Overlay shapes on a map image based on map coordinates

[ker_01]

I have a series of zip codes with latitude and longitude coordinates in Excel
that represent company stores.

I'd like to overlay those on a map of the USA, using those coordinates as
the centerpoints of semi-transparent circle autoshapes. First, this allows me
to dynamically (VBA) change the diameter of the circles, to give a visual
representation of coverage based on different people's ideas of what the
maximum coverage distance should be, and second, it shows where there is
overlap between circles.

Right now, I'm thinking of just importing a map image onto a worksheet,
figuring out the basic coodinates on the map edges and translating them into
worksheet coordinates, and calculating each center point based on the
relative difference in map coordinates. That isn't as precise as I'd like,
and I was wondering if anyone else has done something similar, and what
approach you used.

Thank you,
Keith

 

[el dee]

Do you have any access to ArcMap or ArcView software?

 

[ker_01]

I'm afraid not- I have just the standard MS Office package (Office 2003) plus
Visio2007.

I was thinking that the graphical part may be easier to do in Visio, but it
doesn't come with any built-in Lat/Long maps... so I figured if I was just
going to import an image and hack my way to a solution, it would be just as
easy to keep it all in Excel.

Thank you,
keith

 

[el dee]

You may be able to use a combined approach with something like google earth.