Create Your First Map

Build your first interactive map in just a few minutes. This guide covers uploading data, styling layers, and sharing your completed map.

Tip: Want to follow along? Use a dataset of your own or download our sample dataset of store locations across the US.

Step 1: Create a New Map

Click the New Map button from your workspace dashboard. GISOwl opens a blank map canvas centered on your current location. You can pan, zoom, and search for any place using the search bar at the top.

Step 2: Upload Your Data

Click the Upload button in the toolbar and choose your preferred method:

  • File upload — Drag and drop or browse for files. Supported formats include GeoJSON, Shapefile (.shp + sidecar files in a .zip), CSV with lat/lon columns, KML/KMZ, GPX, and GeoTIFF.
  • URL import — Paste a link to a GeoJSON file, WMS/WFS/WMTS endpoint, ArcGIS REST service, or XYZ tile layer.
  • Cloud source — Connect directly to PostGIS, Snowflake, BigQuery, or Databricks.

GISOwl auto-detects geometry types and coordinate reference systems. Your data appears on the map within seconds.

Step 3: Style Your Layer

Click on the layer name in the Layers panel to open the style editor. You can:

  • Change fill and stroke colors
  • Apply a color ramp based on a numeric or categorical field
  • Adjust point size, line width, and opacity
  • Switch between point, heatmap, and cluster visualizations
  • Set label fields and label styles

Step 4: Add Context

Use the Annotations tool to draw markers, lines, polygons, and text labels directly on the map. Group and style annotations to create visual narratives.

Step 5: Share Your Map

Click Share in the top right corner. Choose who can access your map:

  • Private — Only invited workspace members
  • Anyone with the link — View-only or editable
  • Public — Discoverable and visible to everyone

You can also generate an embed code for websites or export to GeoJSON, CSV, PNG, or PDF.

Next Steps