a) Can external maps such as Google Maps be used with BICS? If yes, how?

Response:At the moment with BICS there exists no method to modify many components of the
MapViewer metadata, you can only use what is provided. One cannot adjust or add to the
Background Maps or Layers. This is because 1) no Administrative tools are accessible on the
WLS instance to expose new map metadata (the image below) and 2) the BICS Schema as a
Service does not allow the interaction (JDBC) needed to connect to MapBuilder (the primary
metadata tool for MapViewer). I am not certain, but I doubt it, that Schema as a Service
supports Spatial data (i.e., the shapes not Lat/Lon). Even if one used BICS with DBaaS the gap of
being able to import the new Metadata via the MapViewer Admin Console would still exist.

b) If any option exists for us to map geographical coordinates (latitude/longitude)?

Response:Yes, this is possible for both BICS/MapViewer and VA.
For BICS you must have the Latitude and Longitude fields modeled and placed on the main
query of the Answers request. On the Map canvas select "New Map Format" and choose
"Variable Shape" then select "Custom Point Layer".

The Latitude and Longitude fields should be automatically detected if not chose them as

indicated. You will likely want to adjust other styling options like I did below because the initial
choices will not look too appealing.

Now your Map will appear with the Variable shapes for the Lat/Lon. You will want to perform
one more adjustment, edit the map, go to Map Properties, and choose "Interaction" then "Last
Saved" for "Initial Map View". If you have the next highest map layer on the map (for instance a
State) this may not be needed but without it the map will open each time the report is run at its
widest extent.

In VA it gets even simpler. If you have Lat/Lon modeled simply pull the fields into the
Geography block on the Map visualization. Even if Lat/Lon are not modeled you could perform
a Mashup and load them from a Spreadsheet.