# Map field

_How to add and configure a Map field in the Notebook Editor._

---

## What This Field Does

A Map Input field provides an interactive map for drawing spatial
features — points, lines, and polygons — directly on base map tiles.
Use it for delineating site boundaries, recording transect routes,
outlining excavation areas, or any spatial data that requires geometry
beyond a single GPS coordinate. It uses OpenLayers for map rendering
and supports offline tile caching.

## Adding the Field

To add this field, open the
[ADD A FIELD dialog](../shared-settings/adding-a-field.md), navigate to the
**LOCATION** tab, and click the **Map Field** card. Then click the
**ADD FIELD** button in the lower right.

> **Note:** The LOCATION tab may not be visible in the tab bar
> initially — click the **›** arrow button on the right side of the tab
> bar to scroll until it appears.

```{screenshot} field-types-design/map-input-01-add-field.png
:alt: Adding a Map Input — the LOCATION tab in the ADD A FIELD dialog
:align: right
:width: 100%
```

## Configuring the Field

Click the field's **grey header bar** to expand it and see its settings.
For an overview of the settings shared by all fields — including Label,
Helper Text, Field ID, and the field toolbar — see
[Field Identity](../shared-settings/field-identity.md) and
[Field Toolbar](../shared-settings/field-toolbar.md).

Give the field a meaningful Label, review the auto-populated
Field ID, and add any desired Helper Text.

```{screenshot} field-types-design/map-input-02-configured.png
:alt: Map Input configuration in the {{Notebook}} Editor
:align: right
:width: 100%
```

### Map Input-Specific Settings

The Map Input provides settings for controlling the map display and
drawing mode:

| Setting                                 | What It Does                                                                                                            |
| --------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Zoom Level**                          | The initial zoom level of the map when the field is opened. Higher values show more detail.                             |
| **Select Feature**                      | The type of geometry the collector can draw: Point, LineString, or Polygon. Each field supports only one geometry type. |
| **Button Label Text**                   | Custom text for the location button. If left empty, the field label will be used.                                       |
| **Display set to current point button** | Includes a button in the map input screen to select the current point if the map is configured for point input          |

### Shared Field Options

Configure any of the shared field options as needed.

For settings shared across all field types — including Required,
Annotation, Uncertainty, Conditions, Copy value to new records,
and Display in child records — see
[Field Options](../shared-settings/field-options.md).

## Tips

- **Best used on tablets or desktops** where the screen is large
  enough for accurate drawing. Drawing precise polygons on a phone
  screen can be difficult.
- **Configure offline maps in the {{FAIMS}} app,** not the
  Notebook Editor. Downloading maps requires internet for
  initial tile loading. To prepare for offline use, tap the
  three-line menu icon (☰) in the {{FAIMS}} app and select
  **Offline Maps** to download OpenStreetMap tiles for your
  field area; plan accordingly for remote locations. This
  feature is experimental.
- **Each field supports only one geometry type and one feature.** If
  you need to record both a point and a polygon for the same feature,
  use two separate Map Input fields. Drawing a new feature replaces
  the existing one.