Mapping Customers

You can create maps in ENVISION that project the general distribution of your customers. The mapping functionality allows you to add layers and customize your outputs. Some distinct features include, adding variables and areas to customer maps to further understand where your customers reside, and the best ways to reach them.

Follow the steps outlined below to create these Customer Maps:

Creating Maps Using Standard Geographies (Choropleth & Graduated Circle maps)
Creating Maps Using Trade Areas (Choropleth & Graduated Circle maps)
Creating Maps Using Coordinates (Heatmaps)

Inputs Required:


Creating Maps Using Standard Geographies

1. In the side panel, click Mapping.

Mapping in side panel menu

Please wait for the mapping interface to load before proceeding. 

2. Navigate to the ribbon on the top-left corner and select Add Layer > Customer > Standard Geography.

Standard geography from add layer menu

3. Select a customer file from the drop-down list.

Select a customer file

4. Choose how the customer file should be represented on the map by clicking the checkbox next to it.

Customer file settings

5. Once you have made your selection, click Next.

6. Select an Area(s) of interest. Alternatively, you can search for a specific area using the search bar.

If you are a Spectra client, you have the option to select one of your licensed areas by clicking the System Areas tab. If you do not have enough or would like to create other Trade Areas, click Create New Area(s), which will lead you to a window where you can create Trade Areas using the Draw, Distance, Drivetime, Customer-Based, or Geography tools. Follow the steps in the Creating Custom Areas Using a Map article for more guidance.

Select a trade area

7. Once you have made your selection, click Next

8. The Settings tab allows you to adjust the Map Type and Geography Level.

  • The Map Type can be either:
    • Value, which will create a thematic based on the count of the customers
    • % Penetration, which will create a thematic based on the penetration of the customers in the specified geography

Select map type and geography level

Please see Canadian Geography or USA Geography for more information on geographic extents.

9. Click Create Layer.

10. The Style tab allows you to adjust the Method, Class, Color Gradient, Outline Width, Outline Color and Symbol Size.

Map style settings

Read more about the Mapping classification methods.

11. You have the option to create a Choropleth or Graduated Circles map. 

Choropleth and graduated circles toggle

Choropleth Map: A visual representation of geographic areas with high/low concentrations of your variable of interest (Map Count or Map % Penetration). Choropleth maps use different shading and colors based on quantitative data. The data is then classified using one of the classification methods available (Ex. Natural Break).

Choropleth map

Graduated Circle Map: A visual representation of the concentration of your variable of interest, along with the ability to overlay graduated circles representing variable density. Graduated circles scale the size of the circle proportionally to the quantity or value at that location. If it is a polygon, then it is most likely the centroid for that geography.

Graduated circle map

12. Click any of the colored squares (Choropleth) or circles (Graduated Circles) to adjust the category style and range. 

Choropleth Map

Choropleth settings

Graduated Circles Map

Graduated circles settings

13. Toggling from breaks to labels allows you to change the threshold and names of the ranges, which will be reflected in the legend.

Breaks and labels toggle

Once you have made your stylistic edits, click Update Style

Update style button

14. Close the editor by clicking 'x'.

Close the editor

15. The Content pane loads, allowing you to see your map layers. 

Content pane

Each layer is driven by a workflow. You can rearrange layers by dragging them up and down, projecting the layers onto your map accordingly. 

Rearrange layers on the map

You can add additional layers to your maps, such as variables and segments.

16. Navigate to the Save Map tab and add a Title and Subtitle. Once complete, click Save. All saved maps are accessible through the Open Map tab.

Configure title and subtitle and save map

17. You can also export your map using the Print tab, which also provides further customization options.

Print settings


Creating Maps Using Trade Areas

1. In the side panel, click Mapping.

Mapping in side panel menu

Please wait for the mapping interface to load before proceeding. 

2. Navigate to the ribbon on the top-left corner and select Add Layer > Customer > My Trade Areas .

Trade areas from add layer menu

3. Select a customer file from the drop-down list.

Select customer file

4. Choose how the customer file should be represented on the map by clicking the checkbox next to it.

Customer file settings

5. Once you have made your selection, click Next.

Next button

6. Select an Area of interest. Alternatively, you can search for a specific area using the search bar. You must select at least three Trade Areas for your map.

Select area of interest

Note: If you do not have enough or would like to create other Trade Areas, click Create New Area(s), which will lead you to a window where you can create Trade Areas using the Draw, Distance, Drivetime, Customer-Based, or Geography tools. Follow the steps in the Creating Custom Areas Using a Map article for more guidance.

