Our Microsoft Excel add-in CDXZipStream contains Bing-related functions that can do driving and route calculations, geocode and reverse geocode, look up postal codes and verify address information. To use Bing Maps as the source of mapping data for these functions, the first step is to get a Bing Maps license key. Free basic keys for evaluation purposes can be created from the Microsoft website, or you can purchase an enterprise version from Microsoft resellers such as Onterra Systems.
To get a free basic key:
1. Go to the Bing Maps Dev Center and sign in with your Microsoft Account. (You can use the same sign-in credentials you may already use for Office, Outlook, or Skype.) If you don't have an account, you have the opportunity to create one from the sign-in page; there is no cost or obligation associated with having a Microsoft account.
2. After signing in, you will be forwarded to a page with a "My Account" menu. Select "My Keys" and on the next page click on the link for creating a new key.
3. Next you'll see a box, shown below, with several fields to fill in:
4. Click on "Create" and you will see your new Bing Maps key and related details listed. To the right of the key select "Copy key". If your browser doesn't allow you to use the "Copy key" link, you can also highlight the key with your cursor and use CNTL-C to copy it.
5. Now you can open Excel and from the "Settings" icon on the CDXZipStream commandbar, click on "Bing Maps Settings", then "Set Bing Maps Key", and use the keyboard shortcut CTRL-V to paste the new key into CDXZipStream.
Below is a detailed, step-by-step tutorial on how to get a free Bing Maps key and enter it in CDXZipStream:
To get an enterprise key:
Contact an authorized Microsoft reseller for an enterprise Bing Maps key. Reseller Onterra Systems provides enterprise keys for $300 per year that cover up to 5 users and provide 100k data requests per day. We have found that this license works well for high volume CDXZipStream applications. You can contact Onterra using their on-line order form. If you work for a larger organization, please check with your IT department first to see if you already have access to a key as part of a Microsoft enterprise agreement. Microsoft also provides a good review of Bing Maps licensing options on its website.