You’ve likely heard the buzz about Microsoft Places and its potential to transform workplace management. Imagine arriving at the office only to find the desk you booked no longer exists or navigating a floor plan that doesn’t reflect the reality around you.
Modern workspaces are dynamic by nature, constantly evolving with small changes like rearranging desks or reconfiguring cubicle walls, and with larger shifts like relocating departments or building renovations. To navigate and make sense of these changes, companies need tools that provide a clear, up-to-date view of their space.
Now, picture a workplace where finding a specific desk, locating a meeting room, or navigating a building feels intuitive and reliable. By optimizing wayfinding, resource allocation, and hybrid work planning, Microsoft Places aims to improve the employee experience.
Central to this transformation is Microsoft’s recommendation to visualize floor plans, converting raw spatial data into maps that enable the most valuable features.
How do I get a map inside of Microsoft Places?
To add maps to Microsoft Places, companies need IMDF (Indoor Mapping Data Format) files. These files:
- Display building layouts with accurate spatial details.
- Define points of interest like rooms, workspaces, and restrooms.
- Serve as the foundation for navigation, resource management, and hybrid work planning.
This guide explains how to integrate maps into Microsoft Places, outlines the challenges of IMDF file creation, and highlights how MapsIndoors provides a scalable solution.
Microsoft's vision of what a Microsoft Places map looks like.
What are IMDF Files and why do they matter?
IMDF (Indoor Mapping Data Format) files are a collection of data used to define physical spaces. Microsoft Places requires an IMDF file in order to fully function.
On their own, IMDF files are static and foundational. IMDF files use standardized data structures that integrate with applications like Microsoft Places or MapsIndoors. Tools like these use the data in IMDF files to create digital indoor maps, primarily designed to enable detailed visualization of floor plans.
IMDF files simply provide the spatial data necessary for advanced applications to represent indoor spaces, including rooms, hallways, and access points.
What can an IMDF file be used for?
- Layout Visualization: IMDF files support multi-level building layouts, providing spatial data for applications to display relationships between rooms, hallways, and entry points.
- Defining Points of Interest: Rooms, workspaces, restrooms, and more can be marked for digital representation.
Is it difficult to create an IMDF file?
Creating IMDF files presents challenges requiring technical expertise and careful attention to detail. Files must meet exact specifications for data structuring and formatting to ensure compatibility with Microsoft Places. Knowing the difficulty of creating IMDF files, Microsoft itself recommends partnering with a solution provider rather than attempting in-house development.
Behind the scenes of an IMDF file: coded language the map engine uses to display visuals.
What does IMDF file creation involve?
- Aligning indoor layouts with precise real-world coordinates
- Structuring multiple data layers (e.g., rooms, points of interest, pathways)
- Adherence to Microsoft’s IMDF specifications
Digitization begins with existing floor plans, often in formats like CAD. These files are then processed by:
- Parsing the Floor Plan: Identifying and labeling rooms, doors, pathways etc.
- Building Data Layers: Segmentation of data into separate layers based on use, such as navigation or resource allocation.
- Validating and Testing: Quality assurance checks ensure that the file accurately reflects your space and meets Microsoft Places’ IMDF standards.
Do IMDF files always look the same?
Not exactly. While IMDF files follow a standardized structure, their configuration varies depending on the platform or application they’re tailored for—whether it’s Microsoft Places, Apple Maps, Google Maps, or other tools.
Microsoft Places uses a specific subset of the IMDF format, focusing on essential building data. Unlike the full IMDF standard, which typically includes more than 10 features, Microsoft Places relies on only 4 file types:
- Footprint: Represents the building’s outer boundary or outline.
- Building: Captures geometric and structural details of the entire building, including height for 3D representation.
- Level: Defines the layout and geometric data for each floor, including walls and corridors.
- Units: Specifies details for individual spaces such as rooms, workspaces, restrooms, and stairwells.
This subset is used to provide the core spatial data Microsoft Places needs for floor plan visualization and navigation.
Is there any other way to get floor plans into Microsoft Places?
No, Microsoft Places requires an IMDF file for floor plan integration and visualization. While companies can attempt to create IMDF files in-house, Microsoft themselves recommends partnering with an expert solution provider to ensure accurate and compliant files.
Is manual IMDF creation a bottleneck for your team?
For companies managing large or complex layouts, manual IMDF creation is time-intensive and error-prone. Common obstacles include:
- Limited Expertise: Geospatial data formatting is highly specialized. Most internal teams lack the skills to create compliant IMDF files, leading to errors.
