{"id":29625,"date":"2022-04-07T13:04:52","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T12:04:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/?p=29625"},"modified":"2026-01-13T10:51:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T09:51:14","slug":"how-to-schedule-routes-with-excel-and-optimisation-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/en\/solutions\/how-to-schedule-routes-with-excel-and-optimisation-software\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Plan Routes with Excel and Optimisation Software?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">[vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1734433716080{margin-top: 50px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/12&#8243; el_class=&#8221;vc_hidden-xs Extra Small Screen vc_hidden-sm Small Screen&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;10\/12&#8243;][vc_row_inner el_class=&#8221;vc_row-2&#8243;][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;vc_hidden-xs Extra Small Screen vc_hidden-sm Small Screen&#8221; width=&#8221;1\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;10\/12&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1744880854927{margin-top: 5px !important;}&#8221;]<a style=\"text-decoration: none; color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 500;\" href=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/en\/blog\/\">Blog<\/a> &gt; <a style=\"text-decoration: none; color: #551cb0; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 500;\" href=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/en\/blog\/delivery\/\">Delivery<\/a>\u00a0&gt; <span style=\"color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 18px;\">How to Plan Routes with Excel and Optimisation Software?<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]\n<h1>How to Plan Routes with Excel and Optimisation Software?<\/h1>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]\n<p class=\"text-head\" style=\"color: #424762; font-size: 16px;\">Published on <span style=\"font-weight: 500;\">7 April 2022<\/span> <span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\"> \u2022 Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 8<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">min read<\/span><\/span>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-75825\" style=\"border-radius: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"847\" srcset=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-1.jpg 1629w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-1-300x159.jpg 300w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-1-1024x542.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-1-768x406.jpg 768w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-1-1536x813.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-1-260x138.jpg 260w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-1-50x26.jpg 50w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-1-142x75.jpg 142w\" sizes=\"(max-width:767px) 700px, (max-width:1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;vc_hidden-xs Extra Small Screen vc_hidden-sm Small Screen&#8221; width=&#8221;1\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner el_class=&#8221;vc_row-2&#8243;][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;vc_hidden-xs Extra Small Screen vc_hidden-sm Small Screen&#8221; width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;8\/12&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]If you manage a small team of delivery drivers or field workers, it is tempting to use a spreadsheet like Excel or Google Sheets to organise their routes. You are already proficient with this type of tool, which also requires no initial investment. However, some unexpected constraints or a few extra customers can make your carefully prepared schedules unworkable&#8230;<br \/>\nDid you experience similar difficulties? These practical tips and advice should help you to plan the routes of your mobile workers efficiently, using a spreadsheet and route optimisation software.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Table of contents<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul id=\"imglist-3\">\n<li><a href=\"#does-excel-do-the-job-for-planning-routes\"><u>Does Excel do the job for planning routes?<\/u><\/a>\n<ul id=\"imglist-3\">\n<li style=\"margin-top: 10px;\"><a href=\"#the-advantages-and-limits-of-excel-for-planning-routes\"><u>The advantages and limits of Excel for planning routes<\/u><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#excel-and-google-sheets-help-to-plan-routes-but-not-to-optimise-them\"><u>Excel and Google Sheets help to plan routes, but not to optimise them<\/u><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#how-to-optimise-routes-from-the data-in-your-spreadsheet\"><u>How to optimise routes from the data in your spreadsheet?<\/u><\/a>\n<ul id=\"imglist-3\">\n<li style=\"margin-top: 10px;\"><a href=\"#case-1-you-list-your-customers-in-an-excel-file\"><u>Case 1: You list your customers in an Excel file<\/u><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#case-2-you-list-the-tasks-to-be-completed-in-an-excel-file\"><u>Case 2: You list the tasks to be carried out in an Excel file<\/u><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#case-3-your-in-house-software-enables-you-to-export-data-in-excel-or-google-sheets-format\"><u>Case 3: Your in-house software enables you to export data in Excel or Google Sheets format<\/u><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"summary-block\"><strong>Planning delivery or service routes<\/strong> using an <strong>Excel spreadsheet<\/strong> is an effective first step. To improve productivity, companies can combine this method with the use of optimisation software.