The CDXZipStream Licensing Agreement

 

CDXZipStream, our Excel add-in for address, zip code, and route analysis, has a licensing agreement that is significantly different (in a good way!) from most other software.  Understanding that CDXZipStream contains a number of functions for route planning and optimization, it makes sense to allow our users to install it on multiple computers.  For example, you can plan and optimize a route on your desktop, then follow the directions for the optimized route on a laptop in your car.  For very long calculations, it is also helpful to use a secondary desktop or laptop so your main computer is not tied up.  Since the CDXZipStream license is provided per user, you won’t have to buy multiple licenses to do this; each CDXZipStream license comes with three key codes, allowing you to install it on three separate computers.  

To set up CDXZipStream on a new computer simply download and install the CDXZipStream demo on the new computer.  When installation is complete and Microsoft Excel opens, press the third button on the CDXZipStream toolbar named "License Information and Software Updates". (If you are using Excel 2007 or 2010, the CDXZipStream toolbar is located under the "Add-Ins" menu.) Then press the "Buy Now" button followed by pressing "Generate KeyCode" and log into our web site using the username and password you received with your original purchase.  If you did not retain your original purchase information please contact us at support@cdxtech.com

A web page allowing you to generate a new keycode should appear with your new Computer ID automatically entered. This Computer ID is unique for each PC and your registration code is based on it. Then press "Next" to generate your new registration key.

Copy your new keycode from the box that appears and then press the "x" in the upper right corner and minimize your browser. Then paste the copied code into the "Keycode" section of the "CDXZipStream Purchase and Registration" box and press "OK". (This is the box where you pressed the "Generate Keycode" button.) CDXZipStream will now be fully activated on your computer.

Your online account can also be used to purchase data updates or upgrade your product to a more powerful version.  A history of all data purchases is maintained in the "Download Data Files" section.

Our license does not permit sharing with other users on additional machines.  We do require that multiple users purchase multiple licenses.  Each CDXZipStream license will be registered under a person’s name, which can be displayed by clicking on the “License Information and Software Updates” button on the main CDXZipStream toolbar.  Also shown is the number of licenses associated with the name.   If the name needs to be transferred, such as in cases where an employee has left an organization, please contact us at support@ cdxtech.com.  We also offer generous volume discounts of up to 20% for 10 licenses; please contact us for details if you need more than 10 licenses.  

Area Analysis with CDXZipStream

CDXZipStream, our Microsoft Excel add-in for zip code and address analysis, has a number of built-in functions that perform area calculations around a given geographic location.  These can be invaluable tools for designating sales and service territories, finding customers for a brick-and-mortar store, designing delivery routes, and more.  Here’s a quick review of this capability:

Generate a zip code radius list:  The CDXZipStream function CDXRadius  can quickly find zip codes within a specified radius of a central zip code.  This is based on straight-line distance calculations between the centroid points of the target zip code and all nearby zip codes.  To use CDXRadius, right-click on any cell in your Excel worksheet, and from the menu click on  CDXZipStream Functions, then Insert CDXRadius Function.   The input box will look like this:   

After specifying the target zip and radius distance, you can ask for the resulting list of zip codes either as an Excel array formula (see here for more information on Excel arrays), or as a text string within a single worksheet cell.   The output will also include distance data from the target zip, with the data separated by vertical bars when listed as a text string: 

Find locations within a zip code radius:  Do you have a long list of addresses or zip codes, and want to determine if they fall within a specified radius of a store or other location?  It’s very easy to do this by cross-checking your address list against the list generated by CDXRadius.  First, run CDXRadius with the desired target zip code and radius distance, making sure to specify the output as an array formula.  Then for each location in your original list, use the Excel LOOKUP function to see if the address zip code exists in the array generated by CDXRadius.  A step-by-step tutorial of this method is shown below, and in the YouTube video Find Zip Codes in a Radius Using Excel.

As an alternative, CDX Technologies also offers a free, downloadable Excel template that automatically identifies locations around a zip code.   This template is especially well-suited for use with very long address lists, since the template code accesses CDXZipStream functions directly (versus using Excel worksheet functions) which increases calculational speed.  Please refer to our links resource for CDXZipStream template downloads.