- Time-Consuming: Each floor plan must be digitized, validated, and tested, adding significant lead time.
Without the right knowledge and tools, creating IMDF files becomes a bottleneck that prevents you from the intended functionality of Microsoft Places. MapsIndoors solves this by combining expert oversight and automation, delivering precise and scalable results.
MapsIndoors Solution: Simplified, Scalable, and Accurate
We take the complexity out of IMDF file creation:
- Expert-Led Process: Our team of data experts handles the entire digitization process, from initial floor plan parsing to final testing.
- Automated Precision: Advanced automation tools streamline repetitive tasks, ensuring accurate and consistent results, even at scale.
- Quality Assurance: Every file undergoes verification so it accurately represents your space, as well as validation to ensure all of Microsoft Places’ specifications are met.
What happens after the IMDF file is ready in Microsoft Places? Am I done?
Creating an IMDF file is only the first step. Regular updates are essential to keep Microsoft Places relevant as workplaces evolve. From smaller changes like moving desks or reconfiguring cubicles, to larger efforts such as relocating departments, or building renovations, every adjustment impacts your map.
Without updates, inaccuracies quickly render the system ineffective, wasting time and resources. The manual effort required to maintain this level of continuous accuracy across dynamic environments is unsustainable. Automation is the only scalable solution for reliable maps.
Why is automation so important?
Accurate maps power real-time applications like desk and room booking, navigation, and more. Automation ensures your maps remain up-to-date and functional without requiring manual effort.
MapsIndoors’ Map Update Automation detects layout changes and integrates them continuously while maintaining precision. This allows your internal teams to focus on strategic priorities rather than ongoing data maintenance.
How does MapsIndoors work for Microsoft Places integration?
MapsIndoors simplifies IMDF creation and maintenance by delivering ready-to-deploy, compliant files for Microsoft Places. Scalability is at the core of MapsIndoors, delivering consistent, high-quality mapping solutions for companies managing anything from a single building to a global campus.
What can I expect from MapsIndoors for Microsoft Places?
- Tailored IMDF Files: We format your maps to Microsoft’s standards, ensuring smooth integration.
- Automated Updates: Our solution detects layout changes and updates your maps without the need for manual intervention.
- Enterprise Scalability: Whether managing a single building or a global campus, MapsIndoors makes mapping consistent and efficient.
Beyond Microsoft Places: IMDF file compatibility
MapsIndoors-created IMDF files aren’t limited to Microsoft Places applications. IMDF files lay the groundwork for a variety of workplace solutions, including navigation, resource management, and monitoring.
Other use cases for IMDF files:
- Navigation Platforms: Mapping and wayfinding tools for employees, visitors, and operations teams, with turn-by-turn directions and dynamic route planning.
- Workspace Management Systems: Optimize desk and room booking, occupancy tracking, and space utilization.
- IoT and Smart Building Platforms: Connect maps to real-time monitoring of energy usage, space availability, environmental data, and more.
- Emergency Planning: Incorporate IMDF files into safety and crisis management systems to improve evacuations during emergencies.
- Custom Applications: Developers can use IMDF files to build solutions tailored to company needs.
Why do companies rely on MapsIndoors?
MapsIndoors bridges technical challenges with practical solutions, and companies benefit at every level:
Workplace Experience Managers:
Designing intuitive, technology-driven environments is a key priority for roles with a focus on enhancing daily employee interactions. MapsIndoors supports this by delivering accurate, up-to-date maps with real-time occupancy insights and tools for seamless navigation, aligning with broader workplace technology goals.
Tech Teams:
IMDF file creation demands expertise in spatial data and adherence to strict standards. MapsIndoors removes this complexity by delivering ready-to-deploy IMDF files, allowing IT to focus on configuration and implementation instead of creation.
Facilities Managers:
MapsIndoors’ dynamic maps provide tools to manage spaces effectively, with features like real-time occupancy data and actionable insights into space usage. This ensures facilities managers can make informed decisions without extra administrative burden.
Leadership:
MapsIndoors enables faster implementation of Microsoft Places, providing leadership with a clear ROI. By simplifying setup and ensuring maps stay accurate, we help companies unlock the platform’s potential for streamlined operations and long-term efficiency.
Ready to bring maps to Microsoft Places?
MapsIndoors offers the tools and expertise to simplify your Microsoft Places integration. From creating accurate IMDF files to ensuring they stay updated, MapsIndoors provides a scalable solution for your workplace needs.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you achieve a more connected, efficient, and dynamic workplace.
November 19, 2024
