What files can I upload to Placemaker?

This article is for Placemaker customers.

How to prepare a file so it uploads first time

Placemaker accepts spreadsheets and common spatial files. A spreadsheet needs columns that give each row a location, either coordinates or an address. A spatial file needs its geometry and projection. Check your file against this list before you upload.

Key concepts

Accepted file types

CSV
Excel workbook (XLSX)
GeoJSON
KML
Shapefile, zipped
- A zipped shapefile must hold the .shp, .shx, .dbf and .prj files together.
MapInfo TAB, zipped
- A zipped MapInfo TAB file must hold the .tab, .dat, .map and .id files together.

Files can be up to 50 MB.

Spreadsheets: one sheet, headers in the first row

Placemaker reads one sheet per file, starting from the column headers in the first row. A workbook with more than one sheet, or with macros, is rejected. Save the sheet you want as its own file – CSV or a macro-free XLSX.

Locations from coordinates

Coordinates must be in decimal degrees, for example a latitude of -37.81383 and a longitude of 144.96323. Placemaker recognises these column headers, ignoring upper and lower case:

Field	Accepted headers
Latitude	latitude, lat, y, ycord, ycoord, y_coord
Longitude	longitude, long, lng, lon, x, xcord, xcoord, x_coord

There's no row limit on files located by coordinates.

Placemaker doesn't accept eastings and northings, such as MGA grid coordinates. Convert them to latitude and longitude in decimal degrees before you upload.

Locations from addresses

If your file has addresses instead of coordinates, Placemaker looks each one up and places it on the map. You then review any addresses it couldn't match. The address can be in one column or split across several:

Field	Accepted headers
Full address	address, full address, street address, location
Street	street, street name, road, address line 1
Suburb	suburb, locality, city, town
State	state, state/territory
Postcode	postcode, post code, postal code, zip

Placemaker looks up to 8,000 addresses per file.

Files with more than one set of location columns

Coordinates and an address: Placemaker uses the coordinates and keeps the address columns as ordinary fields.
Two sets of coordinates, or two sets of address columns: Placemaker rejects the file, because it can't tell which set to map. Delete the set you don't want used and upload again.

Spatial files and projections

A spatial file must hold point, line or polygon geometry and say which projection it uses. Placemaker reads GDA2020 (EPSG:7844) and WGS 84 (EPSG:4326). If your file uses another projection, re-export it in one of these from your GIS software.

Personal information

You must not upload personal information, such as individuals' names, home addresses or phone numbers. The names of sites, assets and branches are fine.

Placemaker blocks a file it detects is about people. If your file is about places or assets and Placemaker blocks it, contact support with the file name.

How this applies in Placemaker

Placemaker checks your file at the Check step of the upload, before anything is saved. If the file passes, you see how many locations it found and which columns it used. If it doesn't, Placemaker tells you what it found and what to change. See My file won't upload to Placemaker.

Frequently asked questions

Q: My spreadsheet has both addresses and coordinates. Which does Placemaker use?

A: Placemaker uses the coordinates when it finds latitude and longitude columns. That's faster and avoids address matching. The Check step shows which columns are marked LOCATION.

Q: Why won't Placemaker read my Excel file when it has data in it?

A: The most common reasons are a title or note above the column headers, more than one sheet, or macros. Put the headers in row 1, keep one sheet and save without macros.

Q: Which of my columns end up in Placemaker?

A: Every column except the location columns is kept, and the headers are kept exactly as they appear in your file. When you set up the layer, you choose which fields show in the pop-over when someone clicks a location – up to 10, so the pop-over stays easy to read.

Q: Can I update an upload when my data changes?

A: Not in place. Delete the layer and upload the new file. You can change a layer's name, label, pop-over fields and colour at any time.

Q: Who in my organisation can see what I upload?

A: Everyone in your organisation. Anyone in your organisation can upload, change or delete a layer.