You may receive an error message when you import data into Streets and Trips or into MapPoint

When you import data into Microsoft Streets and Trips or into Microsoft MapPoint, you may receive the following error message:

When you use the Import Data Wizard or the Link Data Wizard in MapPoint or in Streets & Trips to import or to link data, the data that you want to import or link should contain at least one column heading that refers to geographic information to successfully import or to link the data.

The Import Data Wizard or the Link Data Wizard searches for a column heading in a database or for the first cell in a spreadsheet column that refers to geographic information, such as "Street Address," "State," "Province," or "ZIP Code." When a column heading or first cell of this type is found, the wizard is able to plot the contents of each record or row on the map.

For example, if the source from which you want to import or link data contains the column heading or first cell name, "City Names," the wizard plots the data in each record or row at the location of each city that is listed in the City Names column. When this process is finished, you receive the following message: If the wizard does not find a column heading or first cell that contains a reference to geographic information, it searches the data for fields or cells that contain five-digit numbers (which it interprets as postal codes), number and letter combinations (which it interprets as postal codes), and two-letter sequences (which it interprets as abbreviations for states or provinces).

If the wizard does not find data that matches these criteria, it cannot plot any of the data on the map.

Prepare your data for mapping

Organization - Your data must be consistently organized. For example, if you are importing a set of addresses, make sure that the city name for each record is always in the same column or field.

Column headings - The more meaningful the headings are for each column or field in your data, the better. Streets & Trips can recognize certain headings such as name, address, city, and postal code. If you use headings such as these, this helps Streets &Trips identify your data correctly.

Location data - If your data contains different kinds of location information (for example, a mixture of records with complete addresses and records with only postal codes), Streets & Trips will try to match the mixed records. However, Microsoft recommends that you create different files for each type of record (one for records with complete addresses and one for those with only postal codes), and then import each file separately.

Address format - Instead of having a whole address in a single column or field, create individual columns or fields for each class of information (such as street address, city, postal code, state, and country). Clearly define location information. For example, if you are going to match records to counties or census districts, include a state column. The same name can exist in multiple states, so by including the state, you minimize the number of records that must be "disambiguated" (matched to the map).

Multi-country data - If you include records from more than one country, make sure that your data contains one column or field that contains all the country names that pertain to your records.

Separator characters - If your data is a text file (*.txt, *.csv, *.asc, or *.tab format), use a tab, semicolon, or comma as a separator character (also named delimiter character) to distinguish each field of your data.

Currency format - When you import data from a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with currency-formatted cells, make sure that the whole column, not just individual cells, is formatted as currency.

Hyperlinks - If you want to enable hyperlinks after you create your map, make sure that you include a column that includes hyperlink information and set this column to Other Data.