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→Hints and tips
To improve geocoding, the first thing you should check is your input. If your addresses are not correct or not complete, finding them on the map will be problematic. Addresses may show up in the wrong place or not at all. Make sure you use the preferred [[address format]]. Remove any text that is not part of the address, like customer names or notes. If you still need that text, import it as [[import|additional fields]].
If your addresses are correct and complete, you can change these settings in the [[Options]] > Geocoding to further improve the results:
* Change the '''preferred geocoder'''. Some of the geocoders may set usage limits, as they often offer it as a free service. Selecting another geocoding service may impact address finding drastically.
* Fill out an '''address suffix'''. E.g. add if your country if you have addresses that have no country, add it as suffix. If all your addresses are in the United States, but that is not in the addresses, fill out "United States" (without the quotes). The suffix will be added to all addresses automatically before sending them to the geocoding service.
* Change the '''search area'''. If all your addresses are in a small area, such as a village, select a (S)mall or (M)edium search area to skip addresses that are too far away. The map center is used as center of the search area, so move it to the right spot before you start adding addresses.
* Enable '''precise address''' checking. You'll get a warning if an address did not provide a exact position, but an approximate, i.e. zip code area. ''Hint: if you have an account and are logged in, the options will be saved. Without an account, or when not logged in, your changes will be lost after each session.''
=== Location based ===
If you're in Europe you are probably not interested in addresses in the USA, unless you plan a holiday road trip. RouteXL filters some geocoding results on distance based on your location. Some geocoders also use your location to bias the search results. Your location is determined by the [[User interface|map center]].
''Hint: if addresses are way off, move the map towards the approximate location.''
