Exporting to GIS

One of Mapalyze's most powerful features is the ability to export your field-collected data directly into GIS-compatible formats. Whether you use QGIS, ArcGIS, Google Earth, or another GIS platform, Mapalyze makes it easy to get your data where it needs to go.

Supported export formats

Mapalyze supports the most widely used geospatial formats:

  • GeoJSON -- A lightweight, open-standard format based on JSON. Works with virtually every modern GIS tool, web mapping library, and data platform.
  • Shapefile (.shp) -- The industry-standard format for desktop GIS software like ArcGIS and QGIS. Exported as a ZIP archive containing .shp, .shx, .dbf, and .prj files.
  • KML -- Used by Google Earth and other mapping applications. Ideal for visualization and sharing with non-technical stakeholders.
  • CSV with coordinates -- A simple tabular format with latitude and longitude columns. Compatible with any spreadsheet application and easy to import into most GIS tools.

For a detailed breakdown of each format, see Supported Export Formats.

How to export data

From the web dashboard

  1. Log in to app.mapalyze.com.
  2. Navigate to the form whose data you want to export.
  3. Click the Export button in the toolbar above the records table.
  4. Choose your desired format from the dropdown.
  5. Configure export options (see below).
  6. Click Download.

Your file is generated and downloaded to your browser. For large datasets, Mapalyze prepares the file in the background and sends you an email with a download link when it is ready.

Filtering before export

You do not have to export everything. Use the filter controls above the records table to narrow down your data before exporting:

  • Date range -- Export only records from a specific time period.
  • Status -- Filter by record status (for example, "Complete" or "Pending Review").
  • Assigned user -- Export records collected by a specific team member.
  • Map extent -- Draw a bounding box on the map to export only records within a geographic area.

After applying filters, click Export. Only the filtered records are included in the export file.

Export options

When exporting, you can configure several options:

Include media

Toggle this on to include photos and attachments as separate files in a ZIP archive alongside your data file. Each media file is named with the record ID and field name for easy reference.

Coordinate system

By default, exports use WGS 84 (EPSG:4326), which is the standard for GPS coordinates and compatible with most tools. If your GIS workflow requires a different coordinate reference system, select it from the dropdown.

Include metadata

Adds system fields to the export, such as:

  • Record creation date and time
  • Last modified date
  • Collector name
  • Device information
  • Sync timestamp

Field selection

Choose which form fields to include in the export. This is useful if your form has many fields but you only need a subset for your GIS analysis.

Using your exported data

In QGIS

  1. Open QGIS and go to Layer then Add Layer then Add Vector Layer.
  2. Browse to your exported GeoJSON or Shapefile and click Open.
  3. Your data appears as a layer on the map with all attributes in the attribute table.

In ArcGIS

  1. Open ArcGIS Pro or ArcMap.
  2. Use the Add Data tool to browse to your exported file.
  3. For GeoJSON, you may need to use the JSON to Features geoprocessing tool.
  4. For Shapefiles, they load directly.

In Google Earth

  1. Open Google Earth Pro on desktop.
  2. Go to File then Open and select your KML file.
  3. Your records appear as placemarks on the globe.

Scheduled exports

On the Professional and Team plans, you can set up recurring exports that run automatically:

  1. Go to the form's Export settings.
  2. Click Schedule Export.
  3. Choose the frequency (daily, weekly, or monthly), format, and destination (email or cloud storage integration).

Scheduled exports are useful for feeding data into automated GIS workflows or regularly updating a shared dataset.

Tips for clean GIS exports

  • Use consistent location fields. If some records have GPS points and others do not, the missing locations will appear as null geometries. Filter these out before importing into your GIS.
  • Standardize choice values. Consistent spelling and capitalization in choice fields makes your GIS attribute data easier to classify and symbolize.
  • Export in batches for very large datasets. If you have tens of thousands of records, consider exporting by date range to create manageable file sizes.

Need more help? Contact our support team.

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