How do I import MapPoint waypoints and use them with the Routing Manager?

Maptitude can import waypoints from MapPoint and Streets & Trips. A point layer is created that can be used with the Routing Manager to create directions. You will need to have MapPoint running on the computer/server that you have Maptitude on.

Maptitude keeps all of the MapPoint stop attributes such as name, stop number/sequence, overnights, whether the stop is a start/intermediate/end type stop, stop times, whether a quickest or shortest route, and preferred arrival and departure times. The Maptitude Routing Manager can use all of these attributes to recreate your route.

The following steps outline how to import your MapPoint Waypoints and create a route with them:

1. From the Home Window, choose Open a file and click OK.
2. Change the type of file to “Microsoft Streets & Trips/ AutoRoute File (*.est,*.axe)”
3. Browse to find the file that contains your waypoints and choose Open.
4. Make sure to check the box for RouteWaypoints, along with any other features you would like to open.
5. The waypoints will be added to the map as a new layer.
6. Click on the Routing Manager button  or go to Tools-Routing & Directions-Routing & Directions Manager to open the Routing Manager tools.
7. The Routing Manager allows you to add stops in several ways; clicking on the map, entering an address or ZIP code, or by adding map features from a layer or selection set. The third method will allow you to add the Waypoints to the route.
8. In the Routing Manager, click on the Add locations based on a selection set button . Choose the following settings:
   • Layer: Choose the layer you just added that contains your waypoints
   • Features: All Features
   • Order by: Choose the field that contains the stop order for each point
   • Stop Name: Choose the field that contains the identifying information for that point
   • Under times you can select fields to control the time spent at each stop, or when you need to Arrive at and Depart from each location.
   • Click OK when you are done. This will add all your waypoint locations to the Routing Manager. 
9. The tools in the Routing Manager allow you to choose your start and stop locations, set the itinerary, and adjust your route preferences. For more details on using the Routing Manager, please see our tutorial here.
10. Once the settings are complete, choose Get Directions to create a route that visits the stops in your selected order. To visit the stops using the shortest or fastest route choose Optimize.
11. The resulting route can be exported to a PDF with turn by turn directions or to an Excel file with a list of the stops in order.