# Advanced dots & shapes: every column Official GBMaps guide for the classic map maker. VectorMaps has a different interface. Source: https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots Updated: 2026-10-22 This importer adds labels and per-location styling, including squares, triangles, hexagons and stars. Review the columns before importing: the new collection replaces the existing dots and shapes. [Watch tutorial video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYR80kKLD6o) Some videos show an earlier layout. The written instructions below describe the current controls; this is a guide, not a video transcript. ![Advanced dots & shapes: every column — current GBMaps controls](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/help/images/help-20261022-advanced-dots.png) Current controls with example details. Select a numbered circle for its explanation. Available options depend on your map and account. ## Different dots and shapes ![A Yorkshire map with a green circle, blue square, yellow triangle, purple hexagon and orange star at different locations. A larger hollow dashed circle appears around York.](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/help/images/example-dots.png) Advanced dots can use circles, squares, triangles, hexagons and stars. Different shapes and colours help distinguish depots, customers or other location types. The larger hollow circle demonstrates a coverage-style outline; the basic dot controls also let you adjust fill, transparency and line appearance. These are example positions. ## 1. CSV file, sample or pasted Excel table Load a CSV smaller than 2 MB, with up to 500 rows. Download sample CSV for the expected order. A recognised heading row is allowed in a file; paste separate columns without headings. A whole Excel table can be pasted into the Postcodes box. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--file) ## 2. Postcodes and Labels Use full UK postcodes, one per row. Labels are optional, so a location can be a plain shape. Keep each postcode and its settings on the same row. Multi-line spreadsheet cells are joined with spaces. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--locations) ## 3. Radius A distance in miles, from 0.1 to 500; blank cells use 10. This controls shape size around the location. It is not the line thickness or a screen-pixel measurement. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--radius) ## 4. Line width and Line colour Width accepts 0.1 to 100, defaulting to 1. Line colour defaults to black. Colours can be recognised names or hex values such as #E8AC25. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--outline) ## 5. Fill colour Sets the inside colour for each shape, defaulting to red. Use one value for the entire collection or a complete row-by-row column. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--fill) ## 6. Label size Accepts 0 to 20 and defaults to 3. Zero hides the label text. This is useful if the label needs to remain in the data but would overcrowd the map. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--label) ## 7. Shape Use circle, square, triangle, hexagon or star. Blank settings use circle. Keep the spelling from the column guide so the importer can recognise the shape. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--shape) ## 8. Label position Use top, bottom, left, right or middle, with top as the default. Choose a position that keeps text away from a neighbouring shape or important map label. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--position) ## 9. Shared values, blanks and errors One setting on its own applies to every postcode. Otherwise supply one row per postcode. Blank optional cells use the defaults. The status line identifies invalid rows or values before import; fix them rather than shifting a column to make the counts match. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--rules) ## 10. London points and the inset In Manage dots & shapes, choose Main map, Inset map, Inset & main map, or Hide London dots. If London points seem missing, check this choice as well as the London inset under Regions & Insets. Imported shapes are placed in the appropriate main-map/inset position. Changing this placement does not require importing the spreadsheet again. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--london) ## 11. Manage the collection Show/hide changes map visibility; Delete all dots from map removes the collection. Download your dot data exports the values currently in the dialog’s columns, including draft edits: keep a copy before clearing or replacing them. Colour postcodes turns the placed shapes into territories using polygon centres. Choose Add to existing to preserve current colouring, or Replace colouring to replace it; Undo restores the previous result. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--manage) ## 12. Import, Close and Clear columns Import to map validates and replaces the map’s dots and shapes. Check the final lookup feedback for missing locations. Close leaves unimported drafts unapplied and stops an in-progress import. Clear columns empties the draft input fields, not the current map layer. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--commit) