How to keep pole, manhole and field inventory with points, photos and layers
Field inventory looks simple, but without point names, layers, photos, notes and status it quickly becomes unusable.
Field takeaways
- Each asset type should use clear layers or classes.
- Point name, photo and note should stay in one record.
- Different assets may need different attributes.
- CSV and GeoJSON are useful for office GIS.
- MapLab Survey organizes inventory with photos and exports.
The real work is the structure
When recording poles, manholes, valves, trees, signs or defects, the coordinate alone is not enough. Assets of the same type need the same naming logic, and photos and notes must stay attached to their points. Imposing order on five hundred records after the fieldwork is done means doing the job twice.
Data model first
Decide which fields you will fill for each asset type before capturing the first point; adding an attribute once two hundred records exist means going back to the field. Prefer fixed value lists over free text — a crew that records the same condition five different ways produces data the office cannot count.
Layers and fields, concretely
Name layers in the language of the job and fix their fields up front: a pole layer with pole number, condition and photo; a manhole layer with cover type, level note and damage state; a valve layer with diameter, access state and note; a defect layer with problem type, urgency and photo.
Stable identifiers
Give every asset a unique code that never changes. That code is what lets you update the same inventory in two years without duplicating records; the condition, the owner, even the layer may change, but the code stays.
The photo is the condition
A picture of the pole or the manhole cover documents its state on that date, and for maintenance planning it matters as much as the coordinate. Take it attached to the point record; nobody can tell four hundred loose photos in a folder apart a week later.
Collect, deliver, maintain
In MapLab Survey, record one point per asset, pick the right layer, attach a photo and a short note; layer names and attributes carry through when you export GeoJSON, CSV, KML or DXF. Then assign ownership: who adds new assets, who retires the removed ones? An inventory that is never updated loses its value within two years. Determining an official boundary is licensed survey engineering work; the app speeds up the field side and does not replace the side that signs.
See it in action
MapLab Survey | Professional Mobile GIS, GPS Surveying & Land Measurement App
Visit the YouTube channel ->Try these steps on your own phone.
MapLab Survey handles RTK/GNSS point capture, drawing, area and volume calculations and coordinate conversion, then exports to DXF, KML/KMZ, GeoJSON, Shapefile, GeoPackage, NCZ or CSV. Capture, calculation and export work offline. Live NTRIP corrections and online basemaps need a connection.
Frequently asked questions
Can field inventory be collected by phone?
Yes.
How is a manhole recorded?
As a point with notes and photos.
Which format is useful for GIS?
GeoJSON and CSV.
How does MapLab Survey help?
It combines points, layers, photos and exports.
Technical references
The field guidance in this article is aligned with the technical and official references below.
Related: GIS data collection · Photo coordinates · QGIS NetCAD AutoCAD export · MapLab Survey