Getting started with Dots

Create a workspace

After logging in to your account, the first thing to do is to create your Workspace. Click on Create workspace to create a workspace where all your work can be saved and shared. A workspace is used to control who has access to your data and visuals and will be used as a space to collaborate with others on your team.

You will need to create a workspace before you can use the main features of Dots.

When creating a workspace, start by giving your workspace a name. Next, choose a custom URL for your workspace. It is recommended that it resembles the workspace name. Both the workspace name and the workspace URL needs to be unique. You will see a green check mark that confirms if your workspace URL is unique.

Import table

After the workspace is created, you are ready to start! To begin, import a data table that you want to visualize. Choose a dataset that has GPS data or administrative boundary information which will help to build your maps.

Currently you can import data from spreadsheet files or from third-party data collection tools like KoBoToolbox (opens new window).

To import a data table go to the Data menu from the Navigation bar. You can then click on the Import table button. You can then either choose to import a spreadsheet file from your local computer or log in to your KoBoToolbox account to import data from there. For more details, see Import spreadsheet (opens new window) and Import from KoBoToolbox (opens new window).

Spreadsheet files supported are: .xlsx, .xls, and .csv formats. Currently, we only support importing from the Kobo server (opens new window) for Humanitarian organizations (hosted by the UN OCHA).

Create map layers

Now that you have a data table imported, you are ready to create a map layer. Creating map layers will allow you to visualize data from your imported tables using one of the various map layers Dots supports (see Supported map layers (opens new window)). To create a map layer, select a data table and click on the Add new layer button on the bottom of the Layers panel.

To create a map layer, choose a name for your layer and select the map layer that you want to create.

Next, the process will walk you through the following steps to:

1. Select a map layer that you want to create.
2. Select a location column from the data table that will set location points or areas of your map layer.
3. Select a value column will determine the data you would like to visualize and help to color the map layer.
4. Select columns to display in a tooltip. When viewing the map layer, the columns you select will display when you hover over any data points on your map layer.

View your map

After creating your layer, you can now see your data visualized in a map.