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Frequently Asked Questions


Answer your common questions about the CDXZipStream Excel Zip Code Addin. Find out how to calculate distance between zip codes or addresses, work with Bing Maps for routing and location based marketing, perform US Zip Code lookups, find Canadian or international post codes and more. Just click on any question below to explore the topic.

Simply press the "Buy Now" button on this web page and enter your purchase information on the screens that follow. CDXZipstream is a perpetual license that comes with 12 months of data updates and support. You can install CDXZipStream on one main and one backup machine for each user license purchased.

If you are not sure of what version to purchase please use this link to our version finder. Pricing and volume discounts for each version can be found at this link.

To continue the zip code code updates and support after one year you can purchase an optional maintenance agreement in your online cdxtech.com account. You can also use this account to upgrade your version for the difference in price or purchase other products.

You will need to install the CDXZipStream demo , activate it and download our latest data file to complete your purchase.

An article illustrating this procedure can be found at this blog link.

CDXZipStream only works on Windows versions of Excel, not Apple versions. The Microsoft .NET addin technology required is not available on the Mac. Mac users should use our CDXGeodata product and associated templates which work on both the Mac and Windows

You can access CDXZipStream from the main CDXZipStream commandbar, by right-clicking on any worksheet cell, or by directly entering a CDXZipStream function in a worksheet formula. Here is a short tutorial reviewing how to use CDXZipStream.

From the Commandbar: The CDXZipStream commandbar at the top of your worksheet includes all functionality as well as access to your account information, help file, settings, and quick start guide. To obtain demographic data for a list of ZIP Codes, for example, use your cursor to select the first ZIP Code in the list, click on the CDXZipStream button on the commandbar, and the main CDXZipStream interface will appear:

CDXZipStream FAQ Question 1

Here you can select the data feed and data fields to import. Then click Get Data and CDXZipStream does the rest.

CDXZipStream functions that geocode, calculate driving distance, perform address verification, etc. can be accessed through the fx Formulas button on the commandbar.

Right-click: Right-click your mouse on any worksheet cell, and from the drop-down list select CDXZipStream Functions. You can then select any function from the list, including additional feeds for demographic data.

Enter a worksheet formula: You can also use any CDXZipStream function or data feed by directly entering it in a worksheet formula.

These programs are not required to install CDXZipStream and are not part of the CDXZipStream license. Most CDXZipStream functions do not need these to work. But if you intend to use the functions for routing calculations, geocoding, mapping, address verification or postal code lookup, then you will need to obtain a Bing Maps or Here key or install Caliper and MapPoint on your computer. CDXZipStream is compatible with Maptitude versions 2014 or later with US Data. It also works with either MapPoint North America or MapPoint Europe.

Free basic keys are available from the Microsoft website here. Free trial keys and enterprise keys for purchase are available from Microsoft partners such as Onterra Systems. All key types can be used with both the trial and purchased versions of CDXZipStream. But keep in mind that data requests using enterprise keys are given priority by Bing Maps.

Getting a free Bing Maps API key

CDXZipStream is compatible with 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 or Office 365 and will run in Windows 7 and higher. It is compatible with both 32 and 64-bit versions of Excel and Windows.

The recommended system configuration is a computer running Microsoft Windows 7 or higher with a Pentium IV processor and 512 megabytes (MB) of RAM. Minimum system requirements for Office products are available here from the Microsoft website.

Functions that are used for routing calculations, geocoding, mapping, address verification or postal code lookup, require either the web service Bing Maps or desktop software Maptitude or Microsoft MapPoint. These are not included with purchase of CDXZipStream.

To use the CDXRouteBing and CDXLocateBing functions, you must obtain a Bing Maps license key and enter it into CDXZipStream. Bing Maps free trial and enterprise keys for purchase can be obtained from Microsoft partners such as OnTerra Systems. Free basic keys are available from Microsoft here.

For the CDXRouteHere and CDXLocateHere functions, you must obtain a Here API key and enter it into CDXZipStream. Here keys can be obtained at developer.here.com.

