This article covers the following topics:

use scenarios for territory groups,
creating and removing a territory group,
sharing a territory group with others.

If you're interested in:

adjusting a group's properties,
(de-)activating automatic assignment of records to territories in a group,
the use of data fields in general, and aggregate metrics in particular,
the use of demographic metrics (60,000+ data metrics from the US Census Bureau's 5-year American Community Survey).

please visit Territory group properties popup.

Purposes of territory groups

A territory group can be used for several purposes:

1- To define certain properties for all territories in the group:

default color (which can be overridden for particular territories in their properties),
define naming template: what static text and data fields should appear in the territory name,
whether internal boundaries should be shown for composite territories (created from geo-library),
whether names of a territory’s component areas should be shown (applicable to territories created using the Mapsly geo-library).

2- To define data fields for territories in the group: their types, how they are calculated (for numeric fields - metrics), and the US Census metric (for demographic metrics).

3- To mass-create territories using the geo-library: each selected geo-library element, like a zip code, will become a separate territory in the group. This is useful for the creation of thematic maps with zip codes or census tracts colorized based on an aggregate or demographic metric. (You can also create territories that consist of multiple geo-library elements, but such territories need to be created one by one.)

4- To share territories with other users and user profiles.

Relationship between territories and territory groups

Every territory belongs to a territory group.

For all territory groups you can use the Territory group properties popup to:

adjust properties for the group's territories in one place (which is especially useful in case of a large number of territories),
include or exclude territories in the group in/from the process of auto-assignment of records (if it has been activated),
configure data fields for territories in the group including aggregate and demographic metrics,
mass-create territories out of geo-library regions, as well as download the list of the currently selected geo-library regions and export the GeoJson with all the territories.

Creating a territory group

To create a new territory group:

1- Press the Plus button in the Territories pane header:

2- Select New territory group in the menu:

A Territory group properties popup will open (see its description below in this article). Configure the group's properties and click Save.

After the new group is added, it's automatically selected on the Territories pane. You can now start adding territories to the group.

IMPORTANT! Please note that creating a new group automatically switches the Territory pane to the editing mode (the Territories pane's background becomes yellow). So once you're done creating territories, you'll need to click Save territories for your changes to take effect:

Switching between groups

To switch between your territory groups, click on the current group's name and select the desired territory in the list of territories that will open:

Sharing territory groups with other users

By default, a new territory group and its territories are visible only to its creator. If you'd like to make them visible (or also editable) to other users, hover your cursor over the group name and click the Share icon-button:

Note: sharing takes effect immediately, and does not switch the Territories panel into the editing mode if it wasn't in it previously.

Editing a group's properties

To edit a territory group's properties, hover your cursor over a group and click the Edit icon-button:

Note: this action will automatically switch the Territories pane into the editing mode (the pane's background becomes yellow), and you'll need to press Save territories for your changes to take effect.

Mass-adding or removing territories using geo-library

To quickly add one or multiple territories to the group using the Mapsly geo-library, hover your cursor other a group in the list of territory groups and click the Lasso icon-button:

Note: you can also do this by modifying a group's Geographies in the Territory group properties popup:

Deleting a territory group

You can delete a group by hovering your cursor over a group and clicking the Trash icon-button.

Note: this action will automatically switch the Territories pane into the editing mode (pane's background becomes yellow), and you'll need to press Save territories for your changes to take effect.