Map appearance

To open the Layers popup, click on your username, then click Layers.

CIMS allows for extensive customization of your map's appearance. Change space colors, text sizes and colors, fonts, marker and burial colors, and much more.

Map appearance basics

Changing the color of spaces

Veteran burials

Space colors & labels

Map background & drone photos

Making text larger

Flagged objects

Map appearance basics

The map appearance is controlled by the "Layers" popup. Click on your username in the top-right corner of your screen, then click "Layers". This will open a popup with several tabs along the left side.

Each tab has an on/off switch. If you don't want to see vaults, or markers, simply click the on/off switch of its tab to "off", then click "Save" in the lower-right corner of the popup.

Tabs in the map layers popup

Tab name	Tab description
Map settings	Basic settings. Change the color of highlighted elements, show/hide flagged items, show/hide roads, etc.
Background	Choose to display a solid color, Google satellite image or orthophoto (drone photo) if your cemetery opted for a drone flight. Read Map background & drone photos for more information.
Section	Control the outline (width & color) and labelling of sections (font, bolding, size & color). Label options: Alias or individual ID. The alias is usually the same as the ID, some cemeteries may have a custom alias.
Block	Control the outline (width & color) and labelling of blocks (font, bolding, size & color). Label options: Alias, individual ID or full description. The alias is usually the same as the ID, some cemeteries may have a custom alias. The full description is a combination of the section and block id.
Lot	Your cemetery may not have lots. If it does, this tab lets you control the outline (width & color) and labelling of lots (font, bolding, size & color). Label options: Alias, individual ID or full description. The alias is usually the same as the ID, some cemeteries may have a custom alias. The full description is a combination of the section, block and lot id.
Space	Control the outline (width & color) and labelling of spaces (font, bolding, size & color). There are many label options. Read more below about changing space labelling & colors.
Burials	Control the outline (width & color), fill color and labelling of burials (font, bolding, size & color). Label options: None, full name or last name. Some names may be long; we recommend checking the checkbox next to "Split label into multiple lines".
Markers	Control the outline (width & color) and fill color of markers. If your cemetery uses memorial markers, you have options how to label them: None, full name or last name. You can also choose how those labels appear (font, bolding, size & color). Read more about memorial markers on the Markers page.
Vaults	Choose the color vaults appear on your map.
Map features	Choose which, if any, map features you want to display on your map. Hiding a map feature does not remove it from the database.

Examples of different map appearances

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  The default layers settings will show veteran burials in blue and non-veteran burials in grey. Seen in the above cemetery is a tree to the left (in black), several headstones (in dark grey), and a few vaults (salmon rectangles in the bottom-right).

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  This is the same exact section of cemetery, only this user has chosen to hide map features (such as the tree). The space colors have been changed and the names of burials are larger and bold.

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  An extreme example of how dramatically we can change the appearance of the map. While we might not advise using this color scheme, you are absolutely free to do so!

Space colors & labels

Space colors

Use the "Space" tab and click on the blocks of color next to the different space statuses to change map colors.

• Click on the "Space" tab on the left side of the Layers popup, just above the "Burials" tab.
  • Your tab may actually be called "Plot", "Grave", "Plat", or another term, depending on how your cemetery is set up.
• Choose to color spaces by status or by type. The recommended setting is status.
• Click on the square of color next to each of your statuses. This will open a color picker, allowing you to change the color of the status.
• Remember to click "Save" when you are happy with your changes!

Space labels

There are many ways to label spaces! These labels will show on top of each space when you have the map sufficiently zoomed in. Our most popular choices are "owner last name" and "Owner + space id".