To use the CDXRouteMaptitude and CDXLocateMaptitude functions, you must install Caliper Maptitude. CDXZipStream is compatible with the 2014 and later versions of Maptitude with US Data.

To use the CDXRouteMP and CDXLocateMP functions, you must install Microsoft MapPoint. CDXZipStream is compatible with the 2002 through 2013 versions of MapPoint North America and Europe. As of December 2014, Microsoft discontinued selling MapPoint, although it is still available from some software resellers and on Ebay.

Here are some things to consider when deciding which source of mapping data to use:

Bing Maps is a web-based mapping service and requires an internet connection when used with CDXZipStream. It is continually updated and has world-wide geographic coverage. Free trial and basic keys are available for Bing Maps which are compatible with both trial and purchased versions of CDXZipStream. Enterprise keys can be purchased from Microsoft resellers such as OnTerra Systems. Data requests using enterprise keys are given priority by Bing Maps. Bing Maps provides travel time and distance for driving, walking, and transit routes. CDXZipStream also uses Bing Maps data for route optimization of up to 100 locations.

Here is a worldwide web-based mapping service and requires an internet connection when used with CDXZipStream. A "Freemium" plan with 250,000 request a month is available along with higher usage paid accounts.

Caliper Maptitude is desktop mapping software. CDXZipStream is compatible with 2014 versions and greater with US data. It's available for a one time fee and can be used in high volume mapping and routing applications where the cost of Bing Maps would be prohibitive.

Microsoft MapPoint is a desktop mapping software that was discontinued by Microsoft in 2014. As a desktop software it is a one-time purchase and typically priced at about $300. There is no effective limit on the number of data requests. MapPoint North America covers the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and MapPoint Europe covers countries primarily in Western Europe. Both versions were last updated in 2013. MapPoint provides travel time and distance for driving routes only. It will perform route optimization for multiple driving locations.

You can at any time upgrade to another version of the software. An upgrade option is available from your account on the CDX Technologies website. You will only need to pay the difference between your current and new versions.

Please refer to this document CDXZipStream Data Feeds and Definitions.pdf for a complete listing of all available data.

  • Demographic data feeds: U.S. only
  • ZIP and postal code analysis (including distance calculations, radius and closest ZIP Code analysis, and ZIP Code list creation by city, county, state or province): U.S. and Canada. CDXZipStream also supports additional international databases such as Mexico, India and Western European countries
  • Routing calculations, geocoding, mapping, address verification or postal code lookup: These require Bing Maps, Here or Microsoft MapPoint as a source of mapping data. Current Bing Maps coverage is described on the microsoft website. Microsoft MapPoint 2013 for North America covers the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and MapPoint Europe covers most western European countries. Address find and geocoding is available for the following:

Caliper Maptitude U.S.

MapPoint North America: U.S. and Canada

MapPoint Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

The 30-day trial version includes U.S. ZIP Code data and all functionality. Example demographic data is provided for all data feeds. You also have the option to download Canadian postal code data to use with the trial. The trial version limits the number of calculations that can be made in each session of Microsoft Excel. There are no calculation limits in the purchased version of CDXZipstream.

The Canadian database is an optional separate purchase. It can be used to:

  • Calculate distances between postal codes
  • Identify postal codes in a radius area
  • Find the first, second, and third closest postal codes to a target location
  • Create postal code lists by city or province

Here is a short tutorial showing how the Canadian database is used.

Canadian Postal Code Analysis in Excel

CDXZipStream has a much wider variety of location-based functionality, but both CDXZipStream and CDXStreamer perform address ZIP Code lookup. If these are your primary interests, which software do you choose?

CDXZipStream is a one-time, single license purchase that includes one year of data updates. CDXStreamer is a monthly, subscription-based service. CDXZipStream can use either Bing Maps or Microsoft MapPoint as the source of address data and postal code data, and covers the U.S. and other countries. CDXStreamer uses U.S. Postal service databases, and covers only the U.S. CDXStreamer also provides ZIP+4 data which is not included in CDXZipStream. We generally recommend using CDXStreamer when high address accuracy and/or ZIP+4 data in the U.S. is required.

