Feature layers

Feature layers let you create, store, and edit your own geographic data directly in Rillium Maps. Unlike tile or external data sources, feature layers live in your organization - you define their shape, their attributes, and who can edit them.

What feature layers are for

Use feature layers to collect and manage your own field data: survey points, asset locations, inspection routes, site boundaries, and anything else your team captures or maintains. Each feature in the layer can carry attribute data alongside its location.

Geometry types

When you create a feature layer you pick one geometry type. All features in the layer share the same type.

Type	Use for
Point	Discrete locations - equipment, trees, sample sites
Line	Routes, roads, linear infrastructure
Polygon	Areas, parcels, zones, boundaries

Creating a feature layer

1. Open your organization and click Data in the left sidebar.
2. Click + New and choose Feature layer.
3. Fill in the form (see sections below) and click Create feature layer.

The layer appears in your Data list immediately and can be added to any map in the organization.

Name and description

Give the layer a clear name that describes what it holds, for example "Tree Inventory" or "Site Inspections". The description is optional but useful for teams sharing many layers.

Geometry type

Choose Point, Line, or Polygon. This cannot be changed after the layer is created.

Feature ID

Every feature gets a unique numeric ID. Choose how IDs are assigned:

• System managed - IDs auto-increment (1, 2, 3, ...) and cannot be edited. Best for most cases.
• User editable - IDs auto-increment by default but can be overridden when adding a feature. Useful when features have an external numbering system you want to match.

Attributes

Attributes are the data fields attached to each feature - the columns in your layer's table. You define them when you create the layer and can add more later.

Click + Add field for each piece of data you want to capture.

Field label and key

Each field has two names:

• Label - the human-readable name shown in forms and the attribute panel (e.g. "Tree Species").
• Key - the machine-readable identifier stored with the data (e.g. tree_species). The key is auto-generated from the label but can be customized. Once the layer is created, the key cannot be changed.

Field types

Type	Use for
Text	Short strings. You can set a character limit (default 50).
Memo	Long-form text with no character limit.
Integer	Whole numbers.
Decimal	Numbers with decimal places.
Date	Calendar dates.
Dropdown	A fixed list of allowed values, one per feature. You define the options.
Multi-select	A fixed list of allowed values where a feature can hold several at once - for example a "Defects" field tagged with every defect that applies. You define the options.

The field type cannot be changed after the layer is created.

Required fields

Mark a field as Required to signal that it must be filled in. This is enforced in the attribute form for new features. Marking a field required after the layer exists applies to new features only - existing features are not affected.

Default values

Text, Integer, Decimal, and Date fields can have a default value that pre-fills the attribute form when a new feature is added.

Dropdown and Multi-select options

For Dropdown and Multi-select fields, enter the allowed values one at a time during setup. You must add at least one value before saving. Options can be added or removed later from the layer's schema page.

The difference is at data-entry time: a Dropdown lets the editor pick one value, while a Multi-select lets them pick any number from the same list. When a multi-select list gets long, the entry control includes a search box so values stay easy to find. A required multi-select field needs at least one value selected.

Multi-select fields work everywhere a coded field does: they appear in popups and the attribute panel as a comma-separated list, can drive categorized symbology by priority, and can be filtered with set operators (has any of / has all of / has none of).

Adding a feature layer to a map

1. Open a map and click Layers in the sidebar.
2. Click + Add layer and choose the feature layer from the list.
3. The layer appears on the map. Features are drawn using the layer's current style.

Members can see a feature layer on a map only if their group has been granted access to it. See Managing groups.

Drawing and editing features

Once a feature layer is active on the map, editors can add features using the drawing tools in the toolbar:

• Select the active layer in the Layers panel.
• Click Draw to start placing a point, drawing a line, or tracing a polygon.
• After placing the geometry, the attribute panel opens so you can fill in the fields.
• Click Apply to save the feature.

To move a feature, enter edit mode and drag it to a new position. To edit attribute values, click the feature on the map to open its attribute panel.

Editing the schema after creation

To view or change a layer's fields, open Data, find the layer, and click its name to open the schema page.

Adding a field

Click + Add field at the bottom of the fields list, fill in the label, type, and any options, then click Add field. New fields appear on all existing features with no value until one is entered.

Editing a field

Click Edit on any field card to update its label, default value, character limit, or required setting. The field type and key are locked after creation.

Deleting a field

Click Delete on a field card and confirm. This permanently removes the field and all data stored in it across every feature in the layer.

Managing dropdown and multi-select options

On a Dropdown or Multi-select field card, type a new value and click Add to add an option. Click x next to an existing option to remove it.

