Managing multiple assets without a unified management system inevitably leads to financial loss, delays, and disappointed clients. Today, businesses can’t afford to take such risks. So, how can they effectively overcome these challenges?
Digital transformation of business operations is key in meeting today’s industry demands and staying competitive. Notably, map-based reporting has become a necessity in many areas, especially in utility services. A modern, integrated solution accurately visualizes scattered business entities on an interactive map. Working groups can make informed decisions as they have relevant data at hand, and the organization benefits from improved operational efficiency, better planning, and execution.
To ensure the best results, choosing the right tech stack for visualizing utility business entities on a map is essential. It’s not only a back-end decision but also a strategic move toward business operational advantage. The right tech stack for visualizing utility business entities on a map has immediate and long-term consequences, including how fast your teams will act, how deeply they will be able to analyze performance, and the ease of the app’s scaling in the future.
What is utility mapping software?
Map-based utility reporting software integrates spatial data with operational information to effectively manage distributed objects displayed on a map. Such a solution represents real-time conditions, history of changes, assigned workers, deadlines, and includes functionality like planning, tracking, and other critical features for efficient administration.
Why map-based visualization matters for utilities
A modern, integrated map-based solution visualizes critically important information about business entities that impact accurate analytics, planning, maintenance schedules, and quick handling of incidents. This addresses the most common obstacles in utility operations, including monitoring the status of tasks, tracking the technical condition of facilities, fast access to maintenance crews’ locations, and monitoring consumption levels.
High-quality map-based visualization is a necessity for utility companies that:
- Operate across geographically distributed areas (assets, field crews, sensors)
- Require visualization of assets and operational processes on a map
- Need analytics, reporting, and automation based on geospatial data
- Still rely on manual or fragmented data processing
- Face the need to upgrade outdated technologies to stay competitive in the market
A solution for visualizing utility business entities on a map addresses all these challenges and makes businesses operate more efficiently. Ultimately, it ensures end-user convenience and real-time awareness through a mobile-optimized user experience, crucial for working groups operating directly on the location.
Mapping software: The technology choice of leading software development providers
Today, key requirements for a high-quality mapping tech stack that addresses the needs of utility businesses:
- Integration with real data sources. Seamless connection to IoT devices, databases, and enterprise platforms ensures up-to-date, actionable insights.
- Flexibility and scalability. The system should adapt easily to new use cases and scale as asset volumes and the organization’s needs grow.
- Cloud-based architecture. To support remote access, performance, and long-term cost efficiency.
The choice of technologies should align with key utility business requirements: user convenience, competitiveness, improved customer experience, enhanced analytics, cybersecurity, digital transformation, increased productivity, and affordability. You can find different software development providers that have a distinct approach to choosing tools for creating a map.
Esri, ArcGIS
Esri, with its ArcGIS product, provides deep integration with IoT devices for real-time data collection. The company has put significant effort into real-time GIS and IoT integration, particularly with products like ArcGIS Velocity and ArcGIS GeoEvent Server.
They use Azure cloud services, which are great for scalability and reliability. To create an adaptive and user-friendly interface, Esri’s web development, which includes ArcGIS API for JavaScript, ArcGIS Experience Builder, and others, heavily relies on modern web technologies, including Angular and CSS.
ArcGIS has its own extensive base maps. The platform fully integrates with Power BI for advanced analytics and has SharePoint integration for efficient document management and team collaboration. Licensing costs for ArcGIS can be high and depend on the required functionality and scale of use.
Hexagon Geospatial
Hexagon is the global leader in digital reality solutions, combining sensor, software and autonomous technologies. Thus, their GIS solutions support IoT standards for interaction with various devices. They also use Power BI for analytics and SharePoint to ensure internal collaboration for the end users. Pricing for Hexagon products varies depending on the customer’s specific needs.
Like many enterprise software providers, Hexagon relies on major cloud platforms, including Azure, for its offerings. Modern web development frameworks like Angular are top choices for building their user interfaces.
Mapbox
Mapbox is a powerful and flexible mapping platform for web and mobile applications. It offers advanced map styling, real-time data visualization, and seamless integration with modern front-end technologies.
At its core, Mapbox is built on OpenStreetMap data, providing a rich and up-to-date base layer for geographic content. One of its key strengths is the high level of customization it offers. Developers can design unique map styles, overlay live data, and create tailored user experiences without the limitations of fixed templates.
Mapbox supports IoT integration via APIs, so it’s easy to display real-time sensor data and asset tracking on maps. The platform works well with Azure for scalable, secure deployments and pairs smoothly with CSS and Angular for building responsive, interactive interfaces. As for the pricing model, charging is based on map loads, API requests, and data storage.
NetLS’s expertise in creating map-based solutions
Recently, we helped a client achieve increased business efficacy by Developing an online map-based reporting solution for the energy sector. The organization needed a reliable way to monitor and report on its energy infrastructure, namely solar panel assets at different locations, through a unified web-based solution.
We evaluated various platforms and frameworks based on their ability to handle geospatial data, integrate with existing tools, and provide a smooth experience on mobile devices.
Our team built a utility mapping solution on Azure to reduce infrastructure costs and support scalable data processing with seamless integration with IoT sensors, capturing temperature, irradiance, voltage, current, power, and more. This setup enabled IoT-enabled real-time asset tracking for utilities, ensuring accurate data collection and reliable reporting.
We used Angular for the frontend and OpenStreetMap. Interactive utility maps with Angular provide map customization and easy area selection by marking four points, letting teams focus on specific zones regardless of site shape. The Angular-based UI works smoothly on both desktop and mobile, updating in real time with the latest task and equipment data. As a result, engineering teams can manage work more efficiently.
Utility data visualization using OpenStreetMap and Power BI integration helped the business have access to real-time dashboards for actionable insights, while the history is stored in SharePoint.
In the end, the client received significant value from adopting digital transformation. Implementing modern technologies in a custom, innovative solution increased their internal business operations and played a key role in shaping the organization’s strategy.
Digital transformation for business effectiveness with NetLS
NetLS harnesses years of experience in delivering high-quality software development and applies the best industry practices when offering digital transformation and technology consulting services that help businesses get the following advantages on the market:
- Increased competitiveness thanks to the use of modern technologies and optimized business processes
- Revenue growth that creates new opportunities for more efficient customer service, attracting new audiences, and expanding markets
- Better customer experience
- Cost reduction and optimization of business processes with app migration to cloud
- Innovation in existing system architectures at an affordable cost by reducing operational and IT expenses through infrastructure optimization and the use of efficient solutions
Explore our similar projects to see how many organizations have already benefited from our services. Ready to transform your business with the latest technologies? Partner with NetLS to unlock new value, modernize your operations, and lead your market with confidence.