Google Maps | How to do various techy things

tl;dr – link a table of data (that includes a location) to a Google Map to map out anything you like. Follow Google’s on-screen instructions to import your data file and adjust how your map looks and how public it is.

*A map showing all open air film screenings in London in 2022*

There are lots of ways of creating shareable maps on Google including dropping pins on it, drawing routes and so on. This post talks about how to import information contained in a table in Google Sheets (Google’s equivalent of Excel spreadsheets) and then have it show up on a map.

I’ve recently done this for all the open air film screenings that are happening in London this year. It was pretty easy so I thought I’d blog it.

You will need

A data source with addresses, an easy option to use is Google Sheets
A Google account (e.g. Gmail address) and Google’s My Maps

More technically minded people who know what an API is or how to interact with one will probably like this page: Layers | Maps JavaScript API.

1. A data source with addresses

You’ll need at least one column that contains an address of some sort (post code, venue name, city) and it’s fine to have more than one (eg three: venue, city and post code), and then whatever you want in the other columns. Below is what my ‘database’ looks like. The first, second and fourth columns (headings highlighted in yellow) are the ones I tell Google to use to ‘geocode’ the film screenings, i.e. Google will use that info to place a small marker on the venue.

You can use a file on your own computer or a Google Sheet spreadsheet.

There are several columns in my spreadsheet. Three of them give location info about the venue (its name, area of London and the borough it's in) as well as the number of screenings, a list of films being shown and a link for more information. — *Spreadsheet of data about open air film screenings in London*

2. Google’s My Maps

A) Visit https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/

B) Click on Create a new map…

The first thing you're presented with after visiting My Maps is the option to Create A New Map, shown here as a dark orange button with white text. Below it (though not shown in the picture) are all your previous map creations. — *Orange button at the top of My Maps invites you to ‘Create a new map’*

C) …then the link to choose your data source.

This interactive panel lets you link your data source to the newly created map layer - here you can name your map and describe it, as well as import the data file. You can also choose what the base map looks like (i.e. the underlying Google map). — *You can import data from anywhere*

In the picture above you get a message when you hover over the Import link that says “Import data from a CSV file, spreadsheet or KML” (KML is a map format). That text is currently hiding a yellow panel whose text says “Add places to this layer by drawing or importing data. Learn more“.

D) Select the location of your data file

The options for importing either a file uploaded from your computer or from Google Drive. I used Google Drive, then selected Recent (shown as an inset) as I'd just been working on the file I wanted to import so it was at the top — The options for importing a file – either from your computer or Google Drive

I used the middle option, Google Drive, and then selected ‘Recent’ because I’d just been working on the relevant spreadsheet.

E) Choose your data file to import

My file is in my Google Drive and there are three tabs to choose from to simplify things - My Drive (everything), files that have been Shared With Me, and just the most Recent files — *I’ve selected the file I want to import and it’s at the top of the Recent list as I was already working on it*

F) Geocode your map

While all your columns will be imported you need to pick which ones Google uses to work out where to put the placemarkers. I chose three columns - the venue's name, its location (e.g. 'Charlton House' and its borough (Greenwich). — *Choose which columns will help Google to decide where to put the placemark pins*

This ensures that your film screening is accurately placed in London, England and not in Canada, for example.

G) Choose the column which will be the title for the placemarkers

Choose a column to title your markers - pick a column to use as the title for the placemarks, such as the name of the location or person — *Just pick one for this option, I chose ‘Venue’ which has all the venue names in it*

Once you’ve made your selection click the blue Finish button that will be active below the list of column names. I chose the venue name so that when you click on the map icon it titles the little box that pops – which looks like this.

An example placemarker which has the venue name at the top in bold (here it's Lincoln's Inn) then the information below - location in Holborn, 2 screenings, the borough, what films and the date and a link to more info. — *The placemarker info panel for one of the screenings*

H) Your map should now look like this

A screenshot of the resulting map showing a map of London now with blue placemarkers where screenings are happening. The next stage is to refine your map by naming it, describing it, picking colours for the placemarkers and more relevant icons than just the generic dropped pin. — *The newly created map, ready for further editing*

Above is what your newly created map will look like, with the placemarkers in default blue.

i) Edit the name and description

The options to rename and describe your map — *Enter a title and description for your map here*

Click on the bit saying ‘Untitled map’ in (h) to add a name and then the description below it.

J) Edit the markers

The map editing tool with a variety of options including colour of the placemarkers — *Hovering over All items brings up the colour-editor*

Hover over the bit that says ‘All items’ and a colour dropper will appear, click to change colour and icon.

K) Change colour and icon

Editing panel for colour and icons — *There are a range of colours and icons*

Click on the colour you want for the placemarker. Click on More icons to see the full range – you can also search. I searched for ‘film’ to pick out the film strip icon.

L) Your map now looks like this…

Updated map with film strip icons that are orange. — *The appearance of the map has changed*

M) …and is ready for launch

The settings under the Share map panel let you allow anyone to view it, or find it by searching and also if they can see your name associated with it — *Toggle the settings you want*

Note in (L) above that there’s a Share icon in the grey panel below the map renaming field. Click on it to adjust how public and searchable your map is. Mine has all the settings set to blue / on so anyone can see the map, or find it in a search and they can see that I created it.

You can now share your map with the world!

3. Updating your map

There are several ways to do this. Probably the least fiddly is to edit the underlying data (what’s in the Google Sheet, in this case) and then delete and re-import the ‘layer’ (from 2.C onwards). You can use the three overflow dots (vertical version of •••) to bring up the option to delete a layer.

The three button overflow icon lets you rename or delete the layer's data or open the data table to edit — *Click the overflow button for more options*

The Open data table lets you edit the content of each cell, you can als add a row or column.

The underlying data table is editable. — *This is Google Map’s version of the underlying data table, which you can also edit here*

Right-click on a row to add or delete a row, or amend the location marker. You can also click the Add row button at the bottom of the table (not shown in pic). To add a column before or after a column use the small down arrow in the column’s header. To edit a cell just click in it and start typing. Click the X at the top right to close (saving is automatic).