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Maptitude Territory Mapping Software

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Best Sales Territory Mapping Software

The territory mapper can build custom sales territories

By Stewart Berry Updated June 21, 2023

Is your organization looking for sales territory mapping software and wondering which brand is the best? Are you tired of being deceived by “top 10” product reviews that don’t use real customer testimonials? If so, and you need help deciding which brand to buy (and which to avoid), keep reading. Below is the most comprehensive overview of the tools available, including rankings based on user reviews as well as my own market assessment of the top 25 territory applications.

Territory realignments face typical software project issues. 20% of such projects fail and over 52% face major challenges. Only 22% are successful.1 But you can limit issues by picking the right brand.

When you make the right choice the benefits of territory mapping are clear and have the potential to hugely improve your sales numbers, through:

  • Increased revenue: Organizations that invest in territory management technology see a 7% yearly increase in sales purely through territory redesign, as well as 14% higher sales objective achievement than the average business. (Source: Xactly)
  • Reduced turnover: Sales reps who are assigned to territories that are well-aligned with their skills and experience are more likely to stay with their company. A study by the Aberdeen Group found that companies with a well-defined territory management process had a 30% lower sales turnover rate than those without. (Source: Aberdeen Group)
  • Lower cost of sales: When sales reps can focus their efforts on the most profitable accounts, it can lead to a lower cost of sales. A study by the Gartner Group found that companies with a well-defined territory management process had a 15% lower cost of sales than those without. (Source: Gartner Group)
  • Improved efficiencies: Sales territory alignment mapping can help to improve the efficiency of your sales team by ensuring that they are spending their time in the most productive way possible. A study by the McKinsey Group found that companies with a well-defined territory management process were able to increase their sales productivity by 10%. (Source: McKinsey Group)
  • Greater intelligence: Sales territory alignment mapping can help you to gain a better understanding of your customers and your market. This information can be used to develop more effective sales strategies and to target your marketing efforts more precisely. (Source: Xactly)

In this guide, I reveal the most highly rated territory alignment applications. I also share what features users and researchers rate highest, so you know which apps to avoid. I use independent 3rd party review sites to allow you to pick the right product.

The Top 25 Territory Applications

In this article:

How I Found the Best Performing Territory Mapping Applications

To determine the most recommended territory applications, I analyzed data from consumers to get a true perspective.

Wherever possible, I used validated users of the GIS (geographic Information System) brands mentioned in this guide. Nothing speaks to this topic more clearly than people who own these brands and use them regularly.

I’ve taken time to analyze hundreds of reviews from sites like G2 and Capterra to provide a balanced view of what business users think. I link directly to these websites to allow you to compare the products yourself.

What Sales Territory Mapping Software Users Say

Territory mapping applications are a type of GIS (Geographical Information Software). Most reviews are for GIS and are not specific to territory mapping. This reduces the number of reviews available in this sub-category.

I identified two sites specifically covering this topic: SourceForge and SoftwareAdvice. They both allow sorting by average rating. The only brand featuring in the top 5 of both lists is Maptitude. Maptitude is ranked in first place on SourceForge. Only one other product, RealZips, was reviewed and had a single response.

What Mapping Software Users Say

More mapping software reviews are available when not limited to territory apps. Capterra and G2 are popular review sites. When sorting by highest rated, Maptitude is again in the top 5. Top-rated products appearing on multiple sites included:

G2 allows you to compare products side-by-side. I looked at the products for the top-ranking vendors. You can see that the ratings are quite close for the four offerings. However, Maptitude consistently has the highest scores for “Features.”

These competitors mention territory tools on their websites: Esri/ArcGIS/ArcMaps, Carto, and Maptitude. The next highest G2 ranked products that have territory functionality are: MapInfo Pro and QGIS.

SoftwareReviews takes a deep dive into how users feel about mapping brands. Each year they publish their Geographic Information Systems Emotional Footprint Awards. Hexagon GeoMedia and Maptitude received multiple best GIS (Geographic Information System) awards.

However, GeoMedia does not appear to have territory functionality. The reviews available did not mention territories. Also, searching on ‘hexagon geomedia "sales territories"’ returned no relevant results.

Maptitude was classified as a “Champion” according to the comprehensive online survey. SoftwareReviews' Net Emotional Footprint measures high-level user sentiment. It aggregates emotional ratings from 26 questions, creating an indicator of the overall user feeling toward a product. Maptitude received a Net Emotional Footprint of +80 and exceeded user expectations in being trustworthy. In general, GIS users were most satisfied with vendors providing remarkable service experiences.

Maptitude was also a 2022 SoftwareReviews Gold Medal Award winner, being recognized as an outstanding vendor in the technology marketplace as evaluated by users. Gold Medals are the capstone of an in-depth software evaluation report, and awarded using a proprietary, transparent methodology. This composite satisfaction score averages four different areas of evaluation: Net Emotional Footprint, Vendor Capabilities, Product Features, and Likeliness to Recommend.

