Allow users to display data points as markers in a Google or Virtual Earth map using a SharePoint List or SQL table, or view as the data source with the Virtual Map View Web Part from Bamboo Solutions.  Coming soon to SharePoint 2013, the Virtual Map View Web Part provides a viewing option missing from out-of-the-box SharePoint – a map view for SharePoint lists that contains geographic data.  Graphically display data in a city, country, continent or region to show demographic data such as sales, distribution, customers or other statistical data. Zoom in/out and pan to view markers and select a marker to display more related information. Alternatively, you can display data selecting specific data points from a selected SharePoint list view from the Virtual Map View Web Part user interface.

In addition to reading the geographic data from your SharePoint list or backend SQL database and displaying information using the standard Map Web services such as Google Map or Virtual Earth, the Virtual Map View Web Part also features the following capabilities:

• Display SharePoint list data as markers in a Google map with full navigation controls, such as zoom and pan;
• Display SQL backend data list data as markers in a Google map;
• User configurable marker information in pop-up, tabbed format;
• Display data markers selecting specific data from a SharePoint list view, including images;
• Interface with Microsoft Virtual Earth Map Web Services;
• Display multiple marker types, including custom images, to denote different types of data;
• Automatically displays the “best view” of all your data points when the map renders;
• Designate whether longitude coordinate data is east or westward facing; and
• Show your line of business data in the Virtual Map View Web Part using Mashpoint.

Virtual Map View is currently available for users of SharePoint 2010 and 2007 and, as applicable, we invite you to take advantage of a free 30-day trial download to evaluate the product within your SharePoint environment in advance of the availability of the 2013 version.  As a reminder, this web part uses Google Map or Virtual Earth as the map services provider. Licenses for the Google Map technology must be obtained separately and license keys entered into the tool pane of this Web Part in order to use the Virtual Map View product.

Want even more sneak-peeks and previews for Bamboo Web Parts and components in SharePoint 2013?  Check out the complete series in the links below:

• Sneak Peek: Virtual Map View Web Part for SharePoint 2013
• Sneak Peek: List Search Web Parts for SharePoint 2013
• Sneak Peek: User Manager for Sites Web Part for SharePoint 2013
• Sneak Peek: User Redirect Web Part for SharePoint 2013
• Sneak Peek: In/Out Schedule Board Solution Accelerator for SharePoint 2013
• Sneak Peek: User Profile Sync 1.6 for SharePoint 2013
• A Preview of Group Redirect Web Part for SharePoint 2013
• A Preview of Chart Plus Web Part for SharePoint 2013
• A Preview of Site Creation Plus Web Part for SharePoint 2013
• A Preview of Data-Viewer Web Part for SharePoint 2013
• A Preview of List Print for SharePoint 2013