Things to keep in mind to get accurate, readable maps.
Records must have coordinates
Records without a geocoded address do not appear on the map, even when they match your criteria. The most common reason is that the record has no address at all. Confirm a record's status on its Contacts and Roles tab: a crosshair (target) icon beside an address under Addresses means it is geocoded.
Best practice: keep addresses complete and accurate so they geocode cleanly, and use the address icons to spot records that are missing coordinates before you build a layer around them.
The coordinate count only includes geocoded records
The count in the Select Your Data panel counts only records that have geographic coordinates under the current criteria. A record can match your criteria and still be left off the map.
Best practice: compare the coordinate count against the number of records you expected to match, so you know how much of your data the map is not showing.
A layer's colour is fixed once it is added
Colour is set at Choose Point Color when you create the layer and cannot be changed afterwards.
Best practice: plan your colours before you build overlapping layers, so you don't have to delete and rebuild a layer just to recolour it.
Clusters hide detail
Dense areas are drawn as a single larger circle. Clusters carry no count and cannot be clicked.
Best practice: zoom in for record-level detail; zoom out to read broad distribution and compare regions. Use Zoom To Extents on a layer to get back to its data quickly.
Shaded datasets sit over your markers
While a census or demographic layer is on, clicking gets you that area's pop-up rather than a marker's card.
Best practice: lower the dataset's Opacity so your markers read through it, and toggle the dataset off when you need to click markers.
The printer icon is a static capture
It saves an image of the current view — it is not a data export and does not include the underlying records.
Best practice: set the view up exactly as you want it (zoom, pan, visible layers) before you capture, since only what is on screen is included. For the records themselves, export from List Builder.
Saved maps add to the current map
Adding a saved workspace brings its layers in alongside whatever is already on the map, and moves the view to fit them.
Best practice: clear or hide your existing layers first if you want to look at a saved workspace on its own.
Uploaded files are not stored
A KML, GeoJSON or CSV file loaded through Upload your own data is displayed locally in your browser and is not saved or uploaded to SwiftFox.
Best practice: keep the source file — you will need to load it again next time, and saving the map will not preserve it.
Built-in datasets depend on your environment
The SwiftFox data library offers Australian and New Zealand datasets where your environment includes them. Don't assume every category or measure is available everywhere.
Use the layer controls for clarity
With several overlapping layers, readability suffers if everything is at full opacity in similar colours.
Best practice: give each layer a distinct colour when you create it, lower the opacity of broad layers, and toggle layers off when you want to focus on one dataset.
Related User Guides
- Geocoding requirements & checking geocode status
- Configuring a data layer (name, record type, point colour, criteria, coordinate count)
- Managing layers (show or hide, opacity, zoom to extent, delete)
- Uploading your own data file to a map
- Saving & printing maps
- Maps — Frequently asked questions