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"does-excel-do-the-job-for-planning-routes\"><span id=\"Does_Excel_do_the_job_for_planning_routes\">Does Excel do the job for planning routes?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When your company developed or re-internalised its delivery or field service management activities, Excel was an easy and quick solution to implement. But you spend more and more time adjusting your tables and formulas&#8230; and that&#8217;s not surprising!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/app.antsroute.com\/subscription\/creation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-75835 size-full\" style=\"border-radius: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"499\" srcset=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-3.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-3-300x94.jpg 300w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-3-1024x319.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-3-768x240.jpg 768w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-3-1536x479.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-3-260x81.jpg 260w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-3-50x16.jpg 50w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-3-150x47.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width:767px) 700px, (max-width:1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"the-advantages-and-limits-of-excel-for-planning-routes\"><span id=\"The_advantages_and_limits_of_Excel_for_planning_routes\">The advantages and limits of Excel for planning routes<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The software such as Excel or Google Sheets are very useful for listing and <strong>organising multiple data<\/strong> such as :<\/p>\n<ul id=\"imglist\">\n<li>The customer identification details (company name, company identification system, client number, name of manager, etc.).<\/li>\n<li>Their address or geographical location.<\/li>\n<li>Their contact details (e-mail, telephone, etc.).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These spreadsheets also include valuable features for linking cells, and therefore information used in several processes (orders, deliveries, invoicing, etc.). Things get more complicated when you have to manage :<\/p>\n<ul id=\"imglist\">\n<li>Irregular or unusual events (holidays, traffic jams, last-minute cancellations, etc.).<\/li>\n<li>A temporary or long-term increase in the number of workers.<\/li>\n<li>Different skills among employees (licenses, authorizations, more technical operations, etc.).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_100776\" style=\"width: 1610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-100776\" class=\"wp-image-100776\" style=\"border-radius: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/advantages-disadvantages-planning-routes-excel-antsroute.jpg\" alt=\"Diagram showing the advantages and disadvantages of planning routes with Excel.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1044\" srcset=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/advantages-disadvantages-planning-routes-excel-antsroute.jpg 1700w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/advantages-disadvantages-planning-routes-excel-antsroute-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/advantages-disadvantages-planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1024x668.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/advantages-disadvantages-planning-routes-excel-antsroute-768x501.jpg 768w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/advantages-disadvantages-planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1536x1002.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/advantages-disadvantages-planning-routes-excel-antsroute-224x146.jpg 224w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/advantages-disadvantages-planning-routes-excel-antsroute-50x33.jpg 50w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/advantages-disadvantages-planning-routes-excel-antsroute-115x75.jpg 115w\" sizes=\"(max-width:767px) 700px, (max-width:1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-100776\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The advantages and disadvantages of planning routes with Excel.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Do you manage a <strong>team of 2 or 3 drivers<\/strong> who each complete very regular routes? Why not, Excel might be enough. In any other case, the use of a route optimisation software in addition to your usual spreadsheet can save you a lot of time and money.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"excel-and-google-sheets-help-to-plan-routes-but-not-to-optimise-them\"><span id=\"Excel_and_Google_Sheets_help_to_plan_routes_but_not_to_optimise_them\">Excel and Google Sheets help to plan routes, but not to optimise them<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Excel and Google Sheets can help you to organise your routes, by summarising all the relevant information available. But these tools do not help you to optimize your trips, i.e. to make the most of the logistics resources available. These systems, while useful, are simply not designed to do that.<br \/>\nIn the best case, you are sure to have scheduled tasks for every customer to be delivered or visited. In the worst case, you are using far more resources than necessary:<\/p>\n<ul id=\"imglist\">\n<li>Number of kilometres unnecessarily travelled.<\/li>\n<li>Customers not served or overtime.<\/li>\n<li>Excessive fuel consumption.<\/li>\n<li>Increase in driver fatigue and stress.