Which version do I buy?

I am UK based an have a major project to do and need to buy MapPoint European. However, in doing a bit of backgroup research, I found on the BT site (UK) a review saying that MapPoint 2006 had serious flaws in the postcode database for the UK and Microsoft had no plans to update it. Instead MapPoint 2004 was recommended as the post code (zip code) database was from an different supplier. Has 2006 had updates issued in this respect?
My project relates to a knowledge transfer scheme in the UK. I need to map all the UK universities, and the companies that each is working with as well as the location of each of our advisers. It is a bit like, wholesalers, customers and reps. I want to show travelling times from each university and adviser and identify each company by its supplying university. Would I be just as well getting 2004 or would an updated 2006 be better.
All to be done from and excel spreadsheet of names and postcodes.
Any help greatly appreciated!!!
Regards, Richard

I would recommend to get MapPoint 2004 EU.. I think you can probably find a copy of Amazon or elsewhere and it should not be very expensive

Also, get a 60-day trial copy of MapPoint 2006 EU, I don't know if you an download this, but maybe you can order one..

Then you can compare and see for your purposes which one is better suited. And then if you decide MapPoint 2006 EU is right, you can buy it.

Eric

Hi Richard
I work with MapPoint Europe and based on the application you describe I’d probably go straight for the 2006 version. I’m assuming that the flaws you refer to in the postcode database relate to the fact that a significant proportion of postcode sector, district and area addresses (eg SY22 6, SY22 and SY) are wrongly located. This is a casing issue and can be overcome by reading the addresses in lower case. However your use will be plotting the full address with full postcode (eg SY22 6AA) and I have not come across any built-in flaws with that. That doesn’t mean to say that you don’t have to be very very careful when using MapPoint 2006 for address plotting.

If the BT site review suggested the flaw goes any deeper than that then could you please attach a link as I’d be interested to see it.

The advantage of 2006 over 2004 is a more up-to-date road network which will be important for you in calculating drive times, plus a better overall coverage of Northern Ireland.

How many addresses will you be plotting in total??

Other downside features of MapPoint are flaws in the built-in demographic data (although it’s easy to input data from external sources like OPCS) and the fact that there are a load of restaurants in the Show/Hide Places that refuse to be hidden although these only appear at a detailed scale. Also even the 2006 road network is already out of date and Microsoft have not made any announcements as far as I’m aware about a 2008 version – if roads networks aren’t kept up to date then packages like this rapidly become of limited value.

So I’d be tempted to focus on the trial of the 2006 version that Eric suggests. Also if you wanted me to run a small collection of your addresses through MPE 2006 and give you my views then I’d be happy to help.

Rgds

By the way, do you know where to get the MapPoint 2006 EU trial? I was going to point him to the MS Download Center, but I only saw the NA version available for download.

Eric

Eric and David, Thank you very much for your very helpful replies. Firstly, here is the link to that review. Can't see how they will sell many copies via BT after that!
BT Shop - Microsoft MapPoint 2006 (B21-00801) (http://www.shop.bt.com/productview.aspx?quicklinx=491K#reviews)

It is not very specific on the cause of the problem, just how it manifests itself. If the whole thing with the post codes is case sensitive then I guess I could solve it by putting everything in lower case but then I infer from what you say that if the full address is there then all will be well even if Post Code is in upper case. Would each line of the address need to be in a different cell in Excel?

My data set is 900 companies, 120 universities and 32 advisers dispersed in all areas of the UK. Thanks for your offer to do a trial with a subset of the data David, I may well take you up on it when I get the data next week.

I can't seem to find a free download of 2006 EU but will persist!

Regards and thanks,
Richard

I can't seem to find a free download of 2006 EU but will persist!

Here's the UK MapPoint page.. there's a link at the top to get the trial DVD.

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/mappoint/default.mspx

Let us know if it works for you.

Eric

Would each line of the address need to be in a different cell in Excel?

My experience with inputting addresses via the "import data wizard" is that it's best to put each element of the address into different cells. I normally use the column headings

address1
address2
city
county
postcode

although address2 and county are often left blank which doesn't affect the process. It's definitely useful to have postcodes separate because, given the geographical precision of UK postcodes, misplaced street addresses can be picked up when they're too distant from the postcode.

Anyway with only around 1000-1100 addresses to locate I don't think you'll have any problems with spotting rogue locations! What you will probably have to do is automate the calculation of drive times, which can readily be done with a liitle bit of vba for excel.

Rgds