How a module for Bitrix24 from Avivi will help work with Google Maps to determine locations

More and more business software has mandatory integration with various maps, but the undisputed leader is Google Maps. The reason is simple: it is not only an accurate map of the territory, but also a platform with many useful tools for customer interaction and marketing activity. Each user has the opportunity to actually create their own map, where they mark exactly what their business needs, not competitors. There are many ways in which such a map may be needed:

●     To inform customers about business infrastructure;

●     To display feedback from previous customers;

●     To find out the ability to fulfill the order and calculate the time;

●     For laying routes by customers and much more.

It was with a request for help in determining the possibility of customer service using Google Maps that other customers turned to Avivi. At this moment, they have already completed part of the mandatory tasks from the project, namely the integration of Bitrix24 with the Google Maps Platform and the creation of their own map with the necessary zoning. This part belongs to the competence of clients, since only they know their business best, and working with Google maps does not require special knowledge and skills. However, if necessary and in the presence of a clear technical task, Avivi specialists can take over this part of the work and implement the project comprehensively. However, the development of a module — a custom Bitrix24 component that allows the system to interact with the Google Maps Platform — is purely the competence of our developers.

Tasks of the project and terms of use of cards

Let's consider a request from a client — this will allow us to better understand his need and match it with our expectations for custom functionality. Our clients need to enter data about the location of their clients directly from the map — that is, to receive information from a pin that the manager manually places on the map at the time of finding out the client's address. The address appears in the corresponding standard field of the Lead card. The next important step is a message from Bitrix24 whether customer service is possible in a specific location. We will not specify what form of interaction is required: delivery of goods, departure of employees to perform installation work, or anything else — it is not essential. The only thing that matters is whether it is possible. The business of our customers is limited to the territory, within which they themselves determine where their work is possible, where it is absolutely impossible and where this issue is not defined and needs clarification. You need to get this result immediately after finding out the address of the new client.

The Google Maps Platform service provides a wide list of APIs that allow you to implement the desired solution. First of all, you need to have a user account on this platform and get a Google Maps API key. We talked about this in more detail in another article of our blog “Integrating of your site with Google Maps is a powerful tool for increasing conversions”, which may also be useful for you. The integration of Bitrix24 with the Google Maps Platform is automatic and does not require special efforts: we simply enter the data received from the service in the necessary fields and save the changes. That's all.

Now your Bitrix24 can interact with the map from Google and automatically enter address data into the Lead card from the general public map. However, this is not quite the solution we need, as a public map contains a lot of information other than what you need, namely clear location boundaries.

Google Maps Platform allows users to create maps with individual markup. Thanks to the API, other software, such as Bitrix24, can receive your input and perform logical operations. So Aviva's customers have created three types of locations within the geography of their business:

●     It is possible to work — green color;

●     There is no possibility to work — red color;

●     The question is not defined (at the discretion of the manager) — yellow color.

Each type of location is assigned a corresponding unique status. In general, this is enough to create additional functionality for Bitrix24.

Google Maps Location module from Avivi

The new module from the developers of our team is written exclusively in PHP and is an independent component of Bitrix24 on-premise. This software works in parallel with the system, does not reduce its performance and remains intact even when the local version of Bitirx24 is updated. To use the module, you must first install it and enter the necessary data:

In the URL field, you need to insert a link to an individual map created and marked in the Google Maps Platform account. In case of replacing the card with another one, you just need to insert a new link here. The module synchronizes information with the Google Maps database, so Bitrix24 will receive any changes made to the map. By default, synchronization occurs every 86400 seconds, that is, every 24 hours. If necessary, this time can be changed to any time. For the needs of the module, a separate table has been created in the system, which looks something like this:

You may have already guessed that this is what the entries for each of the selected zones on your Google map look like. As many marks you make on the map, as many records of the same plan will appear in this table. These are, so to speak, the "innards" of our module, but the most interesting thing happens in the Lead card.

So now, if the manager processing the customer's order puts a pin on the map in the part where work is possible, Bitrix24 will not only automatically fill in the "Address" field, but also identify such a possibility and show it in a custom field:

Otherwise, another disappointing result will appear in this field — the activity is restricted:

We do not consider the case when the information is missing, because in this case the decision must be made by the employee, not by Bitrix24.

Results

The Google Maps Location module is a good example of custom functionality for Bitrix24 that receives and processes information from a third-party platform to facilitate the work of your employees. This solution is ready to use as is. But it is clear that your business will necessarily require other conditions. The good news is that Avivi developers are happy to create all the necessary features specifically for your case. We can also help with Google Maps Platform, but that's another conversation. So don't delay, contact Avivi managers and let's develop your business together!