<\/li>\n<li>Increase in customer complaints, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_class=&#8221;vc_hidden-xs Extra Small Screen vc_hidden-sm Small Screen&#8221;]Comparison Table \u2014 Excel vs. Dedicated Route Optimisation Software:[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]\n<div class=\"table-box table-responsive\">\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #551ab6; color: #ffffff; font-weight: 600; font-size: 18px; border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;\">Criteria<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color: #551ab6; color: #ffffff; font-weight: 600; font-size: 18px;\">Excel<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color: #551ab6; color: #ffffff; font-weight: 600; font-size: 18px; border-radius: 0 5px 0 0;\">Route Optimisation Software<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Cost<\/td>\n<td>Low or none (often already available).<\/td>\n<td>Initial investment, but fast return on investment.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-weight: 600; background-color: #f6f2fd;\">Ease of use<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color: #f6f2fd;\">Requires solid knowledge of formulas and macros.<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color: #f6f2fd;\">User-friendly interface with support and assistance.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Route optimisation<\/td>\n<td>Manual, based on user experience.<\/td>\n<td>Automatic, using advanced algorithms that factor in multiple constraints.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-weight: 600; background-color: #f6f2fd;\">Handling unexpected events<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color: #f6f2fd;\">Reactive, requires manual adjustments.<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color: #f6f2fd;\">Proactive, with automatic re-calculation of routes in case of disruptions.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Route visualization<\/td>\n<td>Limited, needs external tools.<\/td>\n<td>Integrated mapping with real-time tracking.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-weight: 600; background-color: #f6f2fd;\">Scalability<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color: #f6f2fd;\">Suitable for small businesses with simple needs.<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color: #f6f2fd;\">Designed to handle large volumes and complex constraints.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Analysis and reporting<\/td>\n<td>Basic, requires advanced skills to build reports.<\/td>\n<td>Detailed reports generated automatically for performance tracking.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]By associating a route optimisation software with your usual spreadsheet, you can achieve a new and much more ambitious objective: organise your resources in an optimal way, taking into account all the business constraints. In other words, software like AntsRoute finds the best possible solution for each route to <strong>meet the needs of your customers and your teams<\/strong>, while improving profitability.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]\n<h2 id=\"how-to-optimise-routes-from-the data-in-your-spreadsheet\"><span id=\"How_to_optimise_routes_from_the_data_in_your_spreadsheet\">How to optimise routes from the data in your spreadsheet?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To optimise your delivery or field service operation routes from the information summarised in your Excel or Google Sheets tables, the AntsRoute team has developed several solutions.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"case-1-you-list-your-customers-in-an-excel-file\"><span id=\"Case_1_You_list_your_customers_in_an_Excel_file\">Case 1: You list your customers in an Excel file<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Many managers continue to manage their customer file with Excel. At the same time, they plan their routes \u201cby hand\u201d, using a navigation application such as Google Maps or Waze. If you are working with this method, there is no doubt about it: adopting a route optimisation solution in addition to Excel is going to save you a lot of time and energy!<\/p>\n<p>To summarise in simple terms, optimisation software considers and calculates every possible scenario for you and then selects the best one. Instead of taking hours to predict what would happen if you assigned a particular task to a given worker, the software determines the most effective options in just a few minutes, thanks to <strong>powerful algorithms<\/strong>.<br \/>\nThen, once all these calculations have been made, AntsRoute gives you a complete roadmap for each field worker, available on the mobile application allowing to use the Waze or Google Maps navigation system.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_100786\" style=\"width: 1610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-100786\" class=\"wp-image-100786\" style=\"border-radius: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"775\" srcset=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1.jpg 1946w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1-300x145.jpg 300w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1-1024x496.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1-768x372.jpg 768w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1-1536x744.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1-260x126.jpg 260w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1-50x24.jpg 50w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-1-150x73.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width:767px) 700px, (max-width:1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-100786\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Importing an Excel file into the AntsRoute route optimization software.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>To optimise your routes effortlessly with AntsRoute, simply import your customer database in .XLS, .XLSX. or .CSV format <a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/support.antsroute.com\/hc\/en-gb\/articles\/4414631305617-Import-the-customer-database\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>by following these instructions<\/u><\/a>, or by contacting our support by phone.