Excel Power Map (Create, Customize & Share)

Learn how to produce stunning geographic data visualizations as we explore the fascinating world of Excel Power Map. You can create dynamic and interactive maps out of your everyday data using Excel Power Map. Power Map enables you to find patterns, highlight trends, and convey insights in a visually appealing way, whether you’re studying sales data, population trends, or any other location-based information. Join us as we delve into the creation of compelling Power Maps to reveal the potential to bring your data to life and gain a fresh perspective on it.

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Using Power Map in Excel.xlsx

How to Enable Power Map Add-ins in Excel

You can enable Power Map Add-ins in Excel by following the path: File>> Options.
An Excel Options window appears. In that window, go to Add-ins>> Manage: COM Add-ins>> select Microsoft Power Map for Excel>>click OK.

How to Create a Power Map

Go to the Insert tab>> choose 3D Map>> click Open 3D Maps.

You need to expand the Data to enter the field on the map.

You must choose the Location column by first clicking on the plus symbol in the Location box.

In the Height box, you must click the plus sign(+).
You then need to choose the Living Cost ($) after clicking on the plus sign(+).
Under Category, select your category column.

Modify the Height, Thickness, Opacity, and Color in the Layer Options. In the drop-down menu under Color select different Category Options from the column and assign individual color to each Category Options.

How to Add a New Custom Power Map

First of all to create a custom map in Excel, go to the Insert tab>> choose 3D Map>> click Open 3D Maps.

Launch 3D Maps window appears. Select New Tour from that window.

After that, the 3D Maps window appears. Now in this window, select New Scene>> New Custom Map.

A Custom Map Options window appears. From that window, select your preferred map as we have selected a map for demonstration.

Now we need to add our preferred fields under the Data menu. Under the Location option, select Add Field. Excel will automatically show your available data range from your Excel file. Here we have selected X Coordinate from Range 1.

Now you need to select the data type you have just entered as a field for your custom map. Click on the drop-down menu beside Select One and choose X Coordinate as the data type.

At this moment, you need to add the rest of the fields for your custom map. Here we have selected the Y Coordinate from Range 1 and choose the Y Coordinate as the data type. Moreover, we have selected a Population from Range 1.
Select the Min and Max of X Coordinate and Y Coordinate of your preferred map in the Custom Map Options window. If you don’t want to set Min and Max, you can select the AutoFit option. Remember to select this stage carefully to fit your data into your custom map. Also, you can drag the coordinate to fit data into your map.
Lastly, to secure your data fitted in the map, you can mark the box beside Lock current coordinate values. And finally, click on Apply.

Finally, we get the final output of the Population distribution in the custom map.

How to Change Data Sources of 3D Maps

In the following image, we have shown the data and Living Cost ($) distribution in Power Map side by side.

Click Refresh Data in the 3D Maps after updating your data in Excel.

You can alter the appearance of your map by clicking on the Map Labels and Flat Map.

How to Share 3D Power Maps

1. Using Capture Screen Command

In the 3D Maps window, choose “Capture Screen” from the Ribbon.

The 3D Maps image will be saved to your clipboard after this process. Press Ctrl+V after opening a document, such as a Google Doc.

2. Create a Sharable Video File Using the Create Video Options

Turn on the Tour Editor first by clicking it in the ribbon.

The gear icon named “Change scene options” is selected in Scene 1.
The Scene Options dialog box appears, and after that, enter the values listed below:
Scene duration(sec) – 3.00.
Transition duration(sec) – 1.00.
Effect: Rotate Globe.

Choose “Create Video” next. The “Create Video” dialog box will now appear.
Choose “Quick Export & Mobile” next. You can choose the other options depending on the quality of the video you want.
Select Create after that.

Afterward, the Save dialog box will appear.
Next, select your directory. Type a file name or use the default.
Press Save.

The progress bar for our video encoding process is now visible.
Once it is finished, click Close.

The result of our video file is shown here. You can share this video file in your document.

Things to Remember

Power Map Introduction: You can plot geographic and temporal data on a globe or custom map using Excel’s 3D data visualization tool, Power Map. You can use it to make interactive, beautiful maps to analyze and present your data.
Data Requirements: For a Power Map to function properly, certain data structures are necessary. Make sure your data contains geographic details like a nation, a city, a region, or latitude and longitude coordinates. Animated visualizations require time-based data, such as dates or time periods, to be created.
Customizing the Map: Power Map offers several options for modifying the look and behavior of your map. You can change the map view, select a different map theme, apply filters to concentrate on data, alter the settings for data visualization, and alter the animation time settings.
Interacting with the Map: Power Map makes your map visualization interactive. Zooming in and out, rotating the map, selecting specific map components to view a larger version, and pausing and pausing the animation are all possible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Is Power Map available in all Excel versions?

Answer: Power Map is only available in certain versions of Excel, including Excel 2016 and later versions. These versions include Excel 2013 Professional Plus. Check to see if Power Map is supported in your version of Excel. We have used Microsoft Excel with a Microsoft 365 subscription which is the latest version of Excel.

Q2. Can Power Maps be exported to other formats?

Answer: Yes, you can share Power Maps across platforms and embed them in other programs by exporting them as videos or images.

Q3. How can Power Map help with my data analysis?

Answer: By presenting your data in an interesting and simple map format, Power Map makes it possible for you to spot patterns and trends in it, especially in location-based data. It enables you to gather important insights and effectively convey them.

Conclusion

In this article, we looked at Excel’s power map capacity to produce eye-catching visualizations of geographic data. By carefully following the provided step-by-step instructions, you can now use dynamic maps to analyze trends, identify patterns, and convey insights. Making decisions based on data can be done clearly and effectively with Power Map, which can transform your data into captivating visual stories. To improve your Excel data analysis skills, harness the power of Power Map.

Excel Power Map: Knowledge Hub

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