... Do this...
    Choose the layer from which to make territories Choose a layer from the Geography Layer drop-down list
    Choose the records to include in the territories Choose All Features or a selection set from the Geography Set drop-down list
    Include islandsCheck the Include Islands box
  4. Click Next> and make choices of how many territories to create as follows:
    To do this... Do this...
    To use a point layer as seeds for the territoriesChoose From my existing layer and choose the layer and selection set to use from the drop-down lists.
    Create a specific number of territories with no seeds Choose By choosing the number of territories and enter the number of territories to create in the edit box.
  5. Click Next> and make changes as follows:
    To do this... Do this...
    Choose the balancing field Choose a field from the Field Name drop-down list.
    Set the balancing tolerance Enter a value or use the spinners to set the acceptable percent tolerance.
    Choose a field to use to name the partitions If you chose to use a Seed Layer, choose a field to use to name your territories
    Create a territory layer Check the Launch Territory Wizard box to create a territory layer that can be modified with the Territory Manager.
  6. Click Finish.
  7. Type a name for the new balanced territory layer and click Save.

    Maptitude creates the balanced territory area layer and adds it to the map. If you chose to launch the Territory Wizard, Maptitude displays it.
  8. In the Territory Wizard, verify that From my existing area layer is chosen and click Next>.
  9. Verify that the geography layer matches the layer used to build the balanced territories and click Next>.
  10. Add any fields that you want to track in the territory layer and click Finish.
Balanced Territories

Try it Yourself: Creating Balanced Territories

  1. From the Home Window, choose New Map of the United States and click OK.
  2. Highlight U.S. State, type CT in the Name box, and click Finish.
  3. Right-click on 5 Digit ZIP Code in the Display Manager, and choose Make Working Layer.
  4. Click Select by Condition button in the selection toolbar.
  5. Choose [State Abbrev] from the Field List drop-down list, choose = from the Operator List drop-down list, and type "CT" in the Enter a Condtion box to create the condition [State Abbrev] = "CT".
  6. Click OK to select all of the ZIP Codes in Connecticut.
  7. Choose Tools>GIS Developer's Kit>Add-Ins>Balanced Territories Wizard.
  8. Change the Geography Set to Selection (283) and click Next>.
  9. Choose the By choosing the number of territories option, enter 5 for the number of territories, and click Next>.
  10. Click the Field Name drop-down list, type 16+ to limit the list to fields with "16+" in their names, and choose [16+_In labor force].
  11. Click Finish.
  12. Name the layer CT Territories and click Save.
  13. Make sure From my existing area layer is checked and click Next>.
  14. Click Next> again.
  15. Click Add button and choose Add Geography Layer Fields.
  16. Enter 16 in the Filter box, choose [16+_In labor force] from the scroll list, and click OK.
  17. Click Finish.

Maptitude will create territories from the ZIP Codes in Connecticut, balanced to have roughly equal values of population currently in the Labor Force.