Right-click on a worksheet cell next to the data, and from the dropdown list under CDXZipStream Functions, select Insert CDXDistance Function. In the dialog box input the worksheet cell addresses of the first pair of ZIP or postal codes:

CDXZipStream FAQ Question 12

The resulting worksheet formula:

=CDXDistance(A1,B1)

can then be copied to obtain distance data for all pairs of ZIP or postal codes in the lists. An option is available to return zip code distances in miles, kilometers or nautical miles.

Getting Zip Distances in Microsoft Excel

Right-click on a worksheet cell next to the data, and from the dropdown list under CDXZipStream Functions, select Insert CDXLocateBing Function or Insert CDXLocateMP or Insert CDXLocateMaptitude, depending upon whether you are using Bing Maps, Maptitude or Microsoft MapPoint as the data source. In the dialog box you can then input the worksheet cell location of the first address in the list, and select Latitude|Longitude for the returned data. When using the CDXLocateBing function with long address lists, we also recommend enabling the Autocopy and Set to Text options:

CDXZipStream FAQ Question 13

If the address is found, latitude and longitude data is returned to the worksheet. When using CDXLocateMP you can copy the resulting formula to get latitude and longitude for the entire list; with CDXLocateBing and CDXLocateMaptitude this is done automatically when using the Autocopy option.

Here is a short tutorial showing how to geocode using CDXLocateBing.

Geocoding with Excel and Bing Maps

To reverse geocode, follow the same process but request Best Match to return the closest address to each point of latitude and longitude.

We offer free Excel templates that automatically geocode and reverse geocode. Please see the template page for more information.

Right-click on a worksheet cell next to the data, and from the dropdown list under CDXZipStream Functions, select Insert CDXLocateBing Function or Insert CDXLocateMP, depending upon whether you are using Bing Maps or Microsoft MapPoint as the data source. In the dialog box you can then input the worksheet cell location of the first address in the list, and select Best Match for the returned data. When using the CDXLocateBing function with long address lists, we also recommend enabling the Autocopy and Set to text options:

CDXZipStream FAQ Question 14

If the address is found, the best match for the address will be returned to the worksheet, including standard formatting and correct ZIP or postal code. When using CDXLocateMP, you can copy the resulting formula to get data for the entire list; with CDXLocateBing this is done automatically when using the Autocopy option.

To obtain only the postal code for an address, select ZIP (Postal Code) as the returned data.

Here is a short tutorial showing how the CDXLocateBing function works

Look up ZIP codes in Excel with Bing Maps

Right-click on a worksheet cell, and from the dropdown list under CDXZipStream Functions, select Insert CDXRouteBing Function or Insert CDXRouteMP, depending upon whether you are using Bing Maps or Microsoft MapPoint as the data source. In the dialog box you can then input the worksheet cell locations of the first pair of destinations, and select the desired distance or time calculation. With CDXRouteBing you can specify driving, walking, or transit routes, while CDXRouteMP can calculate driving routes only. When using the CDXRouteBing function with long lists of destinations, we also recommend enabling the Autocopy and Set to text options:

CDXZipStream FAQ Question 15

When using CDXRouteMP, you can copy the resulting formula to get data for the entire list; with CDXRouteBing, CDXRouteHere or CDXRouteMaptitude this is done automatically when using the Autocopy option.

Route destinations may be a complete address, a point of latitude and longitude, or a ZIP or postal code.

We offer free Excel templates that automatically calculate driving routes. Please see the template page for more information.

