Best Sales Territory Planning Tools

Why You Need Territory Planning Tools

Most sales teams plan territories manually. They use spreadsheets. They wing it. They don't have tools to help them balance territories, analyze potential, or optimize assignments.

Manual territory planning is time-consuming, error-prone, and doesn't scale. It's hard to balance territories. It's hard to analyze potential. It's hard to optimize assignments.

Territory planning tools solve this. They automate territory planning. They help you balance territories. They analyze potential. They optimize assignments.

Here are the best sales territory planning tools — features to look for, top options, and how to choose the right tool for your team.

Features to Look For

When evaluating territory planning tools, look for:

Territory Mapping

What it is: Visual maps showing territory boundaries, account assignments, and geographic coverage.

Why it matters: Visual maps make territories clear and easy to understand. They prevent confusion and conflicts.

What to look for: Interactive maps, customizable boundaries, account overlays, geographic visualization.

Balance Analysis

What it is: Tools to analyze territory balance — potential, count, workload, capacity.

Why it matters: Balance analysis helps you create fair, optimized territories.

What to look for: Potential calculations, workload estimates, capacity matching, balance metrics.

Account Assignment

What it is: Tools to assign accounts to territories and reps.

Why it matters: Account assignment ensures coverage and prevents conflicts.

What to look for: Drag-and-drop assignment, bulk assignment, conflict detection, assignment rules.

Data Integration

What it is: Integration with CRM, marketing databases, and other data sources.

Why it matters: Data integration provides account data, potential, and performance metrics.

What to look for: CRM integration, data import/export, real-time sync, API access.

Optimization

What it is: Tools to optimize territory assignments and balance.

Why it matters: Optimization helps you create the best possible territories.

What to look for: Automated optimization, scenario planning, what-if analysis, performance optimization.

Top Territory Planning Tools

Here are top territory planning tools:

Salesforce Territory Management

What it is: Salesforce's built-in territory management features.

Features:

• Territory hierarchy and assignment
• Account and opportunity assignment
• Territory performance tracking
• Integration with Salesforce CRM

Pros: Integrated with Salesforce, familiar to Salesforce users, comprehensive features.

Cons: Can be complex, requires Salesforce, may be overkill for simple needs.

Best for: Salesforce users who want integrated territory management.

Badger Maps

What it is: Territory mapping and route optimization tool.

Features:

• Visual territory maps
• Route optimization
• Account management
• Mobile app

Pros: Easy to use, great mapping features, mobile-friendly.

Cons: Focused on mapping, less on planning and optimization.

Best for: Field sales teams who need mapping and routing.

Map My Customers

What it is: Territory mapping and account management tool.

Features:

• Visual territory maps
• Account assignment
• Route optimization
• CRM integration

Pros: Easy to use, good mapping features, affordable.

Cons: Less comprehensive than enterprise tools.

Best for: Small to medium teams who need mapping and assignment.

TerrAlign

What it is: Territory planning and optimization software.

Features:

• Territory balance analysis
• Account assignment optimization
• Performance analytics
• Data integration

Pros: Comprehensive planning features, optimization tools, analytics.

Cons: Can be complex, higher cost, learning curve.

Best for: Enterprise teams who need advanced planning and optimization.

Zuant

What it is: Territory planning and management platform.

Features:

• Territory mapping
• Account assignment
• Balance analysis
• Performance tracking

Pros: Comprehensive features, good analytics, user-friendly.

Cons: Can be expensive, may be overkill for simple needs.

Best for: Mid to large teams who need comprehensive planning.

Spotio

What it is: Field sales management and territory planning tool.

Features:

• Territory mapping
• Account management
• Route optimization
• Performance tracking

Pros: Field sales focused, mobile-friendly, easy to use.

Cons: Less comprehensive planning features.

Best for: Field sales teams who need mapping and management.

How to Choose the Right Tool

Here's how to choose the right territory planning tool:

Assess Your Needs

What to consider:

• Team size and complexity
• Territory structure (geographic, industry, account-based)
• Integration requirements
• Budget and resources

Why it matters: Different tools fit different needs. Assess your needs first.

How to do it: List your requirements. Prioritize features. Consider constraints.

Evaluate Features

What to consider:

• Territory mapping capabilities
• Balance analysis features
• Account assignment tools
• Data integration options
• Optimization capabilities

Why it matters: Features determine tool effectiveness.

How to do it: Compare features across tools. Match features to needs.

Consider Integration

What to consider:

• CRM integration requirements
• Data source integration
• API access needs
• Real-time sync requirements

Why it matters: Integration affects data availability and workflow.

How to do it: Assess integration needs. Evaluate integration capabilities.

Evaluate Cost

What to consider:

• Licensing costs
• Implementation costs
• Training costs
• Ongoing maintenance

Why it matters: Cost affects ROI and budget.

How to do it: Compare costs across tools. Consider total cost of ownership.

Test Before Buying

What to consider:

• Free trials or demos
• Pilot programs
• User feedback
• Support quality

Why it matters: Testing ensures tool fits your needs.

How to do it: Request demos. Run pilots. Get user feedback.

Implementation Best Practices

Here are best practices for implementing territory planning tools:

Start with Data

What to do: Clean and prepare your data before implementation.

Why it matters: Good data enables good territory planning.

How to do it: Clean account data. Prepare territory data. Ensure data quality.

Train Your Team

What to do: Train your team on the tool and process.

Why it matters: Training ensures effective tool use.

How to do it: Provide training sessions. Create documentation. Offer support.

Start Small

What to do: Start with a pilot or small implementation.

Why it matters: Starting small reduces risk and allows learning.

How to do it: Pilot with one team or region. Learn and adjust. Scale gradually.

Monitor and Optimize

What to do: Monitor tool usage and results. Optimize as needed.

Why it matters: Monitoring ensures tool effectiveness.

How to do it: Track usage metrics. Review results. Optimize processes.

The Bottom Line

Territory planning tools help you:

• Map territories — Visual representation of territories and assignments
• Balance territories — Analyze and optimize territory balance
• Assign accounts — Assign accounts to territories and reps
• Integrate data — Connect with CRM and data sources
• Optimize assignments — Create optimal territory assignments

Top tools: Salesforce Territory Management, Badger Maps, Map My Customers, TerrAlign, Zuant, Spotio.

How to choose: Assess needs, evaluate features, consider integration, evaluate cost, test before buying.

Best practices: Start with data, train your team, start small, monitor and optimize.

The sales teams that succeed aren't the ones that plan territories manually. They're the ones that use territory planning tools — automating planning, balancing territories, and optimizing assignments.

That's how you choose the right territory planning tool — by assessing your needs, evaluating features, and testing before buying.