<br \/>\nOf course, if you later need to re-export your routes to Excel for invoicing, for example, the data can be transferred just as easily in the other direction!<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"x261dxfe0f_Another_option_you_list_your_customers_in_a_Google_Sheets_file\">&#x261d;&#xfe0f; Another option: you list your customers in a Google Sheets file<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If your company uses the Google Workspace office suite (formerly G Suite), the transfer procedure is essentially the same. The only difference is that before exporting your Google Sheets file to AntsRoute, you must first <a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/support.antsroute.com\/hc\/en-gb\/articles\/4416989132561-Connect-AntsRoute-to-Zapier\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>connect these two applications with Zapier<\/u><\/a>. There is no need to know anything about computer language with this no-code solution, and our support service will help you at every stage!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_75845\" style=\"width: 1610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-75845\" class=\"wp-image-75845\" style=\"border-radius: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-5.jpg\" alt=\"The AntsRoute interface showing the validation of data imported from an Excel file.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"654\" srcset=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-5.jpg 1900w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-5-300x123.jpg 300w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-5-1024x419.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-5-768x314.jpg 768w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-5-1536x628.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-5-260x106.jpg 260w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-5-50x20.jpg 50w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-5-150x61.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width:767px) 700px, (max-width:1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-75845\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Validating data contained in an Excel file on AntsRoute.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"case-2-you-list-the-tasks-to-be-completed-in-an-excel-file\"><span id=\"Case_2_You_list_the_tasks_to_be_carried_out_in_an_Excel_file\">Case 2: You list the tasks to be carried out in an Excel file<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Some companies go even further in their use of Excel, and include in the tables all the data relating to the tasks to be carried out:<\/p>\n<ul id=\"imglist\">\n<li>Dates or deadlines for delivery or field service operation.<\/li>\n<li>Type of services or deliveries ordered.<\/li>\n<li>Number and date of order.<\/li>\n<li>Expected duration.<\/li>\n<li>Time slot of passage.<\/li>\n<li>Comments about delivery, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Again, you can optimise your routes by importing into AntsRoute :<\/p>\n<ul id=\"imglist\">\n<li>Either <a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/support.antsroute.com\/hc\/en-gb\/articles\/4415411502097-Import-a-list-of-field-services-operations-on-fixed-dates-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>a list of tasks with a fixed date<\/u><\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Or <a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/support.antsroute.com\/hc\/en-gb\/articles\/4415512525841-Import-a-list-of-field-service-operations-with-due-dates-into-the-bucket\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>tasks with a deadline for completion<\/u><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_100791\" style=\"width: 1610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-100791\" class=\"wp-image-100791\" style=\"border-radius: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"752\" srcset=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-2.jpg 1946w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-2-300x141.jpg 300w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-2-1024x481.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-2-768x361.jpg 768w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-2-1536x722.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-2-260x122.jpg 260w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-2-50x24.jpg 50w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-2-150x71.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width:767px) 700px, (max-width:1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-100791\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Optimising routes in AntsRoute from an Excel file.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Depending on your business constraints, you can also transfer <a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/support.antsroute.com\/hc\/en-gb\/articles\/4414120082577-Add-custom-fields-linked-to-field-service-operations-entered-by-the-scheduler-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>as many custom fields as you need<\/u><\/a> into the AntsRoute software and application, in the order and form you want:<\/p>\n<ul id=\"imglist\">\n<li>Items to be selected from a list<\/li>\n<li>Checkboxes<\/li>\n<li>Numbers<\/li>\n<li>Text fields, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you&#8217;d like to find out how to plan routes using Excel and optimisation software, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ExampleAppointmentImport.xlsx\"><u>download our free template file<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"x261dxfe0f_Another_option_You_manage_the_tasks_with_Google_Sheets\">&#x261d;&#xfe0f; Another option: You manage the tasks with Google Sheets<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The import of a list with deliveries or visits built with Google Sheets is also possible, with some minor adjustments. <a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/support.antsroute.com\/hc\/en-gb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>The Help Centre<\/u><\/a> is there to guide you step by step.