Automatically Complete Customer Addresses using Google Address

Automatically Complete Customer Addresses using Google Address

Starting with Retailer 3.2.2, Retailer can now automatically complete customer addresses based on data from Google Maps. For example, typing '3A Lyn' into the 'Google Address' field when adding a new customer is enough for Google to find '3A Lynch St, Hawthorne, VIC, 3122'. Retailer will automatically fill the rest of the address details into the appropriate areas.

To use this service, you will need to sign up for a Google Maps account and provide a credit card. Google will let you use up to $200 of free credit per month, after which your credit card will be charged. It is extremely unlikely that you will run over this free limit - it will provide tens of thousands of addresses per month for free.

Notes
Google will only provide results for your country - Australian stores will only see Australian addresses, New Zealand stores will only see NZ addresses. International addresses will have to be entered manually.

Signing up for Google Maps

Idea
Steps 1-10 may not be necessary if you have generated an API key in the past, or if your account is already set up to use Google's paid services. You can skip to step 11 if that is already done.
Notes
Google requires your credit card information. There is only a charge if you exceed a set number of uses each month, and you are given $300 of free credit to start with.
  1. Go to https://mapsplatform.google.com/
  2. Click 'Create an Account' in the top-right.
  3. If you are not already logged into your Google account, you will need to log in now.
  4. If you do not have 2-Factor Authentication enabled, you will be prompted to turn it on.
  5. If prompted, select 'Pay as you go' as the payment plan. No monthly subscription is required.
  6. Select a Country, if not already selected.
  7. Select your organisation type from the drop down list., and add in you contact details (for billing purposes).
  8. Add your payment method. This is a requirement, though you will not be charged unless you exceed the monthly free usage, which is unlikely.
  9. Click Start Free Trial. You may be prompted to enter your business type - fill this out. The details are not important.
  10. You may be given a maps API key straight away. You don't need this one; close the window.
  11. You should arrive at https://console.cloud.google.com/google/maps-apis/
  12. On the left, click 'APIs & Services'
  13. Scroll down the list of API services until you find 'Places API (New)'. If it is not already enabled, click 'Enable'
  14. Inside the 'Places API (New)' box, click 'Keys'
  15. Towards the top, click '+ Create Credentials', then 'API Key'
  16. In the menu that appears on the right, scroll to the bottom and click 'Create'
  17. You will be given the API key. Copy this key or leave the screen open, you will need this in the next part of the setup.

Adding Google API key to Retailer

  1. From the Main screen of Retailer, at the top of the screen, click Setup and then API Connection.
  2. Scroll down the list and click Google Maps.
  3. Enter the API from the Google Maps website and click Save.
  4. You should see the little red circle near the Google Maps log turn green. Close this window.

Adding Addresses to Customers with Google

Once you have entered the API, a new field named Google Address will appear in both the New Customer Wizard and the Customer Screen (after clicking into the Address field).

When adding a new customer or updating their address, simply start typing the address into the Google Address field. Google will start providing search results; these will become more accurate the more you type. When you see the correct address, simply click on it and Retailer will fill out all the details automatically.

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