Simplify your input strings with the .ini configuration file

Released: January 20, 2026

Last updated: January 20, 2026

The latest update to Web Services Spreadsheets can read a user-created text file titled pcmwebserve.ini with four default settings that simplify requests for mileage, tolls, or location data.

In the .ini file, you can preset default values used by every spreadsheet function. This improves results and reduces the number of arguments needed in your spreadsheet calls.

The four settings and their “out-of-the-box” defaults are:

  • LOGGING=ENABLE - This setting should be left alone. It is used to log issues with the software in the event that you need help from our technical support team.

  • REGION=NA - The default region is North America “NA.” This value can be set to any two-letter region code your API key is licensed to use. AF - Africa; AS - Asia; EU - Europe; OC - Oceania; SA - South America; ME - Middle East

  • COUNTRY=US - The two-letter (ISO2) country code. Selecting a country is important for more precise matching of locations.

  • PCMVERSION=CURRENT - This is the PC*Miler version used for route (and mileage) calculation. When setting this value, use PCMXX where XX is the version number, or use CURRENT for the latest version. The versions available include PCM18-Current.

How to use an .ini file

  1. Download this sample .ini file to your computer. Do not change the file name.

  2. Open the file in a text editor (like Notepad), and edit the REGION, COUNTRY, and PCMVERSION values to match your needs.

  3. Save your edited pcmwebserve.ini file in the folder on your computer where you have saved "Excel WebServices Add-In.xlam" (that’s the PC*Miler Spreadsheet add-in file). Be sure to remove any existing pcmwebserve.ini file that is present in this folder.

  4. You can change any value you need for your spreadsheets by editing and re-saving your new file at any time.