Right-click on a worksheet cell, and from the dropdown list under CDXZipStream Functions select Insert CDXRouteBing Function or Insert CDXRouteMaptitude Functionor Insert CDXRouteMP Function, depending upon whether you are using Bing Maps, Maptitude or Microsoft MapPoint as the data source. In the dialog box you can then input the route destinations, or the worksheet cell locations of the route destinations, and also specify the desired output, such as optimized route driving distance, time, directions, etc.:

CDXZipStream FAQ Question 16

You can also request a Trip Summary that will include all data for the optimized route, including a route map. When optimizing routes, make sure route optimization for 4 or more stops is enabled in Route Settings. If using Bing Maps, you can also specify whether the endpoint (last) destination in the route is fixed or not.

Route destinations may be a complete address, a point of latitude and longitude, or a ZIP or postal code.

Here is a short tutorial showing how to optimize routes using CDXRouteBing.

Route Optimization in Excel with Bing Maps

We offer free Excel templates that automatically calculate driving routes. Please see the template page for more information.

We offer Microsoft Excel templates that can automatically geocode and calculate distances to find the closest facilities to patients, the closest customers to stores, the closest warehouses to delivery points, etc. You can use the free Geocode and Sort by Distance template or purchase the Geographic Access Analysis template to create a comprehensive report across all locations. Please see the template page for more information.

Either Bing Maps or Microsoft MapPoint must be used in conjunction with CDXZipStream to create maps in an Excel worksheet. Maps can be created through several functions:

CDXRadius: Create radius and driving time maps, using Microsoft MapPoint.

CDXLocateBing: Map up to 100 locations on a single map, using Bing Maps.

CDXRouteBing: Map a route with up to 100 destinations on a single map, using Bing Maps.

CDXRouteMaptitude: Map a route with up to 100 destinations on a single map, using Caliper Maptitude.

CDXLocateMP: Map a single location, using Microsoft MapPoint.

CDXRouteMP: Map a route with multiple destinations on a single map, using Microsoft MapPoint.

Functions using Bing Maps can create road, aerial, and for some areas, ordnance survey and Collins Bart maps.

For CDXZipStream versions that include the premium ZIP Code database, you can link to web-based ZIP Code maps in either MapQuest or Google Maps. Use your cursor to select the first ZIP Code in your worksheet, and click on the CDXZipStream button on the commandbar. Using the CDXZipCode data feed, select the Map-Google or Map-MapQuest data fields. Then click Get Data and CDXZipStream will automatically generate URL map links for every ZIP Code in your list.

Right-click on a worksheet cell, and from the dropdown list under CDXZipStream Functions, select Insert CDXRadius Function. In the dialog box specify the target ZIP or postal code (or its worksheet cell location), the radius distance around the target, and the result output as array, single string, or text. If you have purchased the Canadian database, also specify the database type:

CDXZipStream FAQ Question 19

For a list of target ZIP or postal codes, specify the worksheet cell location of the first target, with the result output as a single string. The resulting formula can then be copied to get data for the entire list.

The CDXRadius function, when used with Microsoft MapPoint, can also create drive time and radius maps.

Right-click on a worksheet cell, and from the dropdown list under CDXZipStream Functions, select Insert CDXZipList Function. In the dialog box you can then select the state, county, or city of interest, and specify if you want the data output as a single string, text or Excel array:

CDXZipStream FAQ Question 20

The CDXZipList function can also be directly entered in a worksheet formula. For example, if your worksheet contains state and county data in columns A and B, respectively, use the formula:

=CDXZipList(A1,B1,"",1,0)

to obtain a single string of ZIP codes for the state and county in Row 1. Then copy this formula to obtain ZIP codes for all state and county combinations listed.

Here is a short tutorial showing how the CDXZipList function is used.

ZIP Code Lists in Microsoft Excel

Use your cursor to select the first ZIP Code in the list, click on the CDXZipStream button on the commandbar, and the main CDXZipStream interface will appear:

CDXZipStream FAQ Question 21

Using the CDXZipCode data feed, select the City, CountyName, and/or State data fields. Then click Get Data and CDXZipStream will automatically obtain the requested data for every ZIP Code in the list.

Have a question or concern?

support@cdxtech.com
1-877-CDX-TEC1 (239-8321)