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_100796\" style=\"width: 1610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-100796\" class=\"wp-image-100796\" style=\"border-radius: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-3.jpg 1946w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-3-300x121.jpg 300w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-3-1024x411.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-3-768x309.jpg 768w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-3-1536x617.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-3-260x104.jpg 260w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-3-50x20.jpg 50w, https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Planning-routes-excel-antsroute-3-150x60.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width:767px) 700px, (max-width:1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-100796\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The scheduling of optimized routes in AntsRoute from an Excel file.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"case-3-your-in-house-software-enables-you-to-export-data-in-excel-or-google-sheets-format\"><span id=\"Case_3_Your_in-house_software_enables_you_to_export_data_in_Excel_or_Google_Sheets_format\">Case 3: Your in-house software enables you to export data in Excel or Google Sheets format<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Are you using customised software developed to meet your company&#8217;s specific needs? No problem, as you can normally export information in spreadsheet form.<br \/>\nIn the same way, most business software includes this type of useful feature. This is the case with Quickbooks, Zoho, but also the famous Sage suite, which explains <a href=\"https:\/\/gb-kb.sage.com\/portal\/app\/portlets\/results\/viewsolution.jsp?solutionid=200427112402216&amp;hypermediatext=null\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>in this page how to export data in Excel format<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#x261d;&#xfe0f; <strong> Good to know<\/strong>: To further increase efficiency, our technical teams have developed direct integrations between AntsRoute and some business software such as Odoo, WooCommerce or Zapier.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;vc_hidden-xs Extra Small Screen vc_hidden-sm Small Screen&#8221; width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;summary-block&#8221; width=&#8221;8\/12&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]\n<h2 style=\"margin-top: -5px;\"><span id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs\">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_toggle title=&#8221;What are the limits of optimising routes with Excel, a free tool?&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]By using Excel, you can <strong>organize your data<\/strong>: customer name, service location, scheduled date and duration of the appointment, etc.\u2028Once you\u2019ve gathered all this information, you need to build routes\u2014often for several delivery drivers or field agents. With Excel, <strong>route planning has to be done manually<\/strong>, which quickly becomes a real headache\u2026 Manually created routes are inefficient and lead to higher fuel costs and wasted time.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why experts have developed route optimization software to automate the creation of these routes using an Excel file. Using this kind of tool saves time for operations managers and mobile teams. In short, your business reduces costs and boosts productivity.[\/vc_toggle][vc_separator color=&#8221;custom&#8221; accent_color=&#8221;#00041f&#8221;][vc_toggle title=&#8221;I manage the planning and optimization of my routes with Excel because the tool is free. Can using a route management software like AntsRoute be cost-effective?&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]Absolutely! Adopting route optimization software is <a href=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/en\/solutions\/overcoming-concerns-to-adopt-route-optimisation-software\/\"><u>cost-effective in the short term<\/u><\/a>.\u2028A solution like AntsRoute <strong>automatically optimizes routes<\/strong> by reducing the number of kilometers driven and minimizing travel time, which <strong>boosts productivity<\/strong> and <strong>cuts costs<\/strong>. Additionally, you save a lot of time when planning routes for your mobile teams. Simply import your Excel file, and AntsRoute takes care of building the routes based on all your constraints and those of your customers.\u2028AntsRoute is available <a href=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/en\/pricing\/\"><u>starting at \u20ac17 per month<\/u><\/a> per vehicle. From the very first months of use, your company will see significant savings.