Find exact locations within a radius area:  Sometimes zip codes are just not accurate enough, so when you need to use exact locations for a radius analysis, use a combination of two CDXZipStream functions.  First use CDXLocateMP to find the latitude and longitude of each address, then CDXDistance2WP to calculate the straight-line distance between each latitude/longitude point and the central point of interest.   The Excel autofilter feature can then quickly find the locations that meet the radius distance criteria.  This multi-step process is explained in detail in our blog post How to Very Accurately Filter Adresses Based on Distance.

Map an Area:  You can also use the CDXRadius function to map a radius around a zip code.  Specify the target zip code and radius distance, and request the output as a radius map.  

Need a drive time map that delineates the area within a specific driving time of a location?  Specify the target zip and drive time, and request the output as a drive time map (using the CDXRadius function again).  The drive time area is shown in red and is typically a polygon, reflecting variations in road conditions and driving speeds:

Geographic area analysis can be a critical component of activities ranging from target marketing to product delivery.  Remember CDXZipStream when you need a fast and economical area analysis that meets your business needs.

Locating Your Data with the CDXZipStream Interface

 

The main CDXZipStream interface, developed from our patent, allows you to specify exactly where the demographic data you request is placed in your Excel worksheet.  According to our client feedback, it does a very good job of managing the hundreds of variables available from the CDXZipStream database, while allowing the user to control how the data is returned so it won’t overwrite or otherwise interfere with existing worksheet entries.   Let’s take a look at some of the special features of this interface:

Adding Fields

Once you’ve selected the desired data feed (such as CDXZipCode, CDXAreaCode, etc.), you can use the “Data Fields” area to pick and choose which fields from the feed you would like to return to the worksheet.  Especially since some data feeds can contain over a hundred fields, remember to use the CTRL and SHIFT keys to easily select the right combination of fields:   

- Hold down the SHIFT key while using the cursor to select the first and last fields of a block.

- Hold down the CTRL key while using the cursor to select individual, non-contiguous fields.

- Hold down the CTRL key while using the cursor to de-select individual fields within an already highlighted block of fields.

You can also add blank fields that will skip over an area of the worksheet if you would like to either retain the data already there, or to make room for areas you will need later for calculations involving the returned demographic data.  Just click on the “Add Blank” button to add one or more blanks – it will show up as “ ------“ in the selected fields list.

You can also edit the selected fields list if necessary.  As discussed above, use the SHIFT and CTRL keys with the cursor to highlight fields in this list, and then click on the “Remove” button to take them off the list.  You can also change the order of the fields here using the up and down buttons on the right.  

Keep in mind that after the data is returned to your worksheet, CDXZipStream will “remember” the last selected fields list and all associated settings during the current session of Excel  -  you won’t have to re-specify the selected fields unless you want to make a change.  

Selecting Settings

The main CDXZipStream interface also has a “Settings” button that can be used to specify more general ways to insert data.  These settings are also accessible from the “Applications Settings” icon on the main CDXZipStream toolbar.  (Please see Using Application Settings on the Main CDXZipStream Toolbar for more information.)

The two settings applicable to our discussion here are the

- Index List:  This allows for returned data to be imported as rows or columns, depending upon the configuration of the index list.   The “index” is the input data you provide, such as zip codes, area codes, county, state, etc.  For example, if you have indices such as zip codes listed in a single column in your worksheet, specify the indices are listed in a column and the returned data will also be returned as columns.   Conversely, zip codes listed across a single row will require returned data in rows.  

- Data Fields Location:  In cases where there is already data next to the index list, you can specify here whether you prefer to overwrite the existing data and place the returned data immediately next to the index list, or let CDXZipStream find a blank area of the worksheet where the returned data will not overwrite any pre-existing data.  Regardless of your choice here, there will be no impact on the selections made previously in the selected fields list; these selections, including any blank fields, will be retained.  Selecting the second option here, where data is not overwritten, is helpful when you want to retain a historical record of the returned data.

Please also refer to our quickstart video below for a short demonstration of how to use the CDXZipStream interface:

The YouTube version is available here: CDXZipStream Tutorial