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Setting Up Branch Locator


Branch Locator allows customers to identify the stores and branches of an organization that are closest to a specified location, such as their home or work. Users (salespeople, customer care representatives, or Siebel eService users) can perform branch location searches based on a city, state, or ZIP Code query. In the result of the search, branches are displayed in order of proximity, along with relevant information such as location names, addresses, operating hours, telephone numbers, and distance. Customers can click on the Directions button, which will open a new browser displaying a third-party interactive direction or map service such as MapQuest.

To deploy Branch Locator functionality, you:

Importing Geocode Data

The geocode data acts as a location reference for your region.

You can import Geocode data in one of two ways:

The imported geocode data resides in the database table (S_ZIPCODE). Table 3 shows the six columns within this database table that must be filled with data.

Table 3. Data Model for S_ZIPCODE Table
Column
Description
ZIP Code
Postal ZIP Code in alphanumeric text.
City
Name of city.
State
Name of state or province. This field may be left empty as applicable to certain countries.
Country
Name of the country.
Latitude
Latitude number (0 to +/- 90; `+' for the Northern Hemisphere and
`-' for the Southern Hemisphere).
Longitude
Longitude number (0 to +/- 180; `+' for the Eastern Hemisphere and
`-' for the Western Hemisphere).

You can import a maximum of 2,000 geocode data records per invocation Import command on the Siebel Call Center Web client. Make sure that your geocode data is stored in a CSV or tab delimited text file that contains the column heading information shown in Table 3.

NOTE:  Siebel Systems makes no guarantees or warranties about the accuracy of the geocode data used by Branch Locator. For the latest and most up-to-date geocode data, consult a geocode data vendor of your choice. The geocode data included in Siebel eService is sourced from www.zipinfo.com with the July 2001 issue of the ZIPList5 Geocode TM product.

To import geocode data with the Import command

  1. From the application-level menu, chose View > Site Map > Application Administration > ZIP Code Administration.
  2. In the ZIP Geocodes list, click the menu button, and then click Import.
  3. The Import dialog box appears.

  4. Click Browse to select an Input File.
  5. This entry will be your geocode data file.

  6. For the Input Format field, select CSV or Tab Delimited text format for your geocode data file.
  7. Select Auto Mapping as the Input Source.
  8. Select Overwrite Existing Records and click Next.
  9. Make sure your Import Fields are matched with Siebel Fields and click Next.
  10. A view log appears when the import process is complete.

You can also import geocode data using Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager (EIM). In its default state, Siebel eService supports the (S_ZIPCODE) data model table with at least the six column fields being filled in with data. See Table 3 for data model table descriptions.

To import data with Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager (EIM), see Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager Administration Guide.

Creating Searchable Branch Locations

To create searchable branch locations, you must:

To create a division for a branch location

  1. From the application-level menu, chose View > Site Map > Group Administration > Divisions.
  2. The Divisions list appears.

  3. In the Divisions list, click New.
  4. Complete the fields as needed.
  5. Select the appropriate organization or channel partner.
  6. NOTE:  For organizations, make sure that the Organization flag is checked. For channel partners, make sure that the Channel Partner flag is checked.

Entering Branch Locations

You can create searchable branch locations manually.

To add new branch locations manually

  1. From the application-level menu, chose View > Site Map > Application Administration > Branch Locator Administration.
  2. The Branch Locations list appears.

  3. From the Branch Locations list, click New.
  4. In the Division field, click the select button.
  5. The Pick a Division dialog box appears.

  6. Select an existing internal division or channel partner and click OK.
  7. Complete the remaining fields. The fields are described in the following table.
  8. Field
    Description
    Branch
    The name you want to display to the user in the results view.
    Category
    The type of category for the branch location.
    Division
    The Division select button will pull the internal divisions and channel partners created in the previous step.
    Address
    This field will be populated automatically by the primary address of the division. You can also select an address other than primary.
    Longitude
    If you do not enter a value, the longitude value for your ZIP Code will be used from the S_ZIPCODE table, based on the ZIP Code you provide in the Address-ZIPCode field.
    Latitude
    If you do not enter a value, the latitude value for your ZIP Code will be used from the S_ZIPCODE table, based on the ZIP Code you provide in the Address-ZIPCode field.

To make other changes to branch location records

To create new categories for branch locations

  1. From the application-level menu, chose View > Site Map > Application Administration > List of Values.
  2. Click New.
  3. In the Type field, click the select button.
  4. The Pick Value Type dialog box appears.

  5. Query for BUSINESS_CATEGORY, and then click OK.
  6. Complete the following fields as needed.
  7. Field
    Description
    Type
    The name of value type that must match the existing Branch Location Category Type, which is BUSINESS_CATEGORY.
    Displayed Value
    The name of category value that will be displayed to the end users.
    Language Independent Code
    The language independent field value that will be used to search for the category. For example, in the Spanish version of Siebel eService, you may see Oficinas de Ventas as the Displayed Value while the Language Independent Code value would still be Sales Offices.

Linking Branch Results to Third-Party Map Services

You can link your Siebel eService Web site to free, third-party, map service providers, such as:

To link branch results to any third-party map service provider, you must change the user property values in the Service Provider Search Engine business service in Siebel Tools. The URL address format and variable values depend on the third-party service providers' URL call. Consult the map providers' latest URL syntax. For information on Siebel Tools, see Siebel Tools Reference.


 Siebel eService Administration Guide 
 Published: 22 May 2003