Aptli

Field Operations

Field operations is where you map, manage, and analyse the physical infrastructure your team works on. Draw points, lines, and polygons representing real-world assets — utility poles, cable routes, service areas — organise them into standardised layers, and collaborate with your team using version-controlled offline editing.

Core Concepts

Features - Geographic objects on the map

  • Points (poles, equipment, buildings)
  • Lines (cables, pipelines, roads)
  • Polygons (coverage areas, parcels, buildings)

Layers - Standardized feature collections

  • All features in a layer share same schema
  • Defines available properties, styling, icons
  • Examples: Utility Poles, Fiber Cables, Service Areas

Schematics - Relationship diagrams between features

  • Logical connections (not just proximity)
  • Capacity models, circuit diagrams, network topology
  • Version controlled like features

Imports - Bring external data into Aptli

  • GeoJSON (standard)
  • ESRI File Geodatabase (server-side conversion)
  • CSV with coordinates (auto-converted to GeoJSON)

Mobile PWA - Field worker interface

  • Scanner for QR codes
  • Quick assignment/report creation
  • Map viewing with offline tile caching
  • GPS-based feature creation

Versioned Workflows

Version/Commit Flow:

Draft Created → Edit Offline → Commit → Conflict Check → Version Compressed
      ↓              ↓           ↓           ↓                  ↓
Not Visible    Local Only    Visible    Merge or        Historical State
 to Others                   to All     Rollback         Preserved Forever

GIS features use version/commit system:

Why Versioned:

  • Collaborative offline editing (subway tunnels, remote sites)
  • Spatial conflict detection (overlapping infrastructure)
  • Batch operations (redesign entire network segment)
  • Rollback capability (undo infrastructure changes)
  • Near-permanent fixtures (poles don't move often)

Version Compression:

  • Versions never deleted (only compressed)
  • Historical states always reconstructible
  • Supports compliance (prove what existed when)
  • Audit trail for infrastructure changes

Immutability:

  • Committed feature changes preserved forever
  • Draft/uncommitted changes can be discarded
  • Soft deletes for features (configurable retention)
  • Deletion records stay in version history

Multi-Monitor Workflows

Field operations benefit from multiple screens:

Typical Setup:

  • Screen 1: Map view (features, spatial relationships)
  • Screen 2: Feature detail forms (properties, editing)
  • Screen 3: Reference data (layer definitions, standards)

Popout Windows:

  • Any floating window can pop out to separate browser window
  • Reactive: Changes in main session visible in popout
  • Enables cross-screen drag-and-drop

Drag-and-Drop:

  • Drag features between map windows
  • Drag users/resources into feature properties
  • Works across browser tabs and popout windows

Version Controls

Version toolbar with Undo/Redo/Resync/Submit and Data Transfer controls (import/export)

All map editing sessions have version controls prominently displayed at the top-left of the map page:

Primary Controls:

  • Undo - Revert the last change in current session
  • Redo - Reapply a change that was undone
  • Resync - Reload data from server, discard uncommitted changes
  • Submit - Push all uncommitted changes to server

Uncommitted Changes Badge:

  • Orange badge shows count of unsaved changes
  • Appears on SelectedFeatures button
  • Updates reactively as you work

Admin Review: non‑admins must request a commit; administrators handle approval on the Admin → Versions page (pending queue).

Exporting Data: use the Data‑Transfer button next to the controls to download visible, selected or lassoed features as GeoJSON (desktop only).

Dual Workflows:

Direct Manipulation - Quick edits in place (drag features, edit properties)

Draw Staging - Complex operations (imports, geometry reshaping, batch edits)

  • Blue features: Your selections loaded to Draw
  • Orange features: Conflicts from other users (read-only)
  • Load to Draw button: Move table selections into Draw for advanced editing

See Version Management for complete guide.

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