Glossary & Key Concepts
Purpose: Look up Mapplex and GIS terminology in plain language.
Before you start: No setup is required.
Expected result: You can relate the term to the relevant product or workflow.
Use this module as a plain-language reference for Mapplex and GIS terms used throughout the guide.
1. Account, Workspace, and Project Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Geova Cloud | The online service used by Mapplex for hosted projects, workspace collaboration and connected Geova services. |
| Account | A signed-in user identity. Accounts can belong to one or more workspaces. |
| Guest Mode | Local-only access without signing in. Useful for testing or offline-only work on one device. |
| Trusted Device | A device registered to an account. Each account supports a limited number of trusted devices. |
| Workspace | An isolated organization area containing projects, members, roles, and cloud data. |
| Project | A working map environment containing layers, forms, features, imports, and exports. |
| Hosted Project | A cloud-backed project that supports sync and collaboration when the user is signed in. |
| Local Project | A project stored on the current device for offline or single-device work. |
| Role | A permission level such as Owner, Admin, Editor, Collector, or Viewer. Roles control what a user can create, edit, import, or manage. |
| Entitlement | A plan or workspace feature flag that unlocks tools such as Geova AI, CAD/SHP, Smart Logic, or advanced exports. |
2. Map and Data Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Layer | A named collection of map features with the same geometry type, such as streetlights, roads, or parcels. |
| Active Layer | The layer currently selected for drawing, GPS capture, or feature creation. |
| Feature | One collected map item, such as a single point, line, or polygon with form values attached. |
| Geometry | The spatial shape of a feature: Point, LineString, or Polygon. |
| Point | A single location, often used for assets, observations, signs, hydrants, or inspection points. |
| LineString | A connected line, often used for roads, pipes, trails, or routes. |
| Polygon | A closed area, often used for parcels, zones, buildings, or boundaries. |
| Reference Layer | A background layer used for lookup or context, commonly polygons such as districts, parcels, zones, or soil areas. |
| Basemap | The background map, such as street map or satellite imagery. |
| Offline Tiles | Downloaded basemap tiles stored on the device so the map remains visible without internet. |
| Clustering | A display method that groups nearby points at lower zoom levels to improve readability and performance. |
| Temporal Playback | A map tool that filters or animates features over time when date/time fields exist. |
3. Forms and Data Quality Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Form | The set of fields shown when a user creates or edits a feature. |
| Field | One form question or data value, such as Condition, Asset ID, Inspection Date, or Photo. |
| Required Field | A field that must be completed before the feature can be saved. |
| Dropdown | A field with a fixed list of choices created directly in the form. |
| Lexicon Picklist | A controlled list reused by linked fields and layers. Hosted lists are shared within the workspace and can be available across projects. |
| Data Dictionary | Metadata for fields, including aliases, units, type hints, and semantic roles. It improves labels, exports, and AI understanding. |
| Auto Geometry | A field that stores values calculated from the feature geometry, such as point coordinates, line length, polygon area, or perimeter. |
| Spatial Auto-Fill | A form lookup that copies a selected attribute from a matching reference polygon into the form. Points use their location; lines and polygons use their centroid. |
| Smart Logic | Conditional form behavior that shows/hides fields, makes answers required, or sets and calculates values. |
| Completion Indicator | A map style that marks records green/red by whether all eligible visible fields have values, including optional fields. It overrides classification colors and does not confirm sync. |
| Import Schema | Add supported field definitions to a form; importing the feature records is a separate Data & Sync action. |
| Schema Import | Creating form fields from an existing file's columns or attributes. |
| Attachment | A photo, PDF, or other file stored with the feature or related record it supports. |
| Relationship | A definition connecting a parent dataset to a child table. A record link identifies the exact parent and child; matching labels alone do not link records. |
| Related Table | A non-spatial dataset, such as inspection visits, whose rows can link to parent records. |
| Draft Relationship | A saved relationship definition that needs activation before it can link records. |
| Archive | A reviewed operation that marks a record as archived; its history can remain visible. Access and relationship policies govern whether the action is available. |
| Parent Record | The main feature that other records describe, such as a streetlight asset. |
| Related Record | A record linked to a parent feature, such as an inspection visit or work order. |
4. Coordinate and CRS Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CRS | Coordinate Reference System. It defines how coordinates map to real-world locations. |
| WGS84 / EPSG:4326 | The standard GPS coordinate system using longitude and latitude in decimal degrees. |
| UTM | A projected coordinate system using meters. Common in engineering, survey, and regional GIS workflows. |
| Web Mercator / EPSG:3857 | A projected coordinate system commonly used by web maps. |