Space label options

Option name	Description
None	Do you hate labels? This is the option for you!
Space ID	Examples: 8_B_30_A, Old section_4_East A concatenation of the space's section, block, lot and space name/number.
Owner full name	Example: Smith, Lorna Jones A concatenation of the primary owner's last name, first name and middle name.
Owner last name	Example: Smith Owner's last name.
Alias	Example: A, 45 In most cemeteries, this is the same as the space name or number.
Status	Examples: Available, Sold with burial The space's status.
Cost	Examples: 0, 1200 The space's cost.
Owner + space ID	Smith, Lorna Jones 8_B_30_A Patel, Priyanka Old section_4_East Displays on 2 lines: Line 1 is the owner's full name (last, first and middle). Line 2 is the space's id (a concatenation of the space's section, block, lot and space name/number).
Owner + alias	Displays on 2 lines: Line 1 is the owner's full name (last, first and middle). Line 2 is the space's alias, which is usually the same as the space name or number.
Permission + alias	Displays on 2 lines: Line 1 is the full name of the burial permission (last, first and middle). Line 2 is the space's alias, which is usually the same as the space name or number. Learn more about burial permissions on the Burials page.
Permission + space ID	Displays on 2 lines: Line 1 is the full name of the burial permission (last, first and middle). Line 2 is the space's space's id (a concatenation of the space's section, block, lot and space name/number). Learn more about burial permissions on the Burials page.

Veteran burials

Circled in red is the "Burials" tab. Within this tab, click the checkbox next to "Highlight veterans" and then choose a color you would like veteran burials to show as on your map.

You can choose to make veteran burials a different color from non-veteran burials. In the Layers popup, click on the "Burials" tab on the left side. Click the checkbox next to "Highlight veterans" so that it is checked. Next, choose the color you would like veteran burials to show as by clicking on the square next to "Veteran color". Remember to click save!

Here we can see 2 veteran burials in blue and 3 non-veteran burials in grey.

Map background & drone photos

Use the "Background" tab to choose what background your map will display. This cemetery had a drone photo done.

You may want to change the background of your map. To do so, click on the "Background" tab. All cemeteries have the choice of "Solid color" or "Google Maps". If you choose "Solid color", you can specify the background color. If using Google Maps, you can specify the opacity of the map. Click the option you would like to use as the background, then click "Save".

If your cemetery chose to have a drone photograph your cemetery, you will have the option "orthophoto" (meaning drone photo). Drone photos will be more accurate than Google Maps imagery and more consistent, as Google does periodically update their images and you may find the season has changed, or your background images have shifted. Want to learn more about drone photos? Read our drone photography documentation.

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  Google maps satellite imagery will not be entirely accurate. Note how the columbaria, which the CIMS team mapped to their real-life latitude and longitudinal position, do not line up with the Google satellite images.

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  With drone imagery taken by the CIMS team, the columbaria are now in their accurate spatial position. Other objects, such as headstones, chapels, trees and more, will also line up correctly with your map in CIMS. The image itself is also sharper and colors more realistic.

Making text larger

To make text larger, there are 2 places we need to change the text settings:

• Space tab
  • Click on the "Space" tab. Scroll down and you will see options to control how spaces are labelled (common choices are "Owner last name" and "Space ID").
    • Your tab may actually be called "Plot", "Grave", "Plat", or another term, depending on how your cemetery is set up.
  • To make the text larger, find the "Size" dropdown and choose a larger size, such as 20px. You may also want to make the text bold by clicking the "B" next to the "Bold" label.
  • Other options you can change include the text font and color.
• Burials tab
  • Click on the "Burials" tab. Scroll down and you will see options to control how burials are labelled (clients often choose "Full name").
  • Beneath the burial label are options to control the text appearance. To make the text larger, find the "Size" dropdown and choose a larger size.
  • You can also change to the color, font, and text bolding, just like with spaces.

Click "Save", then close the Layers popup to see your map appearance changes.

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  Click on the "Space" tab and change the "Size" to make space labels larger

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  Click on the "Burials" tab and change the "Size" to make burial labels larger

Flagged objects

By default, flagged objects have a magenta outline and checkerboard pattern. Here you can see a flagged space, a flagged burial and a flagged marker.

To learn about flagging objects such as spaces, burials, markers, etc., including changing their appearance, refer to the documentation on flagging.