About Spot Projects
Previously, projects in 4Map were limited to a single continuous area. Spot Projects change that. A Spot Project is a project composed of multiple distinct geographic shapes — either polygons or lines — grouped into a single project. This allows you to analyze and consume data across several related locations without creating separate projects for each one.
Spot Projects are designed for two primary scenarios:
Long corridor planning — roads, pipelines, power lines, and similar infrastructure where the project spans multiple non-contiguous segments
Fragmented site analysis — multiple distinct sites such as intersection upgrades, drainage repairs, ADA ramp improvements, or signal modernization that need to be managed together
Note: Spot Projects is an Enterprise feature available under the Enterprise package only.
How to Create a Spot Project
There are two options to create Spot Projects:
Option 1: Drawing multiple shapes as distinct polygons or lines, or
Option 2: Uploading multiple shapes as a KML, KMZ, SHP, or GeoJSON file
Please note the following limits when creating a spot project:
Maximum total project size (default: 1 square mile, configurable per account)
Maximum number of shapes (default: 5, configurable per account)
Maximum distance between the farthest shapes (default: 5 miles, configurable per account )
All shapes must be in the same state
All shapes must use the same data tier
Option 1: Create a Spot Project by Drawing
Step 1: Create a New Project
Click Create Project in 4Map.
Select your drawing method* (Polygon or Line).
*You must choose one type only.
Step 2: Draw Your First Shape
Draw your first polygon or line as you normally would.
Each shape will have its own:
Name
Measurement
ROW limit (for polygons)
Buffer (for lines)
Step 3: Add Additional Shapes
Continue drawing additional polygons (or lines).
The system will validate:
Total aggregated size
Maximum number of shapes
Distance between shapes
Overlapping polygons (not allowed)
All shapes must be in the same state
If any limit is exceeded, an error will be displayed and the project cannot be created
Note on consumption: Consumption is calculated based on the aggregated total of all shapes combined, not per individual shape.
Step 4: Review & Create
Once all validations pass:
Confirm your project details
Click Create Project
Your Spot Project will now include all shapes as a single unified project.
Option 2: Create a Spot Project by Uploading Your Data
Step 1: Upload a File
Upload a KML, KMZ, SHP, or GeoJSON file that contains multiple polygons or multiple lines. The system will recognize and process all shapes as a single Spot Project.
Note: After uploading, you can continue drawing additional shapes on the map to supplement your uploaded data.
Step 2: Validate Project Rules
The system will validate:
Total aggregated size
Maximum number of shapes
Distance between shapes
Overlapping polygons (not allowed)
All shapes must be in the same state
Step 3: Finalize the Project
After validation passes:
Review project details
Click Create Project
For additional guidance, contact our Help Center or Customer Success Team.