Operator Guide

How to use the Atlas dashboard.

This guide covers every area of the dashboard: datasets, fields, POIs, map controls, search, CSV import/export, QR codes, and the public detail page. Written for organization admins and editors who manage location data daily.

Dashboard overview

The dashboard is organized around a left sidebar and a main content area. The sidebar is the primary navigation: Overview, Team, Datasets, Locations, Search, Audit, and API Docs.

Most operators spend their time in three areas: Datasets, Locations, and Search. Organization admins also use Team and organization settings.

Atlas is map-first. Tables support the workflow, but the map and POI forms are the primary interface for adding and validating locations.
Dashboard overview

Organization and users

Organization admins can update organization basics and manage users in the Team section. Editors only need their login and the datasets assigned to them.

Edit organization settings Use the Overview screen and open Edit settings to update the organization name, slug, and active status.
Add a user Open the Team tab and use + Add user. Assign the correct role immediately.
Choose roles carefully Use admin for organization operators, editor for data entry, and viewer for read-only access.
Team overview

Datasets and settings

A dataset is the logical container for one category of POIs — sites, entrances, sections, landmarks, or any other geospatial entity type. Each dataset has its own icon, color, visibility, and QR redirect setting.

  • Use separate datasets when records have different meaning or different custom fields.
  • Set the dataset color intentionally. That color is used for map pins and the public detail page header.
  • Set visibility to public only if the dataset should appear on the public search page and public API.

QR redirect target

Each dataset has a QR redirect target setting that controls where a scanned QR code sends the visitor. Choose from:

OptionWhere it redirects
Detail page (default)The Atlas public detail page at /p.html — shows org/dataset branding, all field values, and "Open in maps" buttons.
Google MapsOpens the POI coordinates directly in Google Maps.
Apple MapsOpens in Apple Maps (works best on iOS/macOS).
OpenStreetMapOpens the location in openstreetmap.org.
WazeLaunches Waze navigation to the POI.
HERE MapsOpens in HERE Maps.
If the POI has no coordinates, the redirect always falls back to the detail page regardless of the setting.
Datasets overview

Custom fields

Custom fields define the structure of POI data inside a dataset. They determine what data entry operators see in the POI form and what the search index covers.

Creating a field

Display name auto-fills the code As you type the display name, the code field is automatically filled with a slugified snake_case version (e.g. "Deceased Name" → deceased_name). You can override the code manually — once you edit it by hand it stops auto-filling.
Code is permanent The field code cannot be changed after creation. Choose it carefully as it is used in CSV imports and the API.
Mark searchable fields carefully Only fields that operators or the public search page need to find records by should be marked searchable. Searchable fields are indexed for full-text search.
Create fields before importing data If a CSV contains named columns that matter for search or filtering, define matching dataset fields first so they are imported into structured columns rather than metadata.

Editing an existing field

Click the pencil icon (✎) on any field pill in the dataset detail view to open the field editor. You can update:

  • Display name — the label shown in POI forms and search results
  • Required / Searchable / Filterable / Unique flags
  • Default value and Placeholder
  • Sort order — controls the order fields appear in forms and results
The field code and field type cannot be changed after creation. If you need a different code or type, delete the field and recreate it — note this also deletes all stored values for that field.
Datasets overview

Creating and editing POIs

POIs combine geometry, free metadata, and dataset field values. When you create or edit a POI, the selected dataset determines which custom fields appear in the form.

  • Last-used dataset is pre-selected. When you open the new POI form, the dataset dropdown defaults to whichever dataset you last saved a POI into. This saves time during bulk data entry sessions.
  • Title is the operator-facing label. Keep it concise and unique enough to find quickly in search.
  • Custom fields appear automatically once a dataset is selected. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk.
  • Area (WKT) is optional. Use it when the POI represents a polygon or area rather than a point.
  • Metadata JSON is a free-form object for values that don't belong in structured dataset fields.

QR code in the edit form

When editing an existing POI, a QR code section appears at the bottom of the form. It shows:

  • A 120×120 QR code image ready to scan or screenshot for printing.
  • The full shareable link (e.g. https://yourdomain.com/p/abc123…).
  • A Copy link button to copy the URL to the clipboard.

The redirect destination is controlled by the dataset's QR redirect target setting — see section 3 and section 10 for details.

Datasets overview

Map controls

The Locations tab contains a full-screen MapLibre map alongside the POI list. All map controls are in the top-left overlay.

Zoom and fit controls

  • + / − buttons zoom in and out one level at a time.
  • ⊞ Fit fits the map to show all visible POIs. If no POIs are loaded it resets to the default view.

