Generating Scatter Data with Excel in a US Map

[motown]

So I've been looking for something that will allow me to take information in a state by state format and graph it on an actual map. As of late I've been using MS MapPoint for some trial and error and I'm really torn on buying it or not. I dislike some of the features and the limited scope to NA and Europe. My basis is more Global these days and I don't want to say no to a client simply due to their data being primarily in India or China.

I want to be able to graph out 500-1000 data points as needed and have one pin for each point. My limiting factor is that NY may have 300 of those points, and other surrounding cities down the east coat may have the other 700. So showing volume in various ways is a key aspect with the "State" being about as specific as I can get right now.

Any thoughts on how to do this? Add Ins that I'm not seeing or links here I've missed?

Thanks!

[WHER]

Maybe this can give you some ideas, it was posted here some weeks ago, there's a link to the original thread on Sheet1.

[motown]

This has me a bit more lost. I think I may be looking at picking up someones software add-in to allow myself to use Maps in my graphing.

[jj72uk]

WHER,

I think he/she is wanting graphical world maps/locations to be able to pin points on instead of using MS mappoint right?

[jj72uk]

If you have excel 2000 or before it comes with Microsoft Data Map built in, I dont know how good this would be as im not sure how detialed the maps are.

Other than this I'd suggest googling for excel map add in, or something along them lines.

[shg]

You can get a map of the US and use it as the backround of a chart (I crop NASA Blue Marble imagery for this purpose, but you probably want a political map.) If you know the map projection, you can convert lat/longs to chart positions; equirectangular projection is simple scaling, others would be more difficult.