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# Map location boundaries

To map a place, open **Locations**, choose the **Map** tab, pick the place in the **Locations** list and select **Draw boundary**. Tap each corner on the satellite map, select **Finish**, then **Save boundary**, and Creatures works out the acreage for you.

## Before you start

Create the place first. See [Set up and organize locations](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/set-up-and-organize-locations-1f4oo3o/). The **Map** tab shows up once your workspace has a location.

Only an owner or co-owner can draw or change boundaries. Team members see **View only** but can still explore the map and move animals.

## Find your property

The map opens on the boundaries you've already saved. To find a new spot, select the magnifying glass and search an address or city under **Find a place**, or select **Use my location**. **Recenter** brings your saved boundaries back into view. Searching only moves the map and saves nothing.

![Cedar Hollow Farm boundary on the satellite map with three pastures drawn inside, and Edit boundary, Add area and Import](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/b6d/bda/a86/f0a7a.png?width=1760)

## Draw a boundary

Start in the **Locations** list beside the map. Each mapped place shows its size in acres, and a place without an outline says **Unmapped**.

![Map location list with acreage for mapped places and Main Barn selected and unmapped](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/49d/413/524/6e606.png?width=874)

1. Select the place in the list.
2. Select **Draw boundary**.
3. Click or tap each corner, or trace the edge. Use **Undo last corner** and **Redo** to fix a corner.
4. Select **Finish**, or tap the first corner again, to close the shape.
5. Drag any corner to adjust it. Tap a dot in the middle of an edge to add a corner.
6. Select **Save boundary**.

![New Main Barn boundary with five corners, 0.18 ac and Save boundary](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/c5b/618/50b/864ed.png?width=1600)

Its row on the **Places** tab now says **Mapped**.

**Snap** starts on and lines new corners up with your other boundaries, so a pasture fits neatly inside the farm. Turn it off to trace freely.

Shortcut: **Map boundary** on a **Places** row opens the map ready to draw that place.

On a phone, your finger places corners while you draw. To move the map, select **Pan**, then select **Pan** again to keep drawing.

![Drawing Main Barn on a phone with Finish, Pan and Snap above the map](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/0ac/3fb/c84/c12ef.png?width=716)

## Change a boundary

On a mapped place, the button reads **Edit boundary**. Drag corners to reshape it, then select **Save boundary**. **Redraw boundary** clears the shape so you can start over. A very detailed shape also offers **Simplify boundary**.

If two edges cross, Creatures highlights the corners to fix before you can save.

## Add an area inside a place

Areas split a mapped place into parts, like a hay field on the farm.

1. Select a place that has a boundary, then **Add area**.
2. Draw the area and select **Finish**.
3. Type an **Area name** and select **Save draft area**.
4. The area shows in the list with a **Draft area** badge. When it looks right, select **Add to locations** to keep it as one of your places.

## Import a boundary

To use outlines from another mapping tool, select the place, then **Import**. Under **Import as**, choose **Selected location boundary** or **New area inside selected location**. Then select **Choose file** and pick a KML, KMZ, GeoJSON or JSON file up to 10 MB. Check the shape on the map and save it.

A file with several outlines becomes draft areas that you review and save one at a time.

![Import boundaries with file types, Import as choices and Choose file](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/7cc/4a0/bc5/b8a1e.png?width=1056)

## Colors and moves on the map

Select the colored circle on a row to change its **Map color**. If several places still share the default color, **Use suggested colors** gives each its own.

Under **Move an animal**, select an animal and then a place's row, or drag it onto a boundary. Creatures records the move right away, as happening now. For an earlier or planned move, see [Move animals and review location history](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/move-animals-and-review-location-history-jevbid/).

## If something looks wrong

- **Satellite view is unavailable**: the map couldn't load. Your places and moves still work. Select **Back to locations** and try again later.
- **Add area** or **Import** is grayed out: select a place in the list first. **Add area** also needs the place to have its own boundary.

### Related information

- [Set up and organize locations](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/set-up-and-organize-locations-1f4oo3o/)
- [Move animals and review location history](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/move-animals-and-review-location-history-jevbid/)
- [Manage, retire, and restore a location](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/manage-retire-and-restore-a-location-13pmg1c/)