7. Once you have made your selection, click Next.

8. The Settings tab allows you to adjust the Map Type.

  • The Map Type can be either:
    • Value, which will create a thematic based on the count of the customers
    • % Penetration, which will create a thematic based on the penetration of the customers in the specified geography

Map type settings

9. Click Create Layer.

10. The Style tab allows you to adjust the Method, Class, Color Gradient, Outline Width, Outline Color and Symbol Size.

Map style settings

Read more about the Mapping classification methods.

11. You have the option to create a Choropleth or Graduated Circles map. 

Choropleth and graduated circles toggle

Choropleth Map: A visual representation of geographic areas with high/low concentrations of your variable of interest (Map Count or Map % Penetration). Choropleth maps use different shading and colors based on quantitative data. The data is then classified using one of the classification methods available (Ex. Natural Break).

Choropleth map

Graduated Circle Map:A visual representation of the concentration of your variable of interest, along with the ability to overlay graduated circles representing variable density. Graduated circles scale the size of the circle proportionally to the quantity or value at that location. If it is a polygon, then it is most likely the centroid for that geography.

Graduated circles map

12. Click any of the colored squares (Choropleth) or circles (Graduated Circles) to adjust the category style and range. 

Choropleth Map

Choropleth settings

Graduated Circles Map

Graduated circles settings

13. Toggling from breaks to labels allows you to change the threshold and names of the ranges, which will be reflected in the legend.

Breaks and labels toggle

14. Once you have made your stylistic edits, click Update Style

Update style button

15. Close the editor by clicking 'x'.

Close the editor

16. The Content pane loads, allowing you to see your map layers. 

Content pane

Each layer is driven by a workflow. You can rearrange layers by dragging them up and down, projecting the layers onto your map accordingly. 

Rearrange layers on map

17. You can add additional layers to your maps, such as variables and segments.

18. Navigate to the Save Map tab and add a Title and Subtitle. Once complete, click Save. All saved maps are accessible through the Open Map tab.

Configure title and subtitle and save map

19. You can export your map using the Print tab, which also provides further customization options.

Print settings


Creating Maps Using Coordinates

1. In the side panel, click Mapping.

Mapping in side panel menu

Please wait for the mapping interface to load before proceeding. 

2. Navigate to the ribbon on the top-left corner and select Add Layer > Customer > Coordinates .

Coordinates from add layer menu

3. Select a customer file that you'd like to use by clicking the checkbox next to it. Alternatively, you can search for a specific customer file using the search bar.

Select customer file

4. Your customer coordinates will project on the map. Please wait for the mapping interface to load before proceeding. 

5. Navigate to the Content tab.

Content tab

6. Click your new layer (the red dot in the image below). 

Click new layer

7. In the Style tab, use the drop-down under Renderer Type and select Simple or Heatmap

Select renderer type

Simple (Dot) Map: A map type that represents unclassified data of your customers. Quantitative values for one or more fields are represented as a collection of point symbols (typically solid circles or dots) in each polygon. Each dot represents a constant number of customers. Simple (Dot) maps help answer questions about your data, such as: How do quantities of customers compare geographically?

Simple map

Heatmap: A map type that displays customer density and the overall geographic concentration of your customers. Heatmaps help answer questions about your data, such as: How do concentrations of customers compare geographically?

Heat map

Note: Heatmaps should be used directionally, and as more of a visual aid than an accurate way to show point density. They are best used in conjunction with another visualizations or map layers. 

8. Adjust the Color Gradient, Blur Radius and Min/Max Values to suit your preferences.

Map style settings

Note: Zooming in and out will also change the heat map rendering, as the density will be recalculated each time the maps extent changes. Heat maps use a dynamic method, which is specifically useful for viewing the distribution of data within a particular area.

Low Blur Radius

High Blur Radius

9. Click Update Style once you have made your edit. 

Update style button

The map draws, shading select levels of geography based on the number of customers found within each boundary.

You can add additional layers to your maps, such as variables and segments.

10. Navigate to the Save Map tab and add a Title and Description. Once complete, click Save. All saved maps are accessible through the Open Map tab.

Configure details and save map

11. You can export your map using the Print tab, which also provides further customization options.

Print settings

For more information about mapping functionalities, please see The Mapping Toolbar and Mapping Glossary