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Opening a map

Your administrator shares a map as a cloud folder link — usually a Dropbox link. Opening it in Groundwork takes a minute.

Open the Add layer panel

Launch Groundwork in your browser. If your map is empty, the Add layer panel is already showing. Otherwise, click the layer name at the top of the right-hand panel and choose + Add a layer.

Paste the link

Expand the Cloud storage card, paste the folder link your administrator sent you, and click Open.

Sign in if asked

If the folder is private, you’ll be sent to Dropbox (or Microsoft, for OneDrive folders) to sign in, then returned to Groundwork automatically. This only happens the first time — Groundwork remembers you afterwards.

The map loads

All the layers from the project appear, styled the way your administrator designed them, and the map zooms to show the data.

Signed in with the wrong account?

The Cloud storage card shows which account you’re signed in as. Use Switch account to sign in with a different one — for example, if the folder was shared with your work account but you signed in with a personal one.

Getting the latest version

Your administrator may update the map’s files from time to time. Opening the folder link again loads the latest published version.

Opening the link again replaces your local copy of those layers — including any edits you’ve made and not yet sent back. If you have edits you care about, download them first.

Next: Finding your way around.