Layers, Base Map & Legend – SpatialKey Support

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This Layers, Base Map & Legend article will show you how to control how your data appears on the map. You can add new layers, turn layers on or off, adjust opacity, and use advanced visualization options to change how points are displayed—such as individual points, graduated circles, heatmaps, or thematic views. You can also customize colors, shapes, sizes, and bin ranges, and color data by any column to highlight patterns or key metrics.

You’ll also learn how to switch between different base maps (like satellite or street view) and enable elevation contours for added context. The legend updates automatically to explain how your data is being visualized, helping you quickly interpret what you’re seeing on the map.

Layers

Use the layers to adjust the visualization of your data. Add new layers (using the “+” icon), toggle the layers on/off or adjust the opacity of layers to make different elements stand out on your map. You can even add the same dataset twice to filter and compare using different visualizations of each.

1. Use the Advanced options to adjust the visualization of any point dataset in your dashboard.

A) Visualization Options: Point datasets will have 4 display options: individual points, graduated circles, heatmap, and thematic.
B) Color By: Color your data by any column on your dataset e.g., TIV or City. When visualizing by graduated circles, heatmap, or thematic, only aggregate numeric values will apply.
C) Size: Adjust how large points render.
D) Shape: Select from 6 different shapes when viewing your data as individual points.
E) Color: Select from various preset color family options or create your own with the “+” icon.
F) Bins: Select from between 2 to 9 bins to color and group your data.

2. Enable the elevation layer to view global contours.

Image of the SpatialKey Analyst dashboard showing advanced visualization controls for a point dataset.
1 highlights the Advanced menu used to customize how point data is visualized on the map.
1A – Visualization Options: Icons representing available display types: individual points, graduated circles, heatmap, and thematic visualization.
1B – Color By: A dropdown used to color points by a selected data column, such as total insured value or city, with numeric aggregation applied for non‑point visualizations.
1C – Size: A control for adjusting the rendered size of map points.
1D – Shape: A selector offering multiple point shapes when viewing individual point markers.
1E – Color: Preset color palettes and a custom color option used to change the visual styling of points.
1F – Bins: A slider for choosing the number of bins, from two to nine, used to group and color data ranges.
2 identifies the Elevation Layer toggle in the Layers panel, which enables a global elevation contour overlay on the map.

Base Map

Adjust the base map visualization from satellite to street view. If you have more than one base map enabled, you could switch between them here.

Legend

The legend helps you make sense of all the data that is being visualized.

Underwriting

The Underwriting application has a few app-specific features in the Layer panel including:

The ability to change the hazard layer visualized on the map
Enable comparison mode to visualize two different hazard layers side-by-side, helping you compare two different models or points in time in the same view

Image of the SpatialKey Underwriting application showing the Layers panel open on the left side of the screen. The Layers menu includes underwriting‑specific controls that allow users to change the active hazard layer displayed on the map, such as selecting different flood or hazard models. A Comparison Mode toggle is enabled, revealing options to display two different hazard layers side‑by‑side for visual comparison of models or time periods within the same map view. A vertical divider on the map separates the two hazard views, making differences in risk patterns easy to compare. Additional layer controls, including opacity and elevation layer toggles, are also visible beneath the hazard settings.

Event Response

The Event Response application has a few app-specific features in the Layer panel including:

The ability to change the hazard layer visualized on the map (when visualizing NOAA Hurricane, there is also an option to Label Track Points on the map)
Enable the aerial imagery layer if available
Enable comparison mode to visualize two different hazard layers or aerial imagery layers side-by-side, helping you compare two different models or points in time in the same view

Image of the SpatialKey Event Response application displaying an active hurricane event map with the Layers panel open on the left. The Layers menu shows event‑specific controls that allow users to change the hazard layer being visualized, including NOAA hurricane data, with an option to label hurricane track points directly on the map. An Aerial Imagery layer toggle is available to overlay satellite imagery when supported. The panel also includes a Comparison Mode option, enabling side‑by‑side visualization of two hazard layers or aerial imagery layers to compare different models or points in time. A vertical slider divides the map view for visual comparison, while additional opacity and elevation layer controls appear below the event and hazard settings.

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