Partner Stories

How to Find Nearby Leads in Dynamics 365 with Azure Maps

Published by Inogic

In sales, service, and field operations, every minute on the clock and every extra mile on the road has a cost. Gas prices are up about 40% year-over-year, which contributes significantly to rising travel expenses for field technicians. A sales rep might have a packed day of back-to-back meetings, or a field service manager may need to dispatch technicians on short notice. In both cases, efficiency and smart planning are the real profit drivers. 

This is where Radius/Proximity Search in Maplytics, powered by Azure Maps within Microsoft Dynamics 365, makes a real difference. With this feature, you can instantly identify all records, accounts, leads, or service locations within a given radius or travel time of a chosen point. Add optimized routing into the mix, and suddenly your CRM becomes a complete travel and planning companion.

Let’s break down how it works and why it’s such a game-changer for field operations.

What Is Proximity or Radius Search in Maplytics?

At its core, Proximity Search lets users select a location, whether that’s a customer’s address from Dynamics 365, a live GPS location, or even a manually entered pin on the map, and instantly discover all relevant CRM records within a specific distance or drive time.

With Azure Maps integration, those results are displayed more vividly on the map, making it easy to spot opportunities nearby and generate the fastest/shortest travel routes between them.

Think about the questions you could answer in seconds:

  • Which leads are within 10 minutes of my first appointment today?
  • If a client cancels, what’s the quickest alternative stop I can add?
  • Can I meet a prospect close to my current location before heading back?
  • Who can my technician reach fastest when an emergency call comes in?

With Maplytics, those “what if” scenarios become actionable in real time.

Why Proximity Search Matters?

Here’s why this feature is more than just a nice-to-have:

  1. Optimized Travel – Avoid crisscrossing the city and minimize wasted mileage.
  2. Higher Productivity – Reps can cover more meaningful meetings in the same workday with available time.
  3. Faster Response – Quickly spot and respond to opportunities or emergencies nearby.
  4. Balanced Coverage – Ensure no local area is ignored or underserved.

How Proximity Search Works in Dynamics 365?

Step 1 – Open Map View
Launch Maplytics within Dynamics 365 and pull up the records (Accounts, Leads, Contacts, etc.) plotted on Azure Maps.

Step 2 – Pick Your Center Point
This could be:

  • An existing CRM record
  • Your real-time GPS location
  • A manually entered address or landmark

Step 3 – Set Distance or Time
Choose to search by radius (in miles/kilometers) or by drive time (in minutes/ hours). This flexibility ensures you’re working with real travel conditions, not just “as-the-crow-flies” distance.

Step 4 – See Nearby Records
All records that fall within the specified area are instantly displayed on the interactive map.

Step 5 – Get Directions
Select the records you want to visit, click “Route,” and generate optimized turn-by-turn navigation. Maplytics integrates with Azure Maps, Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps, giving you the app flexibility you need.

Real-World Applications

Sales Efficiency

A sales rep in Los Angeles has a two-hour window between client meetings. Using Proximity Search, they locate several leads within a 5-mile radius, drop in for quick conversations, and even close one deal that would have otherwise been postponed.

Service Optimization

A field engineer in Houston faces a last-minute cancellation. Instead of wasting time, they search for nearby service requests and resolve one on the spot, increasing productivity without driving extra miles.

Event Follow-Ups

After attending a trade show in Atlanta, a rep runs a Proximity Search around the venue to visit potential clients based in the same area. This helps capitalize on fresh connections while the event buzz is still alive.

Best Practices to Maximize Proximity Search

  • Identify the nearest available technician in minutes for urgent cases.
  • Align proximity results with rep schedules to maximize day planning.
  • Go beyond distance, filter by industry, account type, or deal stage for high-priority visits.

In today’s competitive market, location intelligence isn’t optional; it’s essential. With Proximity Search in Maplytics for Dynamics 365, powered by Azure Maps, businesses can plan smarter routes, respond faster to opportunities, and optimize every trip their field teams make.

It’s not only about spotting who’s nearby, it’s about making every mile and every minute count.

What’s More

To get more acquainted and experience Maplytics first-hand, one can write to crm@inogic.com.

We can arrange a personalized free demo for your requirements. You can also enjoy a 15-day free trial in your environment.

For applied knowledge, visit our Website or Microsoft AppSource. One can hop onto the detailed Blogs, Client Testimonials, Success Stories, Industry Applications, and Video Library for a quick query resolution. Technical docs for the working of Maplytics are also available for reference.

Azure Web-based Mapping