<\/p>\n<p>If you believe that optimizing your routes with Excel\u2014a free tool\u2014is the best method for your business, we recommend trying AntsRoute <a href=\"https:\/\/app.antsroute.com\/subscription\/creation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>free for 7 days<\/u><\/a>. You just might change your mind![\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;8\/12&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]The best way to measure the benefits of our route optimisation software is to try it out! Just try it out in addition to your usual spreadsheet, free of charge and without obligation, <a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/app.antsroute.com\/subscription\/creation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>by subscribing here<\/u><\/a>![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/12&#8243; el_class=&#8221;vc_hidden-xs Extra Small Screen vc_hidden-sm Small Screen&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;padding-block&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1705913489434{background-color: #00041f !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]\n<p class=\"h2-footer\" style=\"text-align: center; color: #ffffff;\">Simplify your Route Planning<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-head\" style=\"text-align: center; color: #bfc0c6;\">Free 7-day trial | No credit card required<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]\n<div id=\"cta\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn-grad\" style=\"align-self: center;\" href=\"https:\/\/app.antsroute.com\/subscription\/creation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Get started<\/strong> \u2013 It&#8217;s free<\/a> <a class=\"button-2-white\" style=\"align-self: center;\" href=\"https:\/\/calendly.com\/lea-brice-antsroute\/demonstration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Book a demo<\/a><\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div><div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_wrap_right no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Contenu<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Does_Excel_do_the_job_for_planning_routes\">Does Excel do the job for planning routes?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#The_advantages_and_limits_of_Excel_for_planning_routes\">The advantages and limits of Excel for planning routes<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Excel_and_Google_Sheets_help_to_plan_routes_but_not_to_optimise_them\">Excel and Google Sheets help to plan routes, but not to optimise them<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#How_to_optimise_routes_from_the_data_in_your_spreadsheet\">How to optimise routes from the data in your spreadsheet?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Case_1_You_list_your_customers_in_an_Excel_file\">Case 1: You list your customers in an Excel file<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#x261dxfe0f_Another_option_you_list_your_customers_in_a_Google_Sheets_file\">&#x261d;&#xfe0f; Another option: you list your customers in a Google Sheets file<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Case_2_You_list_the_tasks_to_be_carried_out_in_an_Excel_file\">Case 2: You list the tasks to be carried out in an Excel file<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#x261dxfe0f_Another_option_You_manage_the_tasks_with_Google_Sheets\">&#x261d;&#xfe0f; Another option: You manage the tasks with Google Sheets<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Case_3_Your_in-house_software_enables_you_to_export_data_in_Excel_or_Google_Sheets_format\">Case 3: Your in-house software enables you to export data in Excel or Google Sheets format<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs\">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>These practical tips can help you optimize the trips of your field workers by using a spreadsheet and route optimization software.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":75830,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22799,6282],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-delivery","category-solutions"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Guide: Planning Routes with Excel and Optimisation Software<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"These practical tips can help you optimise the trips of your field workers by using a spreadsheet and route optimisation software.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/en\/solutions\/how-to-schedule-routes-with-excel-and-optimisation-software\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Guide: Planning Routes with Excel and Optimisation Software\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"These practical tips can help you optimise the trips of your field workers by using a spreadsheet and route optimisation software.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-2.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@AntswayCom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@AntswayCom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"AntsRoute\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Guide: Planning Routes with Excel and Optimisation Software","description":"These practical tips can help you optimise the trips of your field workers by using a spreadsheet and route optimisation software.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/en\/solutions\/how-to-schedule-routes-with-excel-and-optimisation-software\/","twitter_card":"summary","twitter_title":"Guide: Planning Routes with Excel and Optimisation Software","twitter_description":"These practical tips can help you optimise the trips of your field workers by using a spreadsheet and route optimisation software.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/plan-routes-exel-route-optimisation-software-antsroute-2.jpg","twitter_creator":"@AntswayCom","twitter_site":"@AntswayCom","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"AntsRoute","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/antsroute.com\/","name":"AntsRoute","description":"ANTSROUTE - Logiciel d&#039;optimisation de tourn\u00e9es | Planifier &amp; 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