Layer switcher

Use the dropdown in the top-left to switch between four tile layers:

LayerBest for
StreetsGeneral navigation and address-level work
LightClean background that keeps POI pins visible
TerrainTopographic relief and rural areas
SatelliteAerial imagery for field verification

Click to set coordinates

When no POI form is open, clicking anywhere on the map drops a marker and shows a chip at the bottom of the map: + at 43.856, 18.413. Clicking the chip opens the new POI form with those coordinates already filled in. Dismiss the chip by clicking it once to cancel without opening the form.

When a POI form is already open and the Select from map button has been pressed, the next map click writes directly to the latitude/longitude fields in the open form.

Map markers

All POIs with coordinates are shown as color-coded dots on the map, grouped by dataset color. Clicking a marker selects the corresponding row in the POI list and flies the map to that location.

Datasets overview

CSV import and export

CSV import is best for initial bulk loading or batch updates prepared outside Atlas. CSV export is useful for review, cleanup, and backup snapshots.

Recommended import order: create dataset → create fields → prepare CSV headers to match field codes → import → run search and map validation.
  • Standard columns recognized: title, slug, external_id, latitude, longitude, area_wkt, is_active.
  • Columns whose name matches a dataset field code are mapped to that field automatically.
  • Unknown columns land in the POI metadata JSON object.
  • Rows with errors are skipped and reported in the import result — no partial writes.

Public search page

The public search page at /atlas.html requires no authentication. It only shows datasets marked public and is intended for controlled public lookup scenarios.

  • Users first choose an organization from the dropdown.
  • They then choose one public dataset or search across all public datasets for that organization.
  • Search supports comma-separated OR terms, the same as the dashboard Search tab.
  • Each result row shows searchable field-value tags and action buttons (open in maps, expand details).
Datasets overview

QR codes and public detail pages

Every POI automatically receives a unique, stable QR hash when it is first created. This hash powers a scan-and-redirect workflow for physical signs, labels, or printed materials.

How the redirect works

1. Print or display the QR code Open the POI edit form and find the QR code block near the bottom. The QR code encodes the link https://yourdomain.com/p/{hash}. You can screenshot the code image or use the Copy link button to get the URL for a QR generator of your choice.
2. Visitor scans the code When someone scans with a phone, their browser hits /p/{hash}. The server immediately looks up the dataset's QR redirect target setting.
3. Redirect to the configured destination The visitor is sent to a map app or the Atlas detail page — no intermediate loading screen.

The public detail page (/p.html)

When the dataset's QR redirect target is set to Detail page (or the POI has no coordinates), the visitor lands on a clean, mobile-optimised detail page that shows:

  • The dataset icon, name, and organization name in a branded header (using the dataset color).
  • The POI title and coordinates.
  • All custom field values for that POI.
  • Open in maps buttons for Google Maps, Apple Maps, OpenStreetMap, and Waze — visible only when the POI has coordinates.
  • An Atlas footer with a link back to the main site.
The detail page works for any active POI regardless of the dataset's visibility setting. A QR code on a physical sign is itself an intentional public link, so the data is always accessible via that path.

Direct map redirect

If the dataset's QR redirect target is set to a map provider (Google Maps, Apple Maps, OSM, Waze, or HERE), the visitor is sent directly to that map at the POI coordinates — no Atlas page in between. This is ideal for navigation use cases where speed matters.

Datasets overview

Google Maps bridge

The browser extension bridge is for faster point capture from Google Maps. It reads coordinates from the share dialog and opens the Atlas POI form pre-filled.

Open Google Maps Move to the exact point you want to capture.
Open the Share dialog The extension reads the coordinate pair from the visible share dialog, not from unstable dynamic classes in the page.
Send to Atlas The extension opens Atlas and pre-fills the create POI dialog with the captured latitude and longitude. The last-used dataset is selected automatically.
Datasets overview

Operational tips

  • Define your dataset structure and fields before large imports. Field codes are permanent.
  • Use dataset colors consistently — color-coded map pins make validation much faster.
  • Prefer structured dataset fields over dumping important values into metadata JSON. Structured fields are searchable; raw JSON is not indexed.
  • Use public visibility deliberately. Once public, records are searchable without authentication from /atlas.html and the API.
  • Set the QR redirect target before printing physical labels. Changing it later will silently re-route all existing QR codes for that dataset.
  • Use Detail page mode when the audience is general visitors who may want to see all field data. Use a direct map redirect when the audience already knows where they're going and just needs navigation.
  • After a large import, run a comma-OR search with a few expected values to spot-check that field data arrived correctly.
  • The ⊞ Fit button on the map is the fastest way to confirm that imported coordinates landed in the right region.