I am currently having a Filemaker interface designed for me which is going to be used by sales reps when they go out to visit clients. Basically, they have a list of clients that they need to see and they can click on the client name, then view the client details…they can click a button and view the location on Google Maps too. We have just about finished the current interface, but thinking about the next stage and would like to be able to sort the clients in order of most efficient calls. Is there a way that we can link ROUTEXLinto this?..I am not the actual FM guy, just overseeing the project and putting the feelers out on it. Solution on the FM interface will basically look like this to the user: 1. View list of clients and addresses. Presented in Alpha order initially and by status. 2. Click a button that says “View by most efficient visit route” 3. List of clients sorts into that order regardless of Alpha or status.
There are two ways to link up other systems to RouteXL. There is a deeplink and an API.
The deeplink opens addresses in the RouteXL website. Your system needs to compose an URL holding the addresses. When opened, RouteXL puts all destinations on its map and optimizes the route. It’s an easy and hassle-free solution to link up. Read more here:
https://www.routexl.nl/blog/koppelen-…
The REST API is currently only available in a closed test and not ready for production yet. It allows you to send locations and returns the optimized route, without your users noticing. This requires a bit more programming and you’ll need to geocode addresses yourself.
The latter seems more fit for your requirements, but you may want to start off with the deeplink. If you’d like to help and test the API, send us an e-mail at info@routexl.com
We aim for the API to go public in Q1 2015.
Thanks for the feedback…
The REST API would no doubt work, I assume it is reasonably instant…but obviously not ready yet. First question is…when do you reckon it might be up and running?
In regards to the deep link - it means an extra step for the FM guy. I understand the logic and might be possible. I will have a chat to him.
This is for phase two of the project anyway. Phase one is not yet launched, just very close. So, once we launch we will need to run the system for a month or two before we go to the next phase. Therefore timing might be ok for the REST API…
Cheers
Jarrod