Purchase Advice

Hierarchies

The Capterra buying guide makes one mention of territories. They note that “an enterprise or premium product that is priced higher may include additional features such as advanced market analysis tools, sales territory hierarchy, and advanced map sharing.”

You must check the software price for hierarchies if you want to map districts and sales regions.

Features

The Sales Management Association (SMA)2 conducted a survey on sales territory design. Based on the answers, it is advisable that the chosen application provide:

  1. Automated territory balancing to avoid manual territory creation errors
  2. Several balancing measures to ensure equitable territory design
  3. Balancing on territory size to prevent too large or too small territories
  4. Rebalancing of territories based on new data
  5. Import of data by territory
  6. Import of existing spreadsheet territory data
  7. Learning materials, human support teams, videos, webinars, and tutorials to ensure effective use
  8. Technology for the visualization of sales data and for travel/route optimization
  9. The different levels of geography used by the organization (e.g., postal/ZIP Codes, Census Tracts, Counties, States/Provinces)
  10. An easy-to-use interface so that periodic territory planning does not require retraining of staff

After-Purchase Advice

According to research3, mapping software failure has three causes. The mapping brand chosen can help avoid these pitfalls.

1. The Ability Factor

The application should minimize the learning of new skills. You should ask, does the territory tool:

Managing external data sources can cause project failure. At a minimum, diverse data tables should easily open. Ideally, most of the data required should be provided as part of the purchase.

2. The Effort Factor

The application should not be hard to use. You should ask, does the territory tool make it easy to:

  • Be accessed by your analysts?
  • Share results?
  • Onboard new analysts?

Problems accessing and using software can cause project failure. At a minimum the chosen territory design platform should allow online sharing. Ideally, most of the features required should be wizard driven to simplify the process.

3. The Support Factor

The application should not require unique IT support. Training should be minimal. You should ask, does the territory tool:

  • Require new IT support?
  • Have many non-standard elements?
  • Require specialized hardware?
  • Require training and are courses available/free?

Unusual technology requirements can cause project failure. At a minimum a Windows style interface should be provided. Ideally, single document management should be supported: GIS systems are notorious for complex file management issues4. Also, Cloud access to maps would allow operating system independence.

Territory Tools Must Haves

The range of features available in a districting app can be daunting and makes it hard to assess what is truly important. Here are some of the major items you need to have on your checklist.

A Setup Wizard

To get started quickly there should be a Setup Wizard for importing region, county, or postal data directly into a new territory layer. The typical steps supported should be to:

  1. Choose the territory fields in an input table (e.g., territories, districts, regions)
  2. Choose the area field in an input table, such as postal zones
  3. Seamlessly merge areas based on the territory codes
  4. Automatically compute the attributes of the new areas
  5. Create overlaps in as many places as required
  6. Effectively visualize coincident territories
  7. Display the map
Sales area mapping software can create overlapping territories

Sales area mapping software allows you to create overlapping territories. You can then visualize them with an "edge-based" color theme.

A Territory Manager

A Territory Manager helps you modify your alignments without having to learn a whole new interface. There should be a dedicated toolbar that allows you to:

  1. Balance your territories by any variable (e.g., population, number of customers, or sales volume).
  2. Use point-and-click and lasso tools to move features from one territory to another.
  3. For each territory, view demographic totals (such as high-income earning households by Postal/ZIP Code).
  4. For each territory, view a count of the number of combined zones and assigned reps.
  5. Manage territory overlap and hierarchies.
Sales territory mapping by ZIP Code showing balanced franchise territories created with Maptitude territory optimization software

Sales territory mapping by ZIP Code. Grouping ZIP Code territories balanced by sales, customers, population, or other values. Maptitude territory optimization software.

Automated Territory Creation Using Areas

Automatic territory creation tools simplify the territory building process by reducing the initial hands-on effort required. Territories can be balanced to have equal numbers of customers, sales, population, etc. Methods include:

  • Partitioning that organizes postal zones, counties, or other regions into territories. This method uses proximity or similarity to produce contiguous, compact, and balanced territories. Partitioning supports service territory alignment, sales and marketing, redistricting, and many other applications.
  • Clustering that organizes customers, facilities, or areas into groups. These groups are compact and can be serviced efficiently. Territories can be restricted to a certain size (e.g., the maximum population or customer count). Clustering is flexible and solves many problems such as sales force deployment.
Maptitude sales territory mapping software can automatically create balanced territories from groups of features

Territory mapping software should be able to automatically create balanced territories from groups of features

Maptitude territory planning software can cluster and organize features into compact groups

Territory planning software should automatically cluster and organize features into compact groups

Esat Angun

We use Maptitude extensively for running complex Territory Alignment scenarios. The depth of the product, its total utility and functionality is immense. Import-Export capability with Excel is seamless. It is easy to work with and Maptitude support is second to none. My complements to the Maptitude team: They have created a solid product and it is one of the best software investments we have made as an organization.”