Exporting data

Owners, admins, and editors can download a feature layer's contents from the Data page. Open Data, find the layer under Datasets, and click the download icon on the layer row to choose a format.

Formats

Format	When to use
CSV	Spreadsheet-friendly export for any layer. Point layers add latitude and longitude columns in decimal degrees (WGS-84); line, polygon, and data-table exports include attributes only.
GeoJSON	Recommended for full fidelity. Preserves geometry exactly as stored and works with most GIS tools.
Shapefile	A .zip containing the standard .shp, .shx, .dbf, and .prj files. Compatible with ArcGIS, QGIS, and most desktop GIS. Field names longer than 10 characters are truncated to fit the shapefile format.

How exports work

Selecting a format kicks off a background export. The download icon shows a spinner while the file is being prepared, then your browser saves the file automatically when it's ready. Larger layers can take a moment.

Exports are temporary: the prepared file is kept for 24 hours, then removed. Trigger the export again at any time to generate a fresh file.

Permissions and scope

• Only owners, admins, and org editors see the download icon. Members cannot export.
• Exports respect group access restrictions: if a layer is restricted and you don't have access, you cannot export it.
• Data tables (layers without geometry) can be exported as CSV only - GeoJSON and Shapefile require geometry.
• Exports include every feature in the layer along with all attribute fields and system fields (record ID, display ID, created/updated timestamps, and the names of the people who created or updated each record).

Importing from CSV

Editors can bulk-add and bulk-update rows by importing a CSV. This is the fastest way to update many features at once - export the layer, edit it in a spreadsheet, and import it back.

Open the layer's table (the table icon on the Data page), then click Import CSV.

How rows are matched

The display_id column decides what each row does. It is the same number shown in the ID column of the table.

display_id value	What happens
Blank or 0	A new row is added
Matches an existing row	That row is updated
A number with no matching row	The import is blocked with an error (so typos or stale files never create stray rows)

New rows always receive the next available ID automatically - you cannot choose the ID for a new row when importing.

What each layer type allows

• Point layers - include latitude and longitude (decimal degrees, WGS-84) to place a new point or move an existing one. Both are required for a new point.
• Data tables (no geometry) - add new rows with a blank ID, update existing rows by ID.
• Line and polygon layers - updates only. You can change attributes, but you cannot add new features or edit shapes through CSV.

Which columns change

• Only the columns present in your file are touched. An empty cell clears that field; columns you leave out are left unchanged.
• Dropdown and multi-select values must match the field's allowed options. For multi-select, separate values with semicolons (cracked; leaning), matching the export.
• System columns from an export (the record ID, created/updated timestamps and names) are ignored on import, so it is safe to leave them in the file.
• Rows missing from the file are never deleted - importing only adds and updates.

Preview and apply

Choosing a file checks it and shows a preview: how many rows will be added, how many updated, and any problems found. If there are problems, fix them in your file and import again - the Import button stays disabled until the file is clean. When you click Import, every change is applied together, or none at all if something goes wrong.

Importing respects your plan's feature limit and a layer's group access, the same as adding features by hand.

Live access from QGIS

Instead of exporting a static file, you can connect QGIS directly to a feature layer to view and edit it live, using the open OGC API - Features standard. Changes you make in QGIS save straight back to Rillium Maps. See Connect QGIS.

Cascading lookups

Cascading lookups add dependent dropdown fields to a feature layer. Editors pick values from a data table, and each choice filters the next dropdown. For example, picking a Country narrows State to that country's states, then picking a State narrows City.

When to use them

Use a cascading lookup whenever the valid options for one field depend on another. Common patterns:

• Location: Country → State → City
• Asset inspection: Asset Type → Manufacturer → Model
• Project hierarchy: Project → Site → Building

They prevent typos, keep values consistent, and speed up data entry.

Step 1: Build the data table

In Data → + New → Data Table, create a non-spatial table with one text column per cascade level. Add one row for each valid leaf-level combination:

Country	State	City
United States	California	Los Angeles
United States	California	San Francisco
United States	Oregon	Portland
Canada	Ontario	Toronto

The cascade derives parents from the rows automatically, so you only need to enter leaf-level combinations.

Step 2: Add the lookup to the layer

1. Open the feature layer and go to Schema.
2. Under Cascading Lookups, click + Add Cascading Lookup.
3. Select the source data table.
4. Add columns in cascade order; the first column is the top-level filter.
5. Mark each level Required or Optional, then click Add Lookup.

Rules

• Only text columns on a data table can be cascade levels.
• Required must be contiguous from the top. Marking a level Required also marks every level above it Required.
• Each cascade column creates a field of the same name on the layer. Rename or remove any colliding field first.
• Changing a parent value clears its children, so editors re-pick from the filtered list.