14 November 2011
(Step 4 of 7 of eSpatial’s “Get started using GIS in 7 easy steps” series.)
- In Step 1 you created a prioritised list of questions you wanted to answer.
- In Step 2, you identified the data you needed to answer those questions.
- In Step 3, you gathered and formatted data.
In Step 4, it’s time to start using your GIS software – by creating a map and uploading your data.
Log in to your GIS software & select a base map
It’s been a while coming, but now it’s finally time to log in to your GIS software!
Once you’ve logged in, you need to create a map by selecting a base map to work from.
Depending on which GIS software you’ve chosen, you might only have one base map option – or you might be able to choose from multiple options.
Don’t worry if you’re not sure that you’ve chosen the best base map option – you should be able to change it at any time.
Upload your data
Thanks to all the work you’ve already done in Step 3, uploading your data should be relatively easy.
Bear in mind that large or complex files may take longer to upload, and plan your time accordingly.
Each vendor’s GIS software handles tasks a little differently – so we can’t tell you what to do step by step, but it should be a relatively simple process. If you’re not sure what to do, check out the software’s Help files.
Finished creating and uploading your data? You’re ready for Step 5: Create queries that match your list of questions.