  Esat Angun
Director - Sales Operations, Octapharma, USA

Automated Territory Creation Using Streets

An automized street-based territory tool provides advanced zone creation capabilities. Rather than abstract areas, the actual roads travelled are used to create alignments. Territories can be created around locations using the:

  • time it takes to travel along roads
  • distance travelled
  • facility weight (e.g., facility size, number of clients, or revenue)

Sales representatives can then visualize market assignments, market coverage, and lists of locations, all based on travels costs.

Map created with territory management software with territories around hospitals that are based on travel time to the nearest hospital

Territory management software includes a territory mapping tool for creating street-based territories. The map shows the shortest travel time zones to various hospitals.

Aaron Wesson

A wonderful territory mapping program and then some! Ease of moving territories, obtaining census data and plotting territories to that data. Beautiful interface and several ways to customize the product and exports. The ability to pull in my older MapPoint files and data was a huge plus! Great video tutorials that help you get started as well.”

 Aaron Wesson
Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology

National or International Territory Creation

Territories may cover multiple countries or even the entire world. If so, the product needs to be able to create international territory maps. Supported features must include the ability to select/lasso entire countries or sub-national geographies such as provinces or postal boundaries.

Territory mapping software should create territories from any level of geography within a country

Create territories from any level of geography within a country

Territories from countries in Europe and North Africa

Create territories from countries on a global scale

Territory Tools To Avoid

These tools can actually be perfectly reasonable for many applications. They are included in this section simply because they have characteristics that may hamper territory management over time. This may be especially true in comparison to methods that use geographic boundaries that neatly cover the whole country, such as counties or postal boundaries.

Circular rings (buffers) and drive-time zones can be used to define sales territories. Such “rings” can be hard to manage when they overlap  because it causes problems for managing reps and customers. Also, because they are not based on postal/ZIP Codes, it can be difficult to explain the territories to others. Circular rings are great analytical tools but are less useful for managing territories.

Another problematic territory method is areas of influence (Thiessen Polygons or a Voronoi Diagram). These are based on straight-line or “as the crow flies” distance. They automatically determine the closest area to each facility, but ignore barriers such as buildings and natural features. They create simple service areas that can show under or over-served locations, but they do not consider the locations that can actually be reached when driving or walking.

A third method is manual editing. These tools allow the user to create, add, move, or split areas by drawing boundary lines. It is also possible to add and edit areas by copy-pasting lines from features such as roads, railroads, or rivers. This method allows the most customization and flexibility. However, as with rings, they may be hard to share with others. They can also be time consuming to create and manage. Some franchise businesses use metes and bounds reports to describe the outer boundary of each territory.

Circular territories around store locations created with territory mapping software

Circular rings showing areas 2.5 and 5 miles around store locations

Map of Washington DC Metro stations and territories based on line distances created with territory mapping tool

Straight-line distance territory mapping tool identifies areas that are under or over-served with simplified territories.

Example: Franchise Territories

Providing fair and balanced "protected" territories is important. This is especially true in the franchise industry. Franchises must:

  • Maximize market potential while avoiding cannibalizing the sales of an existing location
  • Establish boundaries clearly to legally adhere to a sales or franchise agreement

Territory mapping software must track and balance unlimited territory characteristics. This supports establishing, justifying, and defending profitable territories.

CASE STUDY

CKE Restaurants How CKE Grew Their Business with Maptitude
CKE relies on Maptitude to simplify territory identification and allocation. This improves franchisee satisfaction by providing insightful market intelligence.
Sean Young

“Maptitude just works! We now build our franchise territories with ease. Our organization has benefited from our ability to strategically plan out prospective territories, gauge market penetration of our active franchise territories, and begin to identify what our top performing territories have in common.”

Sean Young
The Glass Guru

Example: Sales Territory Mapping Software

Maptitude territory software provides tools for creating territories for business mapping. Maptitude empowers sales teams with robust territory management software. Maptitude is a professional territory map creator. Extensive geographic and demographic data is included. This allows you to start creating territories immediately. Many other mapping and GIS software packages require you to buy data separately.

The Maptitude sales territory mapping tools provide easier ways to create new territory plans. This is important because effective territories mean higher sales. Maptitude achieves this by automatically creating fair and equitable territories for your salespeople.

Maptitude is a versatile territory planning solution. The software provides the sales tools and software tools that sales managers need.

Maptitude is the perfect alternative to:

Matt Ardoin

“We are able to do things with Maptitude that we had not dreamed of doing before (using MapPoint and Territory Mapper). There are so many possibilities, that you can easily create a mapping solution that perfectly meets the need of your business model.”

