1. On the Analysis Area Builder - Select Map pane, select the location layer that you want to use. The desired locations must be displayed on the map in order for it to appear in the Selection Layer drop down.
2. Specify the method you want to use for selecting locations on the map. The options are:
   • Use all points: Will create areas around all locations in the location layer.
   • Single Click: Click on the desired location(s).
   • Polygon: Click on the map to create a polygon. Double click to complete the polygon. Locations that fall within the polygon will be used for creating areas (you will also need to select an inclusion methodology – definitions provided below).
   • Circle: Click and drag to create a circle on the map. Locations that fall within the circle will be used for creating areas (you will also need to select an inclusion methodology – definitions provided below).
3. Select the type of analysis area you want to create from the Select Analysis Area Type drop down. The options are:
   • Radius: Based on a specified distance, in miles, around a particular location.
   • Concentric: Based on specified radii, in miles, around a particular location that will create doughnut shaped areas.
   • Drive Time: Based on the number of minutes (drive time) you can drive from a specific location. Note that the drive time area does not account for traffic.
   • Drive Distance: Based on the number of miles (drive distance) you can drive from a specific location.
   • Threshold: Based on a specified value (threshold) of a selected variable (for example, a radius area based on the current-year population threshold of 10,000.
   • Thiessen: Based on a specified distance, in miles, around multiple locations that will create non-overlapping radii.
4. Based on the selected area type, you'll need further define the area details:
   • Radius: Enter the radius (in miles) from your specified location data that you want to use.
   • Concentric: Type the radius (in miles) of the inner circle that you want to create around your specified location data in the Inner Radius text box, and then type the radius of the outer circle in the Outer Radius text box.
   • Drive Time: Enter the drive time (in minutes) from your specified location data that you want to use.
   • Drive Distance: Enter drive distance (in miles) from your specified location data that you want to use.
   • Threshold: Specify the variable that will be used for the threshold, the maximum threshold value, the percent tolerance (i.e., the inaccuracy rate used to determine how close the resulting radii are to the specified threshold value), your preferred maximum number of iterations, and the minimum and maximum radius (in miles)
   • Thiessen: Enter the number of polygons you want to create and the size of each radius (in miles).
5. (Optional) To specify the geography level to include as your analysis area within the selected areas, perform the following steps:
   1. check the box next to Use geographies within the selected area. Additional options appear.

   

   2. In the Select a Geography Level drop-down list, select your desired geography level.
   3. Specify the method by which you want to include the geography. The options are:
      • Centroid Inclusion: Includes geographies with centroids that fall within the perimeter of the area.
      • Entirely Within: Includes geographies that fall completely within the perimeter of the area.
      • Within or Touches: Includes geographies that fall within or touch any part of the perimeter of the area.
   4. By default, the interior boundaries will not be shown on the map. To show the interior boundaries, check the box next to Show interior boundary.
6. (Optional) If you are creating radius, drive time or drive distance based analysis areas, the Variable Trade Area Model (VTAM) option can be used to estimate the primary trade area radius – which accounts for 75%-85% of a retail location’s sales. To create analysis areas based on VTAM, check the box next to Use Variable Trade Area Model. From the drop-down lists, select the appropriate retailer reach and retailer type.
7. Click Create Area. A message box appears specifying that your analysis area has been saved.

You can also access your saved analysis area by going to My Content.