Zip Code Lookup and Compare

[smonczka]

I have a client who as an Access 2016 database of locations (including name, full address and phone for each). They would like to be able to search for the nearest zip code to one of the locations. In other words enter a random zip code and then search the list and return the locations that are nearest to it. Much like you might search for the nearest store to you on on a web site by entering in your zip code.

Is this possible? Is there a third party add on that might do it?

Thanks


Steve

[ineuw]

For similar zip codes, a simple query would do as follows: Place the following code in a query's Parameters field Like "123*" This will search for all zip codes beginning with 123. The more zip code digits you provide the narrower of the zip code range will be e.g: Like "1234*" etc.

[orange]

Have you determined an approach you might use to get the nearest store ? It is an interesting exercise.
There are some formulas here that may be helpful.
It says excel, but they are vba and can be used with Acccess.

[ineuw]

Have you determined an approach you might use to get the nearest store ? It is an interesting exercise.
There are some formulas here that may be helpful.
It says excel, but they are vba and can be used with Acccess.

Postal and Zip codes are geocoded and in fact are planned from satellite images. This means that the US postal service provides/sells this info. If not, the USPS, then there are private companies who specialize in address management sell this info as well. From and old postal & zip code programmer.

[orange]

Agreed, in Canada it is Canada Post that sells a service to maintain Postal Codes - additions, deletions, modifications.
Still, as you are aware, finding the nearest store to a given Postal code is not picked from a table.

The scenario I worked in was ---given a major disaster at this location, who are the closest suppliers of Prod X, Y and Z. What are their coordinates. Closest could mean anything from 0 to 200+ miles..

My concern was - How much analysis has smonczka done?

[ineuw]

I know that a list of zip/postal code ranges is useless without a map of coordinates and perhaps some GPS software.