How to Do Route Planning Using Excel and Create Your Own Template

Many small businesses rely on Google Maps as a free and easy-to-use route planner. Whether you’ve used it to find directions to a restaurant or check real-time traffic updates, Google Maps is accessible and familiar. By combining it with Excel, you can create a multi-stop route plan that fits your business needs.

However, using Google Maps for route planning comes with a few challenges:

• Google Maps allows up to 10 stops per route (expandable with tools like More Than 10).
• Google My Maps increases this to 100 stops, but stops must be grouped into batches of 10.
• There’s no built-in way to optimize routes based on constraints like delivery windows or vehicle capacities.
• Drive times exclude the time spent at stops, which can affect route accuracy.

Despite these limitations, Google Maps paired with Excel can be a great solution for small-scale route planning. Let’s walk through the process.

Planning Routes with Google Maps

Google Maps makes it simple to plan and visualize routes.

• Prepare Your Spreadsheet in Excel

Organize your stops in a table with the following columns:

• Add Stops to Google Maps
• Copy the first address from your spreadsheet.
• Open Google Maps and click Directions.
• Paste the address as the starting point.
• Continue adding addresses as stops until you reach the limit of 10 stops.
• Reorder Stops for Efficiency

Drag and drop stops in the list to create a more logical or efficient route.

• Save or Share the Route

Once the route is finalized, save it for reference or share it with your drivers.

💡 For step-by-step visuals, explore the guide on creating multi-stop routes in Google Maps.

Using Google My Maps for Larger Routes

Google My Maps allows for up to 100 stops, but with additional setup steps.

1. Export Your Data to CSV:

• • In Excel, go to File > Save As and choose CSV as the file format.
    
    
  • Ensure your data includes columns for stop addresses and any other details like names or delivery notes.
    

2. Import Your CSV File into My Maps:

• • Visit My Maps and click Create a New Map.
    
    
  • Use the Import option to upload your CSV file.

3. Plot Stops on the Map:

• • Choose the address column to position stops on the map.
    
    
  • Assign names or titles to each stop based on your spreadsheet.
    

4. Group Stops into Batches

My Maps allows up to 10 stops per layer. Organize stops into layers for routes, keeping each batch manageable.

5. Build Delivery Routes:

Click on a stop to start directions, then add other stops manually.

Drag and reorder stops to refine the route.

Workarounds for Route Timing

To address Google Maps’ lack of stop-duration data:

• Batch stops into morning and afternoon routes for better control.
  
  
• Manually estimate the time spent at each stop and add it to the total travel time.
  
  

Benefits and Limitations of Route Planning on Google Maps Using Excel

Benefits:

• Free and Accessible: Works on desktop and mobile devices.
  
  
• Familiarity: Easy to use for personal and professional purposes.
  
  
• Visualization: Provides a clear map view with traffic updates.
  
  

Limitations:

• Requires manual optimization for stop sequences.
  
  
• Limited to 10 stops per route without additional tools.
  
  
• Lacks features for complex logistics like time windows and driver breaks.
  
  

By combining Google Maps with Excel, you can create efficient, small-scale route plans. For larger or more complex operations, consider integrating additional tools or upgrading to dedicated route optimization software. 

Google Maps is a practical tool for small-scale route planning with up to 100 stops. However, as businesses grow, managing routes manually becomes increasingly complex. Mid-to-large-scale operations often require more advanced solutions that can handle higher volumes, diverse constraints, and optimization needs.