Common questions about using SwiftFox Maps.
Why isn't a contact showing on the map?
They most likely have no address recorded, or their address has not been geocoded. Open the profile's Contacts and Roles tab and look under Addresses: a crosshair (target) icon beside an address means it is geocoded and will plot. Only records with coordinates appear on the map. Ignore the globe icon on the same row — it appears against every contact method and says nothing about geocoding.
How do I check how many records will plot before adding the layer?
The count at the bottom of the Select Your Data panel shows how many records have geographic coordinates for your current criteria — for example, 264 record(s) have geographic coordinates. That is exactly how many markers the layer will produce.
Can I map Organisations instead of People?
Yes. Set Record Type to Organisation when you configure the layer. A layer plots one type only, so create separate layers if you want both on the same map.
How do I change a layer's colour?
You can't change it after the fact. Colour is set at Choose Point Color when you create the layer, and the swatch shown in Your Data Center is a legend rather than a control. To recolour a layer, delete it and add it again with the colour you want.
How do I hide a layer without losing it?
Use the toggle on the layer's row in Your Data Center. The layer comes off the map but stays in the list, so you can bring it straight back.
How do I remove a layer I no longer need?
Click the bin (delete) icon on the layer's row in Your Data Center. This removes it from the map only — the underlying records are untouched.
I can't click my markers. What's wrong?
A census or demographic layer is probably sitting over them and taking the click, so you get the area's pop-up instead. Toggle that dataset off in Your Data Center, click the marker, then toggle it back on.
How do I get back to my data when the map is somewhere else?
Expand the layer in Your Data Center and click Zoom To Extents. The map moves and zooms so all of that layer's data is in view.
Can I view a contact's full record from the map?
Yes. Click a marker to open its card, then use the link at the bottom — Click here to view the profile of this record in a new window. The profile opens in a new window, so your map stays as it was.
How do I save and reopen a map I configured?
Click Save your map, enter a Workspace Name, and click Save. To bring it back, click Add new data to your map, choose it under Your saved Maps, and click Add data to map. Its layers are added alongside anything already on your map rather than replacing it, so clear the map first if you want the workspace on its own.
Can I export the map?
Not as data. The printer icon at the top right of the map captures the current view as an image. There is no data export in Maps — if you need the records themselves, build the equivalent criteria in List Builder and export from there.
What external datasets can I overlay?
Built-in census and demographic datasets from the SwiftFox data library, where your environment includes them. Both Australian and New Zealand sets are offered, each with seven categories: Demographics, Economy and Jobs, Education, Election Results, Government Areas, Health and Transport.
Can I put my own map file on a map?
Yes. Click Add new data to your map, then Upload your own data under Add external data. KML, GeoJSON and CSV files are accepted. The file is displayed locally in your browser and is not saved or uploaded to SwiftFox, so it disappears when you leave the map.
I want a list of contacts in an area, not a map of them
Use Boundary Selection in List Builder, which lets you select predefined boundaries or draw your own shapes and then work with the matching contacts. See Boundary Selection on Maps (predefined boundaries and custom polygons/circles).
Related User Guides
- Geocoding requirements & checking geocode status
- Interacting with the map (markers, clusters, zoom, profile drill-through)
- Managing layers (show or hide, opacity, zoom to extent, delete)
- Overlaying built-in census/demographic datasets
- Uploading your own data file to a map
- Saving & printing maps