Installation:

Includes an easy Installation Script that sets up your MySQL database tables for you automatically.  Simple, fill in the blank forms, allow you to quickly setup your database and admin account effortlessly.

Usually within 10-15 minutes, your new locator system will be up and running.

Front-End:

- Mobile Support
Automatically load optimized screens to your website visitors, depending on which type of device they are accessing your locator from.  If a mobile platform is detected, the system will display screens optimized for fast and easy loading on their device.

- Dynamic Search Page
The first page your visitors see is the Search Page.  The search page offers your website visitors a means of searching your database.  Your users can perform any of the allowed search types (zip code, name, state, etc..) to find locations.

You can now show or hide any search type, with the click of a button.  No more editing a template.  Just use the 'Search Page Settings' tool in the admin panel, and select which search types and search elements you want to offer your visitors.  The search page is then generated dynamically according to your choices.
 
- Tabs
Your Search Page now features navigation tabs across the top that will separate the search results.  You will have tabs for the USA, Canada, International and Online Stores.  Your visitors can select any tab to search for locations inside these specific countries.

Example:  A USA search will only show USA locations.  Canadian searches will only show Canadian locations.  International will only show international locations.  Online Stores will only show locations that are flagged as being an Online Store.
 
- Customizable Templates
The presentation screens of Ultimate Locator are controlled by customizable smarty template files. You can edit your templates to your liking, giving your system it's own style.

Header and footer files are also supported, so you can quickly implement a customized locator by only editing these two sections of the index template.
 
- User Friendly
All front end screens give your visitors a user friendly navigation system that will allow them to find locations quickly and hassle-free. With a few clicks, your visitors will find your location that is closest to them and be able to print out the location details, view and print maps or visit the location's own website.
 
- Six Different Search Types
The Search Page (the first screen that your visitors will see) allows your visitors to enter their zip/postal code for performing a proximity search by distance.  They will also have the ability to enter additional criteria to narrow down their results.

Visitors can add the following to their searches..

1. City Names
2. States/Provinces
3. Location Names
4. Categories (new)
5. Products (new)
 
- Results Sorted by Distance
When a visitor enters their zip code, all results will be sorted by distance. Thus, giving your visitor locations that are closest to them.

Note: User can select the number of miles to search on or the Admin can set the default Search Radius in miles for zip code searches within the Program Settings Tool. Distance calculations can only be shown if a zip code search is performed.
 
- Ranked Locations displayed First
All locations that are ranked will be displayed at the top of the results pages. This allows you to have control over which locations your visitors view first. It's a great feature to use, if you have Sponsored or New Locations you want to show more often. You can flag a location as preferred at any time, and vice-versa.
 
- Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps and Driving Directions
Give your visitors maps and directions via the Google or Yahoo! mapping service. Linking to Google or Yahoo! is free, and will give your visitors printable maps and driving directions. Google and Yahoo! Maps support USA and Canadian mapping.

You may also use Google Maps API to embed the dynamic Google Map right into the location details page.
 
- Navigation Menu Built In
Ultimate Locator automatically gives your visitors an easy link navigation menu. Visitors can quickly, go back a page, start over or print location details.
 
- Allow Visitors to Add a Location
When you have this feature turned on in the Admin Control Panel's Settings, your visitors will find a link on the Search Page that they can click to fill out the form and add locations to your database.

The Admin can then choose to add locations automatically or choose to approve each new addition manually.  The Admin can also be notified by email that a new location has been added.
 
- Color Background for Ranked Locations
You can choose a background color for your ranked locations. If a location is flagged as a Level 1, 2 or 3 location, it will have a highlighted color background when shown on the results pages. This way, your ranked locations are a standout and this insures high visibility. Enter any hex color code for the color of your choice.

Admin Control Panel:

The Admin Control Panel is an easy-to-use password protected online tool that allows you to efficiently administer your Ultimate Locator system. And it's all done online with your favorite web browser, such as Firefox, IE or Firefox.
 
- Embedded Google Maps
 v3.1+ introduces Google Maps API. Which is a method of embedding the dynamic Google Map directly into the location details page.

Your website visitors will no longer have to leave your website just to view a map. Can be turned on/off easily within the Admin Panel..
 
- Category Support
Create a list of category names, and then assign your locations to one category or multiple categories.    Your visitors can then narrow down their searches by selecting one of your categories when they search.
 
- Product Assignments
You can add Product Names to your system and then assign each location a specific product or multiple products.  Your visitors can then narrow down their searches by selecting one of your categories when they search.

Note:  You must be using MySQL v4.1.2 or higher for product Assignments to work.  This is an advanced feature.
 
- Secure Emails
You now have the option to turn on secure email forms instead of printing location email addresses to the screen.  You can also choose to turn on reCAPTCHA image code security, where users must repeat the characters they see in the image in order to send an email to a location.
 
- Online Editor (for Templates and CSS files)
No more fumbling around with text editors and FTP programs just to edit a template.  Now there's a new online template editor, that allows you to select the template or cascading style sheet (CSS) file from a list, and edit it directly from within the admin panel.  Edit and click to save your changes, it's that easy.
 
- Image and Icon Support
You can now upload images for your locations and they will get displayed on the location details page.  There is also support for icons, which is used in the 'Online Stores' list.
 
- Language
We have taken many of the commonly used text phrases that are used throughout the system and made them editable.  Just click on 'Language Editor' to edit all the different language options.
 