| proj4 | A text definition for a coordinate system. Useful for custom or local grids. |
| Reprojection | Converting coordinates from one CRS to another. |
| Wrong CRS Symptom | Imported data appears far from the expected location, often because the wrong CRS was selected. |
5. File Format Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| GeoJSON | A common web/GIS format for point, line, and polygon features. |
| KML / KMZ | Google Earth-style geospatial formats. KMZ is a compressed KML package. |
| GeoPackage / GPKG | A SQLite-based GIS file format used for larger or more formal GIS handoffs. |
| File Geodatabase / GDB | A geodatabase package used to exchange feature layers together with supported relationships, related records, and attachments. |
| CSV | A spreadsheet-style text file. In Mapplex, CSV import creates point features when coordinate columns are mapped. |
| Excel (.xlsx / .xls) | Spreadsheet files that can be imported as point features when coordinate columns are available. |
| Shapefile / SHP | An ESRI GIS format made of related files such as .shp, .shx, .dbf, and often .prj. |
| DXF | A CAD drawing exchange format commonly used by engineering and drafting teams. |
| DBF | The attribute table file inside a Shapefile set. |
| PRJ | The coordinate system file commonly included with Shapefiles. |
6. Field Collection Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| GPS Pin | The map control used to locate the device and capture a point at the current GPS position. |
| Quick Capture | A faster point-capture workflow for repeated GPS-based collection on the active layer. |
| Fill by voice | Optional Quick Capture form assistance: speak or type a description, review suggested field values, apply them to the draft, then save normally. Requires enabled workspace access. |
| GPS Accuracy Indicator | A visual cue showing whether the current GPS signal is reliable enough for field capture. |
| Manual Coordinate Entry | A tool for placing a point by typing known coordinates. |
| GPS Recording Tools | Tools for recording movement as a path or series of points. |
| Silent Track | GPS movement recording that does not add visible collection points to the active layer. |
| Advanced Edit | Owner/Admin polygon editing tools such as split and merge. |
| Sketch Mode | Local project annotations and notes, separate from the layer's collected features. |
| Slope Profiler | A field tool for slope or terrain readings where available. |
| Contextual / Radial Drawing | A long-press or right-click menu whose actions depend on whether you selected empty map space, a feature, or a cluster. |
| Precision Crosshair | A fixed map-center target used with Add Point to place geometry while panning the map. |
| Snap to Features | A drawing aid that aligns draft vertices with nearby available feature geometry. |
| Spiderfy | Spreads supported overlapping cluster markers for selection without moving their stored locations. |
| Action Bar | The bottom controls for the current map task, such as Add Point, Undo, Finish, and Cancel. |
| Measurement Tool | A map tool for distance, perimeter, and area measurements. |
For a worked asset-and-visits example, see Record repeated inspections.
7. Sync and Collaboration Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cloud Sync | Syncing hosted project data through the cloud when internet is available. |
| Pending Sync | Local changes waiting to be uploaded or reconciled with cloud storage. |
| Local P2P Sync | Peer-to-peer synchronization between nearby devices on the same Wi-Fi or hotspot, where supported. |
| Team Workspace | A workspace configured for multiple users, roles, collaboration, and cloud features. |
| Audit History | A record of feature changes where the workspace plan supports history retention. |
8. Geova AI Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Geova AI | The Mapplex assistant for natural-language queries, summaries, spatial analysis planning, and exports. |
| Workspace Credits | Credits used by Geova AI for useful AI answers or generated assistance. |
| AI-Assisted SQL / Filter | A plain-language request converted into a reviewable dashboard filter or query. |
| AI Result Layer | A temporary or saved layer created from an AI query or spatial analysis result. |
| Map Preview | A visual preview of AI query results before saving or exporting. |
| Go Deeper | An action that reruns a request through a structured analysis template when available. |
9. Common Confusions
| If You Mean... | Use This |
|---|---|
| "I need the district copied into the form from a zone layer." | Spatial Auto-Fill |
| "I need coordinates or area calculated from the drawn feature." | Auto Geometry |
| "I need the same dropdown values in many places." | Lexicon Picklist |
| "I need the form to change based on an answer." | Smart Logic |
| "I need to collect many GPS points quickly." | Quick Capture |
| "I need to carefully place one point." | GPS Pin or Manual Coordinate Entry |
| "I need to find incomplete or urgent records." | Dashboard filters or Geova AI |
| "I need to keep inspections linked to one asset." | Relationships and related records |
| "I need to send layers, related records, and evidence to a GIS team." | File Geodatabase (GDB) export |
| "I need to carry photos or reports with a record." | Attachments or Gallery fields |
| "I need nearest, buffer, join, or zone summaries." | Geova AI spatial analysis |
| "My imported data is in the wrong place." | Check CRS, .prj, UTM zone, or custom proj4 |
| "A button is locked or hidden." | Check plan entitlement, project role, app setting, and network/device requirements |
Previous: Module 16: Sample Project - Municipal Asset InspectionBack to overview: User Guide Overview