How to Buy Mapping Software

Planning a trip is easier when you know where places are and how to get to there. Road maps and online mapping services help, but neither offers the amount of information in a good mapping software application. Mapping software is available not only for planning trips by car, but also for backwoods camping, hiking and business applications. Here's what to look for in mapping software.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Decide why you need mapping software. If you're planning a pleasure trip by car, you need a road map showing the routes to your destination and what you can find along the way. If you're going hiking, you need a topographic map showing mountains, hills, valleys, lakes and forests. If you're going to make a business presentation, you need mapping software that works with your database software to plot locations and make demographic projections.
2. Determine how much you can afford to spend for mapping software. The more features a program has, the more it will cost. Expect to spend from $35 to $150 for road or topographic map software and up to $500 for business mapping software.
3. Evaluate special features according to how much you expect to use them. Knowing the location of gas stations in advance is a good idea, particularly when you're running low on fuel, as are the locations of public restrooms and points of interest, along with the ability to plan alternate routes.
4. Look at the system requirements for the mapping software applications you are considering. Most Windows-based programs run with the current or most recent versions of Windows, but if you are still running an older version, you may not find a program compatible with your version.
5. Check for interoperability with existing hardware and software you own. If you own a personal digital assistant, look for software that works on it or can download maps to it. If you own or plan to get a Global Positioning System unit, look for mapping software that works with it. If you use certain database software in your business, look for mapping software that you can import data into from your database program.
6. Get software with an easy-to-use interface that produces easy-to-read maps that you can customize with the things that are most important to you.

Tips & Warnings

• GPS-enabled mapping software is often available from companies who manufacture GPS units, such as DeLorme and Magellan.

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