- File Manager
You now have full control over the files that you use within your locator system.  The File Manager tools will allow you to see a list of all files you use, such as import files, export files, backup files, etc.. and allow you to download them to your computer or delete them from the server.
 
- IP Tracking Table Purge
If you are utilizing the 'Limit Searches by IP' feature, you now have access to the IP Tracking Table tool.  This tool will show you how many records are stored in the table and will also allow you to purge (delete) x number of days worth or data to keep the table slim, lean and running quickly.
 
- Admin Login Manager
The admin manager tool will allow you to add new admin login accounts to your locator.  You can now assign additional logins to other individuals.  Review the list, add or edit login accounts easily.
 
- Reports
The performance report allows you to view which locations and zip codes are getting the most traffic. The program will keep track of how many hits (clicks) your locations are getting. It will also record which zip codes are entered and keep a talley on how many times a specific zip codes is searched upon.

You can download the Location Performance or Zip Code Performance reports and open them in MS Excel.
 
- HTML Code Generator
Looking for an easy was to add an 'Enter Your Zip Code' box to your existing pages?  Use this tool and simply copy/paste the code into your existing website.  The zip code form will then allow your visitors to perform a zip code search from anywhere on your existing website.
 
- Add Locations
Fill out the simple form and click the save button. Your location information gets added to the database in a snap!
 
- Edit Locations
Search/Browse for the record, then select the edit link to edit the record. Click the save button to save your changes.
 
- Delete Locations
Search/Browse for the record, then click the delete link to remove the record.
 
- Browse Locations
Browse through your existing database easily. Just click the browse link, and you will be presented with a list of records with links to Edit/Delete/View that record. The browse list also allows you to view which records are flagged as Preferred or Hidden records.
 
- Import Locations
The admin control panel allows you to import a list of locations easily. Lets say you have a large list of locations available in MS Access or MS Excel spreadsheets. Simply export to a comma separated values (CSV) delimited text file and edit to ensure proper field alignment. Once your upload file is ready, simply use the Import Tool to upload your locations and add them to your existing database. This feature is fully documented with sample files in our help documents.
 
- Export Locations
The admin control panel allows you to export your location records to a comma separated value (CSV) text file. You can then take this text file into a program such as MS Excel and use it to list your locations and for printing.
 
- Backup Database
The admin control panel allows you to save a complete backup of all mysql database tables. This is a full system backup file that you download to your local pc. This file can be used at any time to restore your system.
 
- Restore Database
The admin control panel allows you to upload a system generated Backup File (downloaded via the Backup Tool) and perform a full system restore. This process will drop all database tables, which will delete all records, then create all tables from scratch and insert all records from the backup file. Very nice feature in the event of a total system loss. Can be used at any time!
 
- Visitor Adds
This feature is among our favorite and is highly requested by our customers. Just in case you want to allow your site visitors to add locations to your database, you can. This feature can be turned on/off in the control panel. You can also choose to automatically add the locations to your database, or set the program to save all visitor added locations to a "pending" list, where the admin can review and approve each record manually before it goes live.   You'll even get an email letting you know about the new addition.
 
- Location Ranking
Four levels of Ranking are supported. Assign each location in your database a rank level and it will be printed to the screen in that order.

Level 1 always gets displayed first
Level 2 always gets displayed after Level 1
Level 3 always gets displayed after Level 2
Level 4 has no rank. Always displayed last

Ranking is a great way to insure high visibility for paid inclusions or sponsor type listing in your locator.
 
- Hide (suppress) Locations
No need to delete records any more. Just flag it as "hidden" and it will no longer display to your visitors in the results pages. If you ever need the location to be active again, simply uncheck this box and the record is live again.
 
- Program Settings Tool
Making system wide changes to your locator program is easily done with the Program Settings tool.  Instantly change the way your locator operates by choosing any of the options available.
 
- Edit Admin Login
Easily change the administrator's login Username and Password via a simple form, at any time.
 
- Zip Code Manager
This is a tool that allows you to search your official zip code database, and make any necessary changes. You can also add new zip codes easily if needed. Edit the latitude and longitude coordinates as well, which are used for distance calculations.
 
- Free USA Zip Codes
During your installation, a zip code table will be created and filled with over 42,000 U.S. zip codes and their corresponding coordinates. These zip codes and coordinates are used by the system to calculate distance in miles between two zip codes. You can then manage these records via the Zip Code Manager tool.
 
- Email All Locations
Easily send email broadcast to all your locations. Select groups to send to and select a plain text or HTML formatted email. A great way to keep your locations up to date with your website.
 
- Limit Searching (by IP)
If you wish to limit the number of times a user can search your database, you can. Turn this Limit Search feature on, and the locator system will allow you to specify the number of times a user can perform a search. You can also supply the number of minutes they are locked out of the system.

Once they have exceeded the max number of searches you have specified, they will get your custom warning message and will be denied to perform another search until after your time limit has expired.

This is a great added feature for companies that are in a highly competitive market and wish to keep their competition at bay and not allow them to view/copy all the records.
 
- Mapping Choices (Google or Yahoo maps)
Choose which mapping service you wish to use.  Ultimate Locator supports Google or Yahoo! mapping service. Linking to Google or Yahoo! is free, and will give your visitors printable maps and driving directions. Both mapping choices support USA and Canadian mapping.
 
- Custom Fields
Add up to ten (10) custom user fields to your location records. You can even label each field with your own text and the labels are re-used through out your entire system. It's a great way to add fields that are custom for your own application. Use your custom fields to display things such as Business Hours, Coupons, Manager Names, Store Specials or anything else you can think of.