Understanding geocoding

The Geocode plugin interface

To implement geocoding, PolicyCenter provides a default GeocodePlugin plugin interface. Implementations of the plugin connect with specific external geocoding services, which provide geocode coordinates for specific addresses. Typically, plugin implementations also use an external mapping service to calculate and return proximity information, driving instructions, and maps. You enable the plugin implementation in Guidewire Studio and specify the parameters for the implementation you choose.

PolicyCenter provides a fully functioning and supported GeocodePlugin implementation, the BingMapsPlugin Gosu class. This plugin implementation connects to the Microsoft Bing Maps Geocode Service. If you intend to use the BingMapsPlugin implementation, your organization must have a valid account with Microsoft.

Microsoft Bing maps

Before you can use the default Bing Maps plugin implementation, your organization must have its own account, login, and application key with Microsoft Bing Maps. To obtain these items, access the Bing Maps Dev Center.

You must set up a Bing Maps account and obtain an application key. After you create an application key, the application name is arbitrary and there is no need for an application URL.

Working with Geocode batch processing

Guidewire implements geocode batch processing as a work queue. The Geocode writer in PolicyCenter and the ABGeocode writer in ContactManager use BatchGeocode and other criteria to filter which addresses to pass to the plugin for geocoding.

• ContactManager verifies that the BatchGeocode property is true and the GeocodeStatus property is none.
• PolicyCenter verifies the following:
  • The address is an AccountLocation or subtype.
  • The address is a primary address of a UserContact.
  • The BatchGeocode property is true and the GeocodeStatus property is none.

The geocoding process submits qualifying addresses to your implementation of the GeocodePlugin plugin. After the GeocodePlugin plugin adds geocode coordinates to an address, the geocoding process updates the address in the database.

Geocode status typelist