Matt Ardoin
Great Direct Concepts
Sales territory mapping ExcelSales territory mapping Google Maps

Sales territory mapping Excel/sales territory mapping Google Maps
 

Territory Mapping Software FAQ

What are sales territories?

Sales territories or market areas can consist of groups of postal zones, counties, or other regions that a business uses to manage a larger overall market. Businesses use sales territories to manage sales representatives. Fair and balanced sales territories help maximize revenue by providing equal sales opportunities to salespeople.

Map of territories created from Florida counties with company sales data attached to the territories and shown in a bar chart theme

Sales territory map software can map territories from smaller areas, such as states and provinces, with your data attached.

What is sales territory mapping software?

Sales territory mapping software is an application for visualizing, balancing, and analyzing sales territories using maps. Sales territory management can be complex, and the visual nature of maps simplifies the process. Sales territory mapping software allows you to share your territory alignments and to create graphics such as heat maps of revenue by salesperson.

You can use sales territory map software to create territories based on:

  • a table or Excel spreadsheet of data
  • the features in a map on which you interactively choose by clicking (e.g., postal areas)
  • a custom boundary line that you manually draw using map editing tools

It is also possible to create overlapping territories or territories based on streets. Your territories can be saved in many formats (e.g., Shapefile, Oracle Spatial, or SQL Server Spatial).

What are the benefits of sales territory mapping software?

The benefits of sales territory mapping software are being able to:

  • Manage your sales territories based on geography, demographics, revenue, or customer distribution
  • Group areas to create your own customer trade areas and territory assignments
  • Create overlapping territories
  • Build territories based on drive time, drive distance, or straight-line distances
  • Use intuitive territory design tools to create custom territory maps
  • Improve sales management using territories based on the latest data
  • Access many file types including Microsoft Excel and Google Map formats (KML, KMZ)

Top 10 statistics on why you should align your territories:

  1. Report an increase in sales of up to 16% (Source: Salesforce)
  2. Have an average of 11% higher customer retention rates (Source: Route4Me)
  3. Reduce administrative costs by up to 25% (Source: HubSpot)
  4. Improve customer service by up to 36% (Source: Marketo)
  5. See a reduction in travel costs of up to 28% (Source: Microsoft Dynamics)
  6. Reduce cycle time by up to 21% (Source: SAP)
  7. Reduce salesperson idle time by up to 20% (Source: Oracle)
  8. Increase sales team productivity by up to 14% (Source: Salesforce)
  9. Reduce customer onboarding time by up to 29% (Source: Gartner)
  10. Reduce fuel costs by up to 23% (Source: IBM)

Andy Zoltners“Companies we have worked with have estimated that poor alignment costs them between 2%-7% of sales. For many companies millions of dollars are being forfeited each year due to territory inequities.”

Andy Zoltners
“Sales Territory Alignment: An Overlooked Productivity Tool”
Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management

What is sales territory planning?

Sales territory planning is the process of defining, mapping, and assigning regions to salespeople to efficiently cover all sales prospects within a company's or organization's market. Equitably balancing opportunities between reps helps manage the logistics of serving territories, as well as providing a way to assess high performers and to analyze sales commissions. A territory map is one of the most essential components of a sales strategy and is the basis for effective planning.

What are territory mapping tools?

Territory mapping tools define the area boundaries used to manage a salesforce. Examples of territory mapping tools include:

  • Manual tools for interactively editing territory areas on a map
  • Point-and-click tools for choosing areas such as postal and ZIP Codes on a map
  • Automated tools where sales, customers, opportunities, or other sales data are automatically balanced between locations

What are manual territory mapping tools?

Manual territory mapping tools are often time intensive map-based methods for drawing sales areas. A planner or analyst can draw, trace, or pick lines on a map. Typically, existing areas such as postal or ZIP Codes are not used. Often, streets, natural features such as rivers, and other landmarks are used to define the territories.

What are point-and-click territory mapping tools?

Point-and-click territory mapping tools allow areas such as postal or ZIP Codes to be added to a sales territory by clicking on a map. Examples include being able to:

  • Click on areas
  • Drag a rectangle or circle around areas
  • Click a line that intersects with areas
  • Lasso areas

The rules for territory assignments can be defined, such as whether:

  • to let districts overlap
  • to allow the choosing of unassigned or empty areas
  • to allow the reassignment of areas

What are automated territory mapping tools?

Automated territory mapping tools build balanced territories using mathematical models. Existing territories and neighboring areas can also be automatically readjusted to have equal values. For example, building franchise territories tracks the population or target prospects living in each area so that each has the same total values. Often an acceptable threshold is used since it is very hard to have exactly equal numbers.

What is the best software for sales territory mapping?

