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[Part 2] Geocode addresses

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Randolph Abelardo
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In the previous tutorial, you learned how to install GeoCode. Here, you'll learn how to use the GeoCode add-on to transform postal addresses into coordinates.

info Please note that the Geocode add-on is not available on Microsoft Excel for Office 365. This article only applies for Google users. To immerse yourself in this tutorial, we recommend using this sample data in the following walk-through exercises.

1. Initialize the GeoCode add-on wizard

To start using GeoCode, open an existing Google Sheets with postal addresses in it.  Once you're on the pertinent sheet (tab), select Add-ons > Geocode by Awesome Table > Start Geocoding.

Image A

image-a_orig.png

info Depending on your use-case, you're not restricted to using just the complete postal address for GeoCode to work. You can even enter partial addresses using any of these combinations: city and state, city or state and country or just the country.

 

2. Configure the address field

If the complete address is stored in just 1 column, choose the appropriate column name from the dropdown menu under Address column (image B). Otherwise, click Are your addresses in multiple columns? (image C). 

Image B

image-b_orig.png

Image C

image-c_orig.png
The Multiple Columns window shows the column names on the left and checkboxes on the right. You simply need to check the boxes where your separate address fields are stored (image D).  Then click the Insert column button.

Image D

image-d_orig.png

This will create a new column labeled Full Address right next to the country column - containing the concatenated values of the address fields you checked earlier (image E).

Image E

image-e_1_orig.png

info Google Maps API has a built-in error management system. If addresses are not recognized, it will perform a broader search, guaranteeing you get the proper coordinates for each row.

* Note: Make sure that the Try wider results checkbox is checked.
try-wider-results-orig-orig-2_orig.png

 

3. Start Geocoding

Now click the Geocode! button (image F) to transform your addresses into coordinates.

Image F

image-f1_orig.png

not_interested Do not terminate or close the sidebar while GeoCode is running.

After the script executes, two new columns will be added immediately after the Address column: Latitude and Longitude (image G) .

Image G

image-g1_1_orig.png

info If you prefer not to have the longitude and latitude columns inserted between your datasource (to avoid altering your current column-order), simply place the address column(s) at the end of the datasource.
warning Information about the number of geocoded addresses is displayed in the sidebar (image G).

 

4. Create your interactive Map with just 1 click

Finally, click the Create Map button (image H).

Image H

image-g_orig.png

The script will 1) insert a new row on your datasource that will be reserved for filters and keywords  (image I) and 2) automatically generate your Awesome Table app using the Map visualization type.

Image I

image-h_orig.png

info The GeoCode script applies the appropriate filter based on the data-type of each column (i.e., numeric, string, or date). You can opt to accept the suggested filters, modify, or remove them.

Learn more about filters here.
warning The GeoCode add-on offers a pre-configured AwesomeTable Map-view allowing you to quickly sort, filter, and find the locations you need. If you click on a specific row in the table-view, the map-view will dynamically focus the corresponding marker-location linked to the pertinent row.

 

Geocoding phase: Complete.

You're now presented with the option to: Customize the Tooltip (which we'll tackle next) or Open the Map app(image J). For now, choose Open map to see the default app. 

Image J

image-j_orig.png

When you click on any marker, you'll be presented with a plain-vanilla tooltip displaying the city & country (image K). You can choose to accept this default or you could further customize your Tooltip to enhance it. 

Image K

geocode-plain-default-vanilla-tooltip_orig.png

warning The generated map-app displays Markers (a single location on a map that resembles a red balloon, a.k.a. Map Pin, Drop Pin, or Push Pin) corresponding to each coordinate in your Google Sheets datasource.
info If there are too many markers in a single location, the GeoCode script performs automatic clustering to improve the map app(image L).

Image L
geocode-clusters_orig.gif

 

navigate_nextNext article :

In this tutorial, you learned how to use the GeoCode add-on to transform your addresses into coordinates.
In the next tutorial, you'll learn how to Customize the Tooltip.

 

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