Ground your data with mapping, a quick and powerful way to display summary data or services by location or region. Effective maps can be static and simple, or they can be complex, dynamic, and interactive online objects that enable your stakeholders to compare service providers, schools, programs, performance metrics, and demographics.
Maps Tools
Google Fusion Tables
Google Fusion Tables is Google web application, like Google Sheets. It’s a free data management tool that makes it easy to sort large data sets, collaborate with others, and create interactive web visualizations. For more general information on Google Fusion Tables, see the Interactive Displays section. One of the most powerful features of Google Fusion Tables is its ability to manage and filter large data sets (up to 100MB per set —enough for hundreds of thousands of rows). It’s easy to make maps with Google Fusion Tables. All you need is a column in a spreadsheet containing location information.
Skill Level
Beginner
Accessing the Tool & General How-To
Google Fusion Tables is available free through Google Tools.
Tips for Creating Effective Displays
Make sure you’ve set up your data so each row is a single data point that can be mapped, including geographical information (exact address including city and zip code) and any details you want in your data windows. Figure 6 shows data in Google Fusion after import.
Customize the map icons to make the data points of interest stand out—for example, by rendering low-rated providers as red flags. Figure 7 demonstrates a map of schools in Chicago color-coded by rating.
Limitations
All data must be stored in a Google Sheet in order to import. You can easily import an Excel file in Google Sheets, but this must be completed before mapping.
Figure 7. Sample Google Fusion Data Table after spreadsheet import
Figure 8. Map of Schools in Hyde Park, Chicago, by Rating (Google Fusion Tables Map)
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Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is one of the most widely used platforms for analyzing and displaying data. Excel Maps is available free with Excel 2016.
Skill Level
Beginner
Accessing the Tool
Microsoft Office, including Excel, is a licensed suite of software that requires purchase (Office 2015 or earlier) or a subscription (Office 365). To get a free 1-month trial, or purchase a monthly subscription or license, go to https://products.office.com/en-us/try.
General How-To
In Excel, open a workbook that has the data you want to map in a table. Note: Your table must have at least one geographic data element per row (such as state, Zip Code, city, county, countries/regions, or longitudes and latitude). This guidance helps you structure your data properly for mapping.
To make a 2-D Map:
- Click on any cell in that table.
- Select Insert – Maps – Filled Map.
- You can format the map and add data labels similarly to how you would edit a chart.
To make a 3-D Map:
- Click on any cell in that table.
- Select Insert – 3D Maps.
- 3D Maps uses Bing to geocode your data. After a few moments, the globe will appear next to the first screen of the Layer Pane.
- Then, in the Data area, change the visualization to “Region,” and a new field box will appear called “Value.”. Click and drag the variable you wish to map to the “Value” box.
- The “+” and “-” magnify and reduce the zoom, and the direction keys pivot the map in 3D.
View an example 3-D map and step-by-step instructions for recreating the example. For more details from Microsoft, view the guidance .
Limitations
The number of data points displayed at once is currently limited to 1,000. This is only for the current view of the data. For example, 1,000 data points can be displayed in the U.S. view, 1,000 data points can be displayed for Europe, etc. This also holds when zooming in on particular regions.
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Tableau Public
Tableau has many capabilities, and mapping is just one of them. Mapping capabilities include geocoding data, providing preset data layers of known U.S. census data, and creating individual points and polygonal maps. For more general information on Tableau Public, see the Interactive Displays section.
Skill Level
Medium
Accessing the Tool
Tableau Public can be downloaded for free.
General How-To
See Tableau’s resources section for step-by-step tutorial videos, including initial data setup.
Tips for Creating Effective Displays
- Tableau has background data layers from census data, such as U.S. population and other demographics, which can be automatically overlaid in any map visual (Figure 9).
- Switch the display from Automatic to Filled Map if you want areas (like cities) to be colored polygons, not flagged points.
Limitations
- For the free Tableau Public software, any saved workbooks are available online — so do not use it for confidential data!
- For very large data sets or private data services, Tableau requires purchasing a Tableau Business plan.
- When embedding this application, be aware that application headings may appear that could be distracting for users.
Figure 9: Example of Polygon Census Data Overlay, American Indian Population in Maine, 2015
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BatchGeo
BatchGeo bills itself as the “fastest way to create Google Maps with your data.” Like Google Fusion, BatchGeo allows you to layer your own data over Google Maps’ mapping resources. The tool has six map styles, with preformatted data window settings and area coloring, but it limits your options for further customization.
Skill Level
Beginner
Accessing the Tool
BatchGeo’s basic mapping services are available for free.
General How-To
Take a look at BatchGeo’s Excel spreadsheet to see an example of how to best set up data for this tool. Once you have data with header rows, copy and paste it into the site’s homepage table. Click Validate and Set Options to verify that BatchGeo has correctly identified the locations. Click Map Now for immediate results.
BatchGeo will email you a link to your map and an embed code for direct integration of the map into a webpage.
Tips for Creating Effective Displays
- Differentiate your map from other Google Maps with BatchGeo’s six styles; select Show Advanced Options to explore.
Figure 10: Customization Options in BatchGeo
Make sure BatchGeo is correctly coding each of your header rows by clicking Validate and Set before mapping. The tool works best when the header rows are labeled and ordered in keeping with BatchGeo’s template spreadsheets. Try columns in the following order: Name, Street Address, City, State, and then any characteristic variables.
Limitations
- You need a Pro account to log on to the site to view and manage all your created maps, so keep track of the autogenerated emails that BatchGeo sends with your map links, which allow you to access, link to, and edit your maps.
- BatchGeo is designed for nonprogrammers. The flip side of its ease of use is more limited customization options (for example, you can’t change the HTML to alter the formatting of data windows beyond the preset styles).
Figure 11: Example of Batch Geo Map Showing Recreation Centers in the Bronx by Accessibility
View Recreation Centers in the Bronx, by Accessibility in a full screen map
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Suggest Additional Tools or Resources
Are there additional mapping tools or resources that you use to present data effectively? Suggest tools or resources for inclusion in the toolkit.
