Create routes from imported stop lists

You can import stations of a route from a text file with the CSV file extension. Please note that the file to be imported must fulfill certain conventions. You can create these stop lists from PTV Map&Guide Internet, for example.

Several options are available for the import:

  • Importing a stop list via the "Load route" panel

  • Importing stop lists via drag&drop on the map view in the route planner

  • Importing a stop list via drag&drop in the stop list in the route planner

These options are described in the following sections.

Please note that when importing via CSV file, the upper limit of 250 stops/via points also applies. If your CSV file contains more than 250 stops, only the first 250 will be imported.

Importing a stop list via the "Import stops" function

If you have already started to create a stop list in the route planner, you can call up the "Import stops" function via the "Route functions" button (three dots in the header of the stop list).

Under the tab "Import" you can import a CSV file. A distinction is made here between two procedures:

  • Add stops
    You can use this function to import a CSV file. The stops contained in the file are added to the existing stops in your list.

  • Replace stops
    You can use this function to import a CSV file. The stops contained in the file replace the existing stops in your list.

In both cases, you can import the CSV file either

  • via drag&drop into the designated area

  • using the link "click here to browse for your file" in the relevant area. In this case, you will be given the option to navigate to the desired file via a Windows Explorer window.

    Please note that the file to be imported must fulfil certain conventions. These are explained in the section "Conventions of the CSV file for the import". You can download a sample file via the button < Download the import template> at the bottom of the tab.

Importing stop lists via drag&drop on the map view in the route planner

You can drag&drop the file to be imported into the interface of PTV Map&Guide. If you drag the file into the map view, a highlighted area (drop zone) appears in which you can drop the file.

As soon as you drop the file there, the stops contained in the file are adopted as a new list for a route in the left-hand window panel. If a list or route already exists there, the imported file is created as a list for a second route. If two lists / routes already exist, no further files can be imported via drag&drop in the map view - the drop zone does not appear in this case.

Tip: You can also import two files at the same time using the drag&drop method. If you drag two files into the drop zone at the same time, two lists are created in parallel on the left-hand side of the screen.
Attention: If you have already created a list / route and import two CSV files at the same time using drag&drop, the existing route will be overwritten and thus lost. This cannot be undone.

Importing a stop list via drag&drop in the stop list in the route planner

You can drag&drop the file to be imported into the interface of PTV Map&Guide.

If you have already started a list and drag the file into the list, two highlighted areas (drop zones) appear in which you can drop the file.

  • If you drop the file in the drop zone "Add stops", the stops contained in the file are appended to the list already started in the left-hand window panel.

  • If you drop the file in the drop zone "Replace stops", the stops contained in the file are adopted as a new list for a route in the left-hand window panel and the existing stops are discarded.

    Note: In this scenario, you can only import one file at a time using the drag&drop method. If you drag two files into a drop zone of the lists at the same time, this has no effect.

Conventions of the CSV file for the import

If you have exported your stop list as a CSV file from PTV Map&Guide Internet, it complies with the conventions that must be adhered to for import into PTV Map&Guide .

However, should you wish to make manual changes to such a file or even create a file manually, please note the structure of the file shown below and the comments below it.

Column Meaning Example Remark/Notes
A Country NL
B* Postal code 1036 For postal codes in the Netherlands, it is recommended to enter only the four numbers and to enter the street and house number in column D for a better geocoding result.
C* Location Amsterdam
D* Street and house number Frambozenstraat 7
E Duration of stop in minutes 20
F Time slot 1 - from 08:00
G Time slot 1 - to 09:00
H-K These columns are currently not evaluated.
L Comment No deliveries on Fridays
M** X-coordinate (longitude) 4.89367 Compatible with all standard coordinate formats, e.g. WGS84 (decimal)
N** Y-coordinate (latitude) 52.40934 Compatible with all standard coordinate formats, e.g. WGS84 (decimal)
O Loading in kg 500
P Unloading in kg 100
Q-Y These columns are currently not evaluated.
Z Stop-off point costs (amount) 12.50 If you enter a value in column Z, you must specify the currency in column AA.
AA Stop-off point costs (currency) EUR Currently only the value EUR is supported.

* Address columns: As long as the columns M and N contain correct coordinates, it is not necessary to enter address data in the columns B-D to geocode the stop. Rather, you can then use these columns to enter your own designations for the stop (e.g. the name of the customer at the stop).

Please note that the coordinates must not be converted into a number format, e.g. by editing in Microsoft Excel, but must be in plain text format.

** Coordinates: If correct address data is entered in columns B-D, it is not necessary to enter coordinates in columns M and N to geocode the stop. The coordinates are then calculated from the address data during import. See the following subchapter “Quality of geocoding”.

Quality of geocoding

The quality of the data contained in columns A-D of the CSV file affects the quality of the geocoding of the stops (if no coordinates are included in columns M and N).

If this address data is insufficient to clearly determine the location of a stop, Map&Guide will attempt to geocode the possible position of the stop using a threshold value of matching criteria. You will be notified of any poor-quality data by messages displayed in the stop list. In such cases you should check the address data to ensure it is correct, as the automatically geocoded stop may not correspond to the desired stop destination and in extreme cases may be in a different country.

If this threshold is not reached for a stop, the position of this stop cannot be geocoded.

If the imported CSV file contains stops that cannot be geocoded, you will be notified by a message. This means that the stop list then contains invalid positions and the route cannot be calculated.