Here is my list of the top 11 best software for sales territory mapping based on an analysis of real user reviews. Below I also conduct a full market analysis and provide the Caliper Rank for the top 25 territory applications.

  1. Maptitude
  2. Google Maps/Earth
  3. QGIS
  4. Esri/ArcGIS/ArcMaps
  5. Scribble Maps
  6. MapInfo Pro
  7. eSpatial
  8. Maptive
  9. Mapline
  10. Anaplan
  11. Spotio

The best sales territory mapping software is an application that meets the needs of the sales organization. The main differences between products for managing territories are:

  • desktop vs online
  • support for hierarchies
  • support for automated balancing

The best territory program provides a suite of tools that are designed to make it easy to create territories for businesses. A territory map maker should provide detailed geographic and demographic information that allows an analyst to start building territories immediately.

Sales territory planning and management software must provide:

  • A clear visual representation of sales distribution and sales data
  • Sales maps with territory overlays that show prospects and sales rep territories
  • An intuitive mapping process when analyzing territories for sales capacity planning
  • Plotting of pins for new sales reps
  • Minimal sales overlaps
  • Analysis of sales performance
  • Import of predictive insights and quota planning data
  • Accurate sales territory plans.

Maptitude sales territory mapping software provides you with a suite of tools that are designed to make it easy to create territories for businesses. Maptitude empowers sales teams with robust software for managing territories.

Unlike other mapping and GIS software that come with limited to no data, Maptitude is a territory map maker that provides detailed geographic and demographic information, allowing you to start building territories immediately.

How do you use a sales territory mapping software?

Sales territory mapping software is used to build territories. The main steps in the process are:

  1. Opening an Excel file that contains customer addresses, sales volume, and sales territory
  2. Using the Excel file to create a territory layer in the map
  3. Using territory tools to manually, interactively, or automatically edit and rebalance the territories
  4. Exporting the changes back to Excel

For completed territories, Excel reports list the ZIP Codes that comprise each territory as well as the customers, revenue, sales, opportunities, etc., in each market.

The following is a step-by-step guide for using sales territory mapping software. There is also a ”How do you use sales territory mapping software” video.

1

Use the “Create-a-Map Wizard” to create a geocoded point layer of your customers on a map.

2

Start the “Territory Wizard.” Use the geocoded point layer or the Excel file to create the territories. Balance the total customer sales in each territory. Choose other variables, e.g., population, number of households, or disposable income. Maptitude adds the territories to your customer map and opens the Territory Manager. The territories tab displays the territories list and the total sales. This is for all the customers located in each territory.

3

Some of the territories may have “holes” in them. Holes are often ZIP Codes that were not in your Excel file because there were no customers located there. To fix the holes, use the selection/lasso tools. These allow you to click on the holes in the territory to select the underlying ZIP Codes.

4

Adjust the territories so that the sales totals are more balanced. Track how the sales totals for the territories change. This happens as you move ZIP Codes from one territory to another.

5

The final task is to update the customers with their new territories.

  • Automatically compare each customer with the changed territory layer
  • Fill in a field with the name of the territory in which the customer is now located.
  • Export the territory demographics to Excel. For example:
    • Population
    • Estimated household income
    • Number of households
    • Income ranges
    • Age
    • Racial distribution
    • Housing data

The 25 Best Sales Territory Mapping Software for 2023

In addition to the customer review sites that were analyzed, I also compiled a comparative and comprehensive assessment of the market. Territory mapping software has become an invaluable tool for businesses. But with the sheer number of territory mapmaking platforms now available, it can be difficult to find the best one to suit your needs.

Each of these platforms provides unique capabilities, ranging from basic mapping to complex territory analysis and data visualization. However, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each application. Before deciding on which one to use, you should evaluate which features are offered, the pricing, and any advantages or disadvantages. The best sales territory mapping software also provides:

To help you make an informed choice, I’ve compiled a list of the top 25 free and paid territory tools for 2023, along with their positives and negatives. This breakdown of available software provides information to make sure you are selecting the right tool for your specific use case and can be used alongside the customer review assessment.

1. Maptitude

Maptitude

Territory mapping is a crucial aspect of sales management, offering numerous benefits. These include improved sales efficiency, optimized resource allocation, and enhanced customer targeting. Among the top 25 mapping applications for sales territory mapping, Maptitude stands out as the best choice. Maptitude is a complete package for sales, marketing, and business development professionals.

Maptitude provides a comprehensive suite of tools, data, and demographics designed specifically for sales territory mapping. Its powerful capabilities enable businesses to visualize and manage their sales districts with precision. Maptitude offers advanced optimization and visualization tools such as those for automatically balancing hierarchies (e.g., territories, districts, and regions) and for handling overlapping territories. These features empower users to identify opportunities and make data-driven decisions.

The maps created are attractive and professional. While you have an unlimited ability to customize the graphics and layers, the maps are immediately presentation ready, providing compelling stories based on your sales data.

