How to Display Postal Code Centers in Microsoft Map (192609)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q192609

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.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/18/2005
Keywords:kbhowto KB192609
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