Selecting options from a map

Last updated: 25 Nov 2025

With select_one and select_one_from_file question types, you can configure your XLSForm to let users select a choice directly from a map instead of a list. When the map opens, it displays all available points, lines, or polygons based on the choices provided. Users can then tap a feature on the map to record their selection. This functionality is available only in KoboCollect.

This article explains how to configure your XLSForm to allow selecting options from a map, how to customize styling options such as colors, symbols, and line widths, and how choices are displayed and selected on the map.

Note: The KoboToolbox Formbuilder does not support map-based selection for the select_one question type. To use this feature, configure it in an XLSForm and upload the form to KoboToolbox.

To learn more about downloading and editing your form as XLSForm, see Using XLSForm with KoboToolbox.

Setting up your XLSForm

To set up a select from map question in XLSForm:

1. In the survey worksheet, add a select_one or select_one_from_file question.

2. Add an appearance column.

3. In the appearance column of the select question, enter map or quick map.

   • The map appearance allows respondents to click on different locations and view information about each before confirming their selection.

   • The quick map appearance automatically records the first selected location without displaying additional information.

survey worksheet

type	name	label	appearance
select_one	location	Where are you currently based?	map
survey

4. In the choices worksheet or in your external list of choices, enter the choices as you normally would.

5. Next to your choice list, add a geometry column.

6. For each choice, enter the corresponding GPS coordinates in the geometry column.

   • This field can include unique or multiple GPS coordinates, to define a point, a line, or a polygon.

choices worksheet

list_name	name	label	geometry
cities	1	Warsaw	52.2297 21.0122 0 0
cities	2	Berlin	52.5200 13.4050 0 0
cities	3	Paris	48.8566 2.3522 0 0
cities	4	Kyiv	50.4501 30.5234 0 0
cities	5	Prague	50.0755 14.4378 0 0
choices

Format of GPS coordinates

When entering GPS coordinates in the choices worksheet or an external CSV or XML file, the following format must be used: longitude latitude altitude accuracy.

• For example, the GPS coordinates for Paris would be 48.8566 2.3522 0 0.

When providing multiple GPS coordinates (e.g., for a line or polygon), coordinates are separated by a semicolon.

• For example, the GPS coordinates for a line going from Paris to Madrid would be 48.8566 2.3522 0 0;40.4637 -3.6556 0 0.

• For a polygon, the GPS coordinates must start and end with the same coordinates.

Note: To obtain your GPS coordinates in the correct format, you can use this KoboToolbox form. It lets you select points on a map and automatically generates the corresponding GPS coordinates in ODK format.

If you are using a GeoJSON file to provide GPS coordinates, follow the GeoJSON format to specify the feature geometry .

For an example of map-based select questions, see this sample XLSForm. External choice files for upload to KoboToolbox are available here (CSV), here (GeoJSON), and here (XML). To learn more about using external choice files, see Selecting options from an external file.

Adding choice properties

You can further customize your map by adding choice properties in the choices worksheet or external choice file.

Available choice properties include:

Choice property	Description
info	Text description of the choice.
marker-color	HEX color for the geopoint marker.
marker-symbol	Single character, symbol, or emoji displayed on the geopoint marker.
stroke	HEX color for the geotrace line or the geoshape polygon outline.
stroke-width	Width of the geotrace line or the geoshape polygon outline (e.g., 5 or 6.5).
fill	HEX color for the polygon interior. The fill color is displayed with fixed transparency.

To add properties in the choices worksheet of your XLSForm:

1. Add a column with the appropriate property name (e.g., info, stroke, or fill).

2. For each choice, enter the corresponding value (e.g., a text description or a HEX code)

choices worksheet

list_name	name	label	geometry	info
cities	1	Warsaw	52.2297 21.0122 0 0	Capital of Poland
cities	2	Berlin	52.5200 13.4050 0 0	Capital of Germany
cities	3	Paris	48.8566 2.3522 0 0	Capital of France
cities	4	Kyiv	50.4501 30.5234 0 0	Capital of Ukraine
cities	5	Prague	50.0755 14.4378 0 0	Capital of Czech Republic
choices

If you are using a GeoJSON file to provide GPS coordinates, follow the GeoJSON format to specify feature properties.

Map selection in KoboCollect

Note: Selecting options from a map is only available in KoboCollect. In Enketo web forms, the option choices will appear as a normal list of options.

In KoboCollect, adding a select type question with a map or quick map appearance allows users to choose an option directly from a map rather than from a list. When the map opens, it centers on the device’s current location. Buttons on the right let users recenter on their location or show all available map points.

Point choices are shown as map markers. Tapping a marker increases its size. Line and polygon choices are displayed as red outlines, with polygons shaded in red. Users can tap a line or polygon to select it. When a location is selected, its properties appear at the bottom of the screen, unless the quick map appearance is used.

Under the choice label, a Select button appears to confirm and save the selected location to the form, unless the quick map appearance is used.

Note: The map and quick map appearances can be combined with choice filters to display options on the map based on a previous selection.