With robust routing and territory alignment, Maptitude ensures efficient sales operations. Its user-friendly and wizard-driven interface further enhances usability, making it a top choice for businesses in need of a reliable sales territory mapping solution.

Interested in trying Maptitude? Maptitude offers a free, no risk, 1-month trial (no credit card required!), so you can start mapping now.

2. Google Maps

Google Maps

Google Maps, the widely used map service, can also be utilized for basic territory creation. On the plus side, it offers an intuitive interface and extensive geographic data. However, it lacks much of the sophistication found in dedicated sales territory mapping software. Instead, it provides a free and accessible option for businesses with the most basic mapping requirements. It also has an extensive API that other entries on this top 25 list leverage to support their competing online tools.

Functionality includes that for drawing lines and shapes, for example. You can save your work to Google My Maps and upload and download your files in the KML/KMZ file format. Not having the ability to track demographics as you manage your boundaries, coupled with simple map shading, may rule Google Maps out of consideration for many managers. If you outgrow Google Maps, Maptitude is a great option to upgrade to, allowing you to import your KML files directly into a new territory layer.

3. Google Earth

Google Earth

Google Earth, although primarily known as a virtual globe and aerial imagery platform, can also be utilized for basic territory mapping. KML/KMZ file support allows the import and export of data, and you can visualize your information in 3D and over satellite photos. The platform is also extensible via the Google Earth Engine API.

It offers an uncomplicated interface and access to extensive background data, allowing businesses to visualize territories in unusual ways. While it may serve as a starting point, businesses with more advanced needs may well be disappointed. Google Earth focuses on visualizing geographic data, and lacks common territory tools, which can limit meaningful insights. If you hit the limits of Google Earth, consider importing your KML files directly into Maptitude territories using a step-by-step wizard.

4. Mapbox

Mapbox

Mapbox is a platform that provides a range of tools and APIs for developers to build custom applications, including sales territory mapping solutions. It is programmatic and scalable for businesses with more specialized requirements. There are various plugins and datasets available such as Boundaries, that you can build your custom tools on using the GeoJSON file format.

There are many MapBox powered services that you can partner with. But the learning curve for programmatically utilizing Mapbox yourself may be steep for some users, while there are additional costs involved in contracting with third parties to do the development work for you.

5. Esri ArcGIS

ArcGIS

Esri is a large company that offers a suite of tools for sales territory mapping. Esri ArcGIS provides advanced spatial analysis and allows users to create and manage territories, perform complex analyses, and visualize sales data. ArcGIS is a complete geographical information system (GIS), with additional paid add-ons for those wishing to perform business analysis. The tools range from those for environmental analysis, utilities, and 3D landscapes, to those for network planning and creation.

The Esri ecosystem is deep and wide, providing something for everyone. But the platform's licensing costs, and complexity, may be a barrier for businesses without a dedicated geo-team, or for those with limited geo-technical resources.

6. Mapline

Mapline

Mapline offers basic sales territory mapping. It allows users to import and visualize tabular data, create territories, and perform basic analysis. The software supports a variety of political and postal boundaries as building blocks for sales regions.

Mapline is a user-friendly option suitable for simple needs, supporting filtering by color, heat maps, and other standard ways to present data. Pricing has historically been about average for the market but is now only available as part of the sales process. 

7. RealZips

RealZips

RealZips integrates with Salesforce, providing territory mapping within the CRM system. It offers tools for creating, visualizing, and managing territories based on a Google Maps background. RealZips allows businesses to manage and align territories within Salesforce, enhancing sales productivity and performance. There are various add-ons and demographic data products that are available.

While a useful Salesforce plugin that utilizes the attractive Google Maps UI, the software is limited primarily to Salesforce users, excluding businesses that use other CRM platforms. In addition, visual territory management appears limited to push-pin locations, rather than actual boundary maps, with templates for territories being sold at additional, and not insignificant, cost via RealDatasets.

8. eSpatial

eSpatial

eSpatial offers robust sales territory mapping, but at a notably higher price point than most other offerings. It provides an online interface and a range of tools for creating and managing territories, including hierarchies. eSpatial allows users to import and analyze location data, visualize sales territories, and optimize routes for efficient sales operations. It also offers reporting and analytics, enabling insights into sales performance and growth opportunities.

Unlike a product such as Maptitude, eSpatial offers functionality add-ons at additional cost, rather than providing a single integrated package. The functionality to support complex territory management is hard to make seamless and flexible in a web interface, where smooth navigation and workflow are important.

9. MapBusinessOnline

MapBusinessOnline

MapBusinessOnline offers tools for creating and managing territories, allowing users to assign sales territories based on various criteria. MapBusinessOnline also provides demographic data overlays, helping businesses gain an understanding of their target markets. It includes Esri map background tiles.

