How best to integrate GPS data into WinTOTAL?

Jeff Jones, Research Fellow

It seems we as a labs group have embraced the concept of GPS device integration into the WinTOTAL interface. (See last article on GPS and geocoding.) I think we all agree it's a sound concept, but the questions range from the most obvious — like how best to implement it and can it be made part of a future update to Aurora — to the more abstract, such as will the end user actually understand and utilize the tool. My intent here is take the time to summarize (as I see it), the progress we've made so far as well as to offer some direction for the future.

As I wrote in last month's paper, the initial concept of better integrating GPS data into the formfilling software came out of a need I saw from field appraisers, especially those who work in areas of significant new development and vacant land. My home market of Atlanta certainly qualifies in this regard. These WinTOTAL users desperately need a simple and effective tool for bypassing the inaccuracy of online mapping for properties that have not yet had their geocoding data captured by the major map providers. These properties are consistently placed incorrectly on the user's map pages. WinTOTAL currently provides very basic functionality for manually entering map (GPS) coordinates but the process can be cumbersome, sometimes inaccurate and subject to error.

Our discussions over the last few weeks have taken us down two similar but divergent paths. My intent is to address those separately, however I certainly see the value in both. In fact, if developed from the onset with each other in mind, the two would complement each other quite well. One is very simple and the other a little more involved, but providing more "long term" data. On the other hand, we should take care not to allow these tools to become just two different ways of accomplishing the same result.

The Map Wizard Approach

Initial discussions focused on a very simple tool integrated into the current Wizard inside the Maps Powerview that would give the user a choice, property by property and comp by comp, of either using the property's address as the determining factor for map placement or using latitude/longitude coordinates provided by a portable GPS device.

If the user chooses street addresses, the Wizard works as it does now for those properties. If, however, the user chooses lat/long for any or all of the properties, the user can then either enter that information manually or, for "supported" devices, the user has available to them a tool to automatically import that information from their attached portable GPS device. "Supported Devices" would be those portable GPS units that have been tested and an integration module developed that would allow data from the device to populate the appropriate fields in the WinTOTAL Map Wizard. Obviously, not all GPS devices would be supported, but it stands to reason once integration is configured for a particular manufacturer (i.e. Garmin or Magellan), it would apply to most of the devices in their product line.

Devices in general would range from standalone handheld GPS units to GPS enabled SmartPhones/PDAs to automobile fixed and portable navigation units. In theory, any device that could supply latitude/longitude coordinates and be connected in some manner to a PC or laptop could be made a "supported device" so long as a data export module could be developed.

The basic difference between the Map Wizard Approach and the next technique, the Comps Import Approach other than were each function is located, is how the data is used. It's important to note that using the Map Wizard Approach does not save the lat/long data in any way. The information is used to locate the property for mapping purposes and is then discarded. This is very similar to the difference between the existing features: "QuickPix" and "Images on Disk" in the Photos Powerview. QuickPix saves the images to a database with descriptors for use later and Images on Disk simply allows the user to browse to the desired image, insert it into the report and disregard the rest. Users who know the difference will use one or the other technique but rarely both.

The Map Wizard Approach would be more likely to suit those users who do not use their comps database. It would be very simple to use, intuitive and for the most part automated so long as the user is connecting a supported device.

The Comps Database Approach

As with the Maps Wizard Approach, the Comps Database Approach relies on users recording lat/long data for field properties using a portable GPS device. Also, like the Maps Wizard Approach, it benefits from the user connecting a "Supported Device" in order to automate the data transfer process. Where it differs is the intended use of the data and where the process is carried out. The data gathered during this process would be appended to other data gathered for the comparable and stored for future use in the WinTOTAL Comps Database. Obviously, this feature would likely reside somewhere in the Comps Powerview.

While the drawback of this approach vs. the Map Wizard is the additional steps required the bring the data into the Comps Database and to then download a location map, the advantage is the lat/long data is now stored for that comparable in the database for future use. This feature would also benefit and actually supplement the "Comps Geocoding" feature already in place in WinTOTAL since that feature is only reliable for those properties that are "geocodeable." This approach would allow users to apply those coordinates to properties that otherwise would not be found when WinTOTAL performs a scheduled Comps Geocoding.

I see this approach as a more advanced feature for those "power users" who use their Comps Database extensively. It's not the simple tool that we originally discussed, but if developed properly, could be of great benefit to those users. Like QuickPix vs. Images on Disk, it will be a tool used as a more advanced alternative to the Maps Wizard Approach.

Please click the Send Feedback button below and let us know which of the two methods above would be best for the way you do business. Or suggest another way. Your feedback has been extremely valuable already.

Now, go to the GPS project integration page