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Getting started with Placemaker

New to Placemaker? This guide walks you through logging in, finding your area, creating your first catchment and viewing forecast insights.

 This guide helps new users complete their first session in Placemaker, from viewing forecast data to building a catchment that shows forecast insights for that area. A catchment is the area around a location you want to understand, such as the area a store, school or service draws people from. For more detail, see What is a catchment in Placemaker?. 

Before You Begin

  • You'll need an active Placemaker account. If you're not sure whether you have access, contact your .id account manager or email support@id.com.au to check.
  • Placemaker runs in a web browser. Use a current version of Chrome, Edge or Firefox for the best experience.

Steps

  1. Log in at app.id.com.au

    Placemaker uses magic link sign-in, so there's no password to remember. Once your email is registered and your access is assigned, go to app.id.com.au and enter your email. Placemaker sends a sign-in link to your inbox. 

    Screenshot of login screen

    Open the email, click the link, and you'll land on the Catchments home screen. If the link doesn't arrive, check your spam folder or see How to log in to Placemaker. 

    Screenshot of email verification link

  2. Choose how to start: 
    From the Catchments home screen you have three ways in: 

    • Click Create catchment to start a new catchment (see How to create a catchment in Placemaker).

    • Click Explore map to open the map without creating a catchment.If you've already made catchments, click an existing one in your list to open it.

    •  If you've already made catchments, click an existing one in your list to open it. 

    Screenshot showing the Catchments home screen with the Create catchment and Explore map options in Placemaker

  3. Find your location: In the search bar in the map header, type a location such as an address, suburb or place name. Select a result or press Enter, and the map zooms to that location and opens the Create a catchment panel. See How to go to a location in Placemaker.
  4. Explore forecast layers (optional):  To explore forecast data across the map, collapse the Create a catchment panel and open Layers. Change the Boundary view (SA1, SA2, SA3, SA4 or state) and apply a Theme such as population by age. See How to view population forecast data by geography in Placemaker.

  5. Create a catchment:
    In the Create a catchment panel, choose a Drive time or Radius range and click Preview. The map shows the SA1 areas in your catchment, which you can click to add or remove. You can also select Drop a pin and click the map to open the panel at a point. See How to create a catchment in Placemaker.

    Screenshot showing the Create a catchment panel in Placemaker
  6. Name and save: Enter a name in the Catchment name field and click Save and view catchment insights.
  7. View insights:  You're taken to the Insights page for your catchment, showing population and dwelling forecast data, benchmark comparisons and age structure breakdowns for your defined area. You can also export images and download the data presented as a CSV file. 

What to Expect

After completing these steps you will have a saved catchment with population and dwelling forecast data. You can return to this catchment at any time from your catchment list.

Troubleshooting

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