Simplicity is the focus of the software, but as a result it may lack options found in more robust applications and is limited to 3-tier territory hierarchies. However, it can still be useful for applications ranging from ZIP Code visualizations to sharing maps.

10. Spotio

Spotio

Spotio offers functions tailored specifically to field sales teams. It provides an interface that enables users to create and manage territories and push-pin customers. Spotio allows for real-time tracking of sales reps' locations and activities, providing insights into sales performance. The platform also integrates with CRM systems, streamlining data management.

The application may have a less extensive and simpler territory toolkit than other systems. The free-form approach to territory hierarchies may be overwhelming for users, lacking a clear-cut approach to the territory-district-region structure. Pushpin handling and responsiveness, especially when out in the field, have been pain-points for customers. But overall users appear happy with the ability to track and record sales leads and visits.

11. Scribble Maps

Scribble Maps

Scribble Maps allows users to draw and visualize territories on Google Maps. Scribble Maps is another simple and cost-effective option for those with specific needs, here being the ability to freehand draw on a map and share the results.

The clear and flexible nature of the offering, which are its bestselling points, means that data analysis and optimization are limited.

12. Alignmix

Alignmix

Unlike other applications that have limited support for alignments, or that integrate such features as part of a larger toolkit, Alignmix is designed specifically for sales territory management. It offers a range of features for visualizing, balancing, and optimizing sales territories. Alignmix allows users to import and analyze location data, create custom territories, and perform advanced analyses. Alignmix helps businesses optimize their sales territories but appears to only support 3 hierarchy levels and has limits on the number of territories that can be optimized.

Worthy of note is that the application is pricey versus the market. In addition, territories don’t exist in isolation. Most companies require additional features to better understand how to manage their sales reps and manager distributions, such as routing tools.

13. Xactly AlignStar

Xactly Alignstar

Xactly AlignStar focuses on providing territory management and alignment solutions for businesses. It supports creating, visualizing, and optimizing sales territories. Xactly AlignStar allows users to assign territories based on predefined rules and criteria, ensuring fairness and efficiency. The platform also provides analytics and reporting tools, enabling businesses to track sales performance.

This is a strong product offering and if there are any down sides to it, customer reviews point to an aging interface design, a steep learning curve, and a high cost for the enterprise edition that is required when plotting more than 50 territories.

14. Maptive

Maptive

Maptive provides a basic interface and standard features for creating and managing territories. Maptive allows users to import location data, draw freehand territories, and create territories from groups of boundaries. While it may not offer the same level of professional functionality as other mapping applications, Maptive is a great option for businesses with simpler territory mapping needs.

Analytical tools may be limited when compared to more specialized territory applications, seemingly lacking the ability to create hierarchies such as the territory-district-region relationship. Pricing is on the higher end of the scale, especially for small teams.

15. Geopointe

Geopointe

Geopointe integrates with Salesforce, providing territory mapping within the CRM system. It offers tools for managing territories integrated with Salesforce objects. The Salesforce integration necessitates familiarity with the operation and structure of the CRM, while the mapping side can be seen as simplistic when compared to other professional territory tools.

Geographic areas can be interactively selected or identified from lists “copy and pasted” into the tool. Geopointe supports users who need to analyze location data, optimize routes, and track sales performance within Salesforce. Pricing is tiered, with limits on the base package such as the number of territories that can be created.

16. MapInfo Pro

MapInfo Pro

MapInfo Pro is a venerable desktop mapping application, with its current parent company being Precisely. It has a territory toolkit under the unusual title of “redistricting”, a term normally reserved for pollical boundary management in the USA. MapInfo supports tools such as Voronoi diagrams and balancing of districts based on variables such as sales value.

MapInfo Pro is a powerful option for businesses with advanced mapping needs. MapInfo provides for importing and analyzing location data and performing complex spatial analyses. The software may have a steeper learning curve and require more technical expertise than other products that have explicit tools for sales management.

17. Carto

Carto

Carto is a mapping platform that offers a range of tools for spatial analysis and data visualization. It provides an API for creating, managing, and analyzing territories, and can be set up with dashboard style interfaces. There is a nice library of various plugins for specific tasks and for operations such as linking to a particular CRM.

Carto's scalability makes it suitable for businesses with the technical expertise and technology stack to deploy it. The platform's technical requirements can be relatively high, making it less accessible for some organizations, especially those without programming skills.

18. QGIS

QGIS

QGIS (Quantum GIS) is an open-source desktop software that offers spatial analysis, including area mapping. It provides tools for working with polygonal vector layers and features. It is first and foremost a geographical information system (GIS). QGIS is a cost-effective option suitable for businesses with advanced GIS and geospatial data technical capabilities. While free, and with extensive capabilities, the additional costs incurred to repurpose the product for commercial needs should be considered.

