Adding & Managing Locations

Locations are the heart of your Mapiry maps. This guide will show you everything you need to know about working with locations—from adding them to your map to organizing, editing, and managing them effectively.

Adding Locations to Your Map

Method 1: Google Places Search

The easiest and most accurate way to add locations:

1. Open your map in edit mode
2. Find the search bar (usually at the top of the map)
3. Type the place name, address, or business name
4. Select the correct result from Google Places suggestions
5. Location is added automatically with:
   • Name
   • Coordinates (latitude/longitude)
   • Address (if available)

💡 Tip: Google Places Search provides the most accurate coordinates and up-to-date business information.

Method 2: Click on the Map

For locations not in Google Places or for custom points:

1. Click anywhere on the map canvas
2. A marker appears with a location form popup
3. Fill in the details:
   • Name (required) - The location's name
   • Description (optional) - What makes it special
   • Category (optional) - Assign to a category
4. Click "Save" or "Add Location"

💡 Tip: You can drag markers to adjust their position after adding them.

Method 3: Bulk Import

For adding many locations at once:

• CSV Import - Import from spreadsheets
• KML/KMZ Import - Import from Google My Maps

See our CSV Import Guide and KML Import Guide for detailed instructions.

Location Fields

Every location in Mapiry can include:

Required Fields

• Name - The location's name
• Latitude - Latitude coordinate (auto-filled via search/click)
• Longitude - Longitude coordinate (auto-filled via search/click)

Optional Fields

• Description - Rich text describing the location
• Category - Assign to a category for organization
• Image - Upload via Cloudinary or provide image URL
• Hidden - Hide location without deleting it (toggle visibility)
• Order - Custom sort order for location list display

💡 Tip: Adding descriptions and images makes your maps more engaging!

Editing Locations

Quick Edit

1. Click on any location marker on your map
2. The location details appear in a popup or sidebar
3. Click "Edit" icon or button
4. Update any field
5. Click "Save"

Changes are saved immediately.

Inline Editing from Locations List

If your map editor has a locations panel/list:

1. Find the location in the list
2. Click on it to view details
3. Edit fields directly
4. Changes save automatically

⚠️ Note: There is no undo function. Be careful when editing!

Organizing Locations

Using Categories

Categories help group related locations together:

1. Create categories with names and colors
2. Assign locations to categories
3. Users can filter the map by category
4. Color-coded markers make maps easier to scan

To assign a category:

• Edit the location
• Select a category from the dropdown
• Save

To create a new category:

• See our Categories Guide

Reordering Locations

Control the order locations appear in your map's sidebar/list:

1. Open the locations panel
2. Look for drag handles (⋮⋮) or reorder option
3. Drag locations to reorder them
4. Order is saved automatically

💡 Tip: Put your most important locations at the top of the list!

Visibility Control

Hide locations without deleting them:

1. Edit the location
2. Toggle the "Hidden" or "Visible" switch
3. Save

Use cases for hiding locations:

• Seasonal businesses (hide when closed)
• Work-in-progress locations
• Temporarily unavailable places

Hidden locations:

• Don't appear on the public map
• Are visible to you in edit mode
• Can be unhidden anytime

Deleting Locations

Delete a Single Location

From the map:

1. Click the location marker
2. Look for "Delete" or trash icon
3. Confirm the deletion

From the locations list:

1. Find the location
2. Click the menu (⋯) or delete button
3. Confirm

⚠️ Warning: Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. Consider hiding instead if you're unsure!

Delete Multiple Locations

If bulk selection is available:

1. Select multiple locations (checkboxes)
2. Click "Delete Selected"
3. Confirm bulk deletion

Adding Images to Locations

Make your locations more visual:

Via Cloudinary Upload

1. Edit a location
2. Find the "Image" field or "Upload Image" button
3. Click to upload from your device
4. Image is uploaded to Cloudinary and URL is saved
5. Save the location

Via Image URL

1. Edit a location
2. Find the "Image URL" field
3. Paste the full URL to an image
4. Save

💡 Tip: Images should be at least 800x600px for best quality. Cloudinary automatically optimizes them!

Best Practices

1. Use Descriptive Names

Instead of "Location 1", use "Blue Bottle Coffee - Mission District"

2. Add Rich Descriptions

A good description answers:

• What is this place?
• Why is it significant or special?
• What should visitors know?
• Any insider tips?

3. Include Images

Locations with images get much more engagement than those without.

4. Categorize Everything

Even small maps benefit from categories. They make filtering and navigation easier.

5. Keep Coordinates Accurate

Always verify that pins are in the right spot, especially if added by clicking the map.

6. Use Consistent Formatting

• Addresses: Full street address format
• Phone: Consistent format across all locations
• URLs: Always include https://

Troubleshooting

"Location not found" when searching

• Try a more specific search (include city/neighborhood)
• Use the full business name
• Try clicking on the map instead and entering details manually

Location appears in the wrong place

1. Edit the location
2. Drag the marker to the correct spot
3. Or manually adjust latitude/longitude coordinates
4. Save changes

Can't save a location

• Check that Name field is filled (required)
• Verify coordinates are valid numbers
• Check your internet connection
• Try refreshing the page

Image not displaying

• Verify the image URL is publicly accessible
• Check that URL starts with http:// or https://
• Try uploading via Cloudinary instead
• Make sure image file isn't too large (Cloudinary has limits)

Location disappeared

• Check if it's hidden (look in edit mode)
• Verify map is loaded completely
• Check location's category isn't filtered out
• Try refreshing the page

What's Next?

• Map Actions - See all location management actions
• Categories & Organization - Group and filter locations
• Bulk Operations - Import and manage many locations
• CSV Import Guide - Import from spreadsheets
• KML Import Guide - Import from Google Maps