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The Knowledgebase

Study Abroad: Map Results (Classic)

Important Note: This article discusses classic functionality. For information on the modern applicant experience, refer to the Applicant Experience Knowledgebase article.

 

The Map Results tool is a way to use the longitude and latitude data gathered in addresses of your applicants to plot a visual map of the results of an application search.

 
Please keep in mind, this tool does not actually perform any geocoding in order to determine where to place the pins in the map. This tool will work with the geocoding data that is obtained when a user submits an address type that has latitude and longitude data collection enabled.
This article covers the following topics related to the Map Results tool:

 

Entering a Google Maps API key

The Map Results tool will only appear on the application search results page if your site has a valid Google Maps API key entered in Settings > System Features > Features tab.

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This API key can be obtained by following the instructions here:

 

Enabling Latitude/Longitude Data Collection in Addresses

In order for the Map Results tool to have data to plot, there must be at least one address type with the setting for the collection of latitude and longitude data enabled. This is done by going to Settings > Applicant Params, clicking the edit pencil of the address type you wish to enable the data collection for, and then changing the setting 'Enable latitude/longitude data collection' to 'Yes'.

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Once this has been turned on for an address, your Google Maps API key will be used whenever a user submits an address for this address type to geocode the street address into latitude and longitude coordinates.
 
When looking at an address type before this geocoding is done, there will be a red globe icon displayed by the address type:

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After the geocoding has been done, there will be a green globe icon displayed by the address type:

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This means that user's applications will appear as pins in the map when using the Map Results tool.
 

Staff permission for Map Results

To edit the staff permissions for this tool, go to Staff > Staff Permissions. Then click the pencil edit button next to the group or individual for whom you'd like to edit permissions. If searching for an individual, use User/Permission Search at the top of the page.  Under the second heading Applicant , you'll see Map Results. Click the check box and click Update.  

Accessing the Map Results Tool

After running any application search, if the tool has been configured for use, there will be a drop-down menu at the top of the results to the right of the progress audit options.

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This drop-down menu will list any address types that have the lat/long data collection enabled. When selecting one of the available addresses, the user will be taken to the 'Map Results' page where any applications in which the applicant has latitude and longitude data for the selected address get plotted on a map as pins.

You can also choose to use the "Use global locations" option from the dropdown. 

This allows an admin to send the applications in the search results to the mapping tool without selecting an address type. Instead of the applications being mapped based on the lat/long of an address type, they will be mapped using the global location(s) at either the application or program level.

Identifying Applications using the Map Results Tool

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The map can be zoomed in or out, have the view changed to a different style, or switched over to a street view if it is available.

Map Pins

  • A red pin is displayed if the application being mapped had its latitude and longitude determined by the lat/long stored in the address type for the applicant.
  • A yellow pin indicates that the application being mapped has its latitude and longitude determined by a global location record at either the application or program level.
  • In addition, if the application search was a locator search using the radius option, there will be a green pin placed in the location that was used as the locus of the radius search.

Clicking a pin will display a table with information relevant to the applicant(s) at that address.

Map Search 2.PNG

Finally, any applications that were in the search results but did not have latitude and longitude data for the selected address type will be displayed in a table below the map.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What information does Google have access to on my Terra Dotta site once the map feature is enabled? Does this feature send any sensitive information about (or related to) the user or their application to Google?

A: Address types that have the lat/long look-up enabled do not send any applicant identifying information to Google when the address is submitted by the applicant. Your Terra Dotta site only sends the submitted address to the web service to obtain the latitude and longitude; not the applicant's name or other information about the applicant. However, when viewing the results of an application search and viewing the results of that application search on a map by selecting 'Map Results', your Terra Dotta site does transmit the applicant's name, program name, and email address to the Google API so that it can be rendered and displayed as a pin on the resulting map.