The software's interface may be harder to use than those of commercial products and initial data collection and startup time is likely to be longer than out-of-the-box or online solutions. There are open source and commercial plugins for QGIS that support various aspects of the boundary alignment process, with varying levels of support and complexity.

19. Anaplan

Anaplan

Anaplan is first and foremost a sales performance management application. A map view does not appear to be the primary element in how Anaplan manages territories. However, it has a variety of apps that add functionality to the platform, providing dynamic territory modeling and advanced analytics, as well as scenario “what if” simulation.

There may be a high learning curve due to the platform's sophistication and potential challenges in the lack of an intuitive map driven interface.

20. GeoMetrx

GeoMetrx

GeoMetrx focuses on providing sales and franchise territory mapping solutions. It emphasizes online ZIP Code mapping and reporting of demographics for the USA. GeoMetrx provides census and market reports, enabling businesses to gain insights into their target markets.

The organization appears to be a geospatial consulting group, that partners with others such as MapBusinessOnline to provide their mapping platform.

21. Yellowfin

Yellowfin

Yellowfin is a business intelligence (BI) platform that also offers mapping. It provides tools for a wide variety of BI operations including analyzing sales performance. With its integrated reporting and analytics, Yellowfin allows businesses to gain insights into their operations and make data-driven decisions.

The software does not explicitly focus on mapping, rather featuring it as an additional tool in a larger toolset. Yellowfin version 7.1 touted new location analytics functionality, and they currently emphasize Yellowfin’s own built-in mapping capability and the ability to use Google Maps API as part of a broader data visualization feature set.

22. ZeeMaps

ZeeMaps

ZeeMaps allows users to create territories by drawing shapes on the map or by grouping highlighted regions. It is another entry level application that uses Google Maps as the map background. You can import point location data from a variety of formats including Excel, Google Spreadsheets, KMZ, and CSV. You can also perform basic analyses such as route planning and data aggregations.

The software's features and settings are a good fit for organizations that are leveraging sales territory tools in basic ways. Because of this, the toolset is more limited than in more substantial mapping applications.

23. Badger Maps

Badger Maps

Badger Maps is a mobile mapping and routing application specifically designed for field sales teams. It provides tools for visualizing and optimizing sales, managing routes, and tracking customer visits, and offers integration with CRM systems.

Apart from issues related to some users finding that the mobile application's performance and reliability can vary depending on network connectivity, the tool does not appear to have any explicit territory boundary mapping capabilities. The functionality appears to be focused on push-pin mapping and routing related tasks and, so while a good product, its rank reflects this.

24. BatchGeo

BatchGeo

BatchGeo is a web application for importing location data and creating sales maps. It is highly focused on pin-mapping (or "geocoding") of lists of locations or addresses. It offers simple analysis tools and charting and does not have explicit territory tools. In fact, it does not appear to support boundary mapping of customer data at all. BatchGeo is a straightforward choice for low-level and point-based mapping. The maps and navigation buttons are reassuringly familiar, being based on Google Maps.

25. Mapme

Mapme

Mapme enables users to create and share custom maps. It offers an intuitive interface and storytelling features, coupled with the ability to add sophisticated items such as 3D buildings. Territory visualizations appear to be possible using Mapme, although they do not seem to be a major focus for its clients.

The software's functionality is minimal for data-driven sales management. Limited numbers of point locations that can be mapped and there is a focus on styles rather than information. The graphics and presentation are professional and attractive, but the price is actually on the higher side.

Maptitude is the Best Overall Sales Mapping Software

As shown in the rankings above, Maptitude is the perfect choice for businesses seeking to generate impactful maps that can boost their bottom line.

There are many advantages to using Maptitude to align your territories, whether for business development and management in healthcare, banking, retail, franchising, field sales, marketing, or for any other geographic-based analysis.

Maptitude lowers the burden required for territory optimization and for managing ongoing territory alignments. While many factors go into a territory plan business model, Maptitude ensures that you maximize use of your time and are easily able to explain your findings to others.

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See also: Sales Mapping Software

Sources:
1 Albrecht, Jochen. "GIS Project Management." (2018). (Date accessed: Dec. 6, 2022)
2 “SMA Research Findings: 10 Important Territory Planning Statistics.” n.d. Xactly. Accessed December 13, 2022. https://www.xactlycorp.com/blog/sma-research-findings-territory-planning-statistics.
3 Birks, David F., Syed Nasirin, and S. H. M. Zailani. "Factors influencing GIS project implementation failure in the UK retailing industry." International Journal of Information Management 23, no. 1 (2003): 73-82. (Date accessed: Dec. 6, 2022)
4 Gimond, Manuel. n.d. Chapter 3 GIS Data Management | Intro to GIS and Spatial Analysis. Mgimond.github.io. https://mgimond.github.io/Spatial/gis-data-management.html.

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