XL: How to Display Postal Code Centers in Microsoft Map

ID: Q192609

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, you can use Microsoft Map (Microsoft Data Map in Microsoft Excel 7.0) to display postal code centers on inserted maps for the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom.

MORE INFORMATION

Postal Code Formats

Microsoft Map can evaluate postal code data for the following three nations: United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The valid postal code formats for each nation are as follows.

United States:

   Postal codes must be five digits and formatted in the five-digit ZIP
   Code format to be considered as valid geographic data. To format a
   range as valid ZIP Codes, select the range, click Cells on the
   Format menu. Under Category, click Special, and then under Type, click
   Zip Code.

Canada:

   On a map of Canada, the postal code feature is called the Forward
   Sortation Area. The Forward Sortation Area consists of the first three
   characters of the Canadian postal code. Microsoft Map can only accept
   the Forward Sortation Area part of the Canadian postal code as valid
   geographic data.

United Kingdom:

   On a map of the United Kingdom, the postal code feature is called
   UK 2 Digit Post Codes. Microsoft Map can only accept the first two
   digits of the U.K. postal code.

Creating a Microsoft Map from a Column of Postal Codes

To create a Microsoft Map from a column of postal codes, follow these steps:

1. Type the postal codes down a column.

2. Select the column range of postal codes. On the Insert menu, click Map,

   and use the crosshair cursor to draw a box to make a data map. This
   creates the map of the country for which you have created the postal
   codes, without asking you which map you want to create.

Adding Postal Codes into an Existing Microsoft Map

To add postal codes into an existing Microsoft Map, follow these steps:

1. Type the postal codes down a column.

2. Double-click the existing Microsoft Map to activate it.

3. Double-click the activated map to open the Map Feature dialog box.

   If the postal code feature is missing, click Add, and select
   the name of the postal code feature for the country being used.

   If the postal code feature is not listed, inserting postal codes
   results in the following message:

      You must include a column of geographic data in your selection.

   Microsoft Map uses databases of postal codes for validation, and cannot
   add them if the correct database is not available.

   NOTE: Even after adding the feature to the map, the selection box
   is unavailable (appears dimmed), and cannot be selected or checked.

4. In Microsoft Map, click Data on the Insert menu, and select the

   range of postal codes you have created.

   You may only insert one column of geographical data at a time. ZIP
   Codes and state names are examples of different kinds of geographical
   data. You cannot combine different kinds of geographic data in a single
   column.

Formatting the Data Symbols

When Microsoft Map adds the symbols for each postal code center, it adds large circle symbols, which you can modify.

1. Double-click an existing map to activate the map.

2. On the View menu of the activated map, click Microsoft Map Control.

3. On the right side of the Map Control, double-click the Graduated Symbol

   (star-shape).

4. In the Format Properties dialog box, click the Graduated Symbols

   Options tab, and click Modify Symbol.

5. To change the shape of the symbol, click any symbol displayed in the

   Symbol dialog box.

6. To change the size of the symbol, click Font, and change the number in

   the Font Size box.

   NOTE: You can edit the font size to be a number smaller than that
   displayed in the list.

7. Click OK three times and close Microsoft Map Control.

The shape, size, and color of the graduated symbol used for postal codes can not be changed for individual postal centers. Graduated symbols change as a group based on the settings on the Graduated Symbols Options tab.

REFERENCES

For more information about Microsoft Map, click Contents And Index on the Help menu, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text

   maps

and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Create a map" topic. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.

For more information about working with maps, double-click an existing map, and then click Microsoft Map Help Topics on the Help menu.

Additional query words: XL97 datamap

Keywords          : kbdta xlmap 
Version           : WINDOWS:7.0,7.0a,97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: January 9, 1999