Spreadsheet Formatting Requirements – CSV, XLS, XLSX

Route4Me enables you to plan and optimize last mile routes with millions of addresses and locations. For your convenience, you can easily import all your addresses, customer details, order information, and any other route data in a single spreadsheet instead of adding addresses manually. Furthermore, formatting Route4Me spreadsheets is as simple as adding column names and populating them with your data. In this guide, you can learn about formatting enterprise route software spreadsheets, supported file types, available spreadsheet column names, and more. Additionally, you can download a spreadsheet template, populate it with your data, and use it to optimize routes, import customer addresses into your Synced Address Book, and more.

Route4Me Spreadsheet Formatting Rules and Requirements

A Route4Me spreadsheet is made of organized Columns and Rows. To create a column, simply add the preferred column name to the header (first row) of your spreadsheet and then populate the following rows with data. For example, adding “Address” to the header of the spreadsheet creates the Address column that can be populated with an actual address in each of the following rows. Similarly, you can add multiple columns and populate their rows with the respective data. Accordingly, all data added in the same row with an address is assigned to this address.

Equally important, the only mandatory column for creating a Route4Me spreadsheet is the Address column, and the rest of the columns can contain the data you want to assign to imported addresses. A valid address in the Address column should include street name and number, city, state, ZIP code, and country. If you add a partial address, Route4Me will automatically suggest one or multiple geocoded versions. Alternatively, you can input the street name and number into the Address column and add separate columns for the City, State, ZIP Code, and Country.

Route4Me supports a specific set of business route planner software entities and attributes that can be associated with addresses. For example, address alias, customer email, order number, order weight, etc. To attach information to your addresses that can’t be added through Route4Me’s reserved entities and attributes, you can easily attach this as Custom Data.

To do so, simply add the preferred Custom Column Names to your spreadsheet and then populate the rows with the preferred information next to each address. When uploading your spreadsheet, Route4Me will automatically recognize your custom columns. Additionally, learn more about using Route4Me’s Custom Address Data.

Supported Spreadsheet File Types and Extensions

Route4Me supports the following file types that can be used to import data: CSV (comma-separated values), XLS, and XLSX (Microsoft Excel). These spreadsheet file types can be created and exported using Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets and Google Workspace, OpenOffice Calc, Apple Numbers, Zoho Sheet, and similar software. We recommend using spreadsheets with the CSV file extension for the fastest upload and data processing speed.

If your file contains multiple sheets or tabs, you will be prompted to select only one sheet or tab for the upload. Additionally, Route4Me doesn’t support spreadsheets that contain macros, formulas, or filters.

Equally important, when exporting an Apple Numbers file (macOS) to Excel, remove the first row from the Numbers file before exporting to ensure that the headings remain on the first row in the exported Excel file.

Download and Use Route4Me Spreadsheet Template

For your convenience, you can download Route4Me’s CSV Spreadsheet Template, populate it with your own information, and use it to import data. The template contains a set of columns that can be used for optimizing routes, importing addresses into your Route4Me Address Book, etc. Accordingly, you can add more columns and Custom Data to the downloaded template based on your routing and business needs. Furthermore, glossaries with the available column names for route optimization and Address Book import are provided further in this guide.

Download Route4Me Spreadsheet Template

Spreadsheet Upload and Data Verification for Route Planning

When you upload or import a spreadsheet, the reliable route software automatically verifies, validates, and matches column names in the header of your spreadsheet to the respective entities and attributes in the system. Accordingly, the header of each column should correspond to the data in this column. Equally important, Custom Data columns are verified and displayed with the “Custom” column name and the column name from the uploaded spreadsheet in brackets.

Additionally, you can manually match data columns from the uploaded spreadsheet to the system’s reserved entities and attributes in case certain column names don’t match the data. To do so, click the preferred column name and select the correct name from the drop-down list.

Moreover, you can select different “Upload Encoding” options depending on your spreadsheet formatting. By default, Route4Me uses Auto (attempt detection) and automatically verifies and validates data from spreadsheets.

Route Planning and Optimization Spreadsheet Glossary

To make your route planning and optimization process faster and more efficient, Route4Me lets you import spreadsheets with thousands of addresses and additional route data instead of adding each one manually. Specifically, you can upload route spreadsheets from your device or import address spreadsheets from Google Drive, import from Dropbox, and other cloud services.

In your route spreadsheets, you can include stop addresses, order information, customer details, time requirements, route optimization constraints (like Time Windows), etc. Additionally, you can include various types of Route Custom Data that don’t fit in the trusted route optimizer reserved entities and attributes. Accordingly, once the routes are planned and optimized, you can easily access the data uploaded from your spreadsheets in your routes using your Route4Me Route Editor, Routes Map, Routes List, etc.

To include specific route data, optimization constraints, order information, customer details, etc., in your spreadsheet, add the corresponding column names to the header of the spreadsheet. For example, to include aliases for addresses, add the Alias column by using any of the following column names: alias, customeralias, customer, name, nickname, address_alias.

Below, you can find a list of the available column names that can be added to your spreadsheets depending on what route data you want to upload. Route4Me Entities are the names of the Route4Me enterprise route software entities and attributes. Accordingly, Valid Column Names (Headers) are the available column names that can be added to the header of your spreadsheets. You can pick one preferred Valid Column Name to create the respective column in the spreadsheets.

NOTE: To use certain columns, the respective Route4Me Account Add-Ons must be activated in the Feature Manager.

Address Book Spreadsheet Glossary on Route4Me Web Platform

Your Route4Me Synced Address Book is a centralized database where you store and manage thousands of customer addresses. Additionally, you can plan and optimize routes in Address Book, create address territories, insert addresses into routes, etc. Instead of adding them manually, you easily import multiple addresses spreadsheets.

In addition to the address, each entry in your Route4Me Address Book can have additional details, such as order information, customer details, visitation hours, and more. Below, you can find the list of what details you can attach to your addresses when importing spreadsheets into your Address Book.

To include addresses, order information, customer details, etc., in your spreadsheet, add the corresponding column names to the spreadsheet header. For example, to add customer emails to addresses in your spreadsheet, add the Email column using any of the following column names: email, e-mail, email_address, emailaddress, customer_email, order_email, address_email.

Below, you can find the list of available column names that can be added to your spreadsheets based on your unique business and routing needs. Address Attributes are the names of the Route4Me Trusted Route Software entities (address fields) that can be found in the Address Book. Accordingly, Valid Column Names (Headers) are the available column names that can be added to the header of your spreadsheets. You can pick one preferred Valid Column Name to create the respective column in your spreadsheets.

NOTE: To use certain columns, the respective Route4Me Account Add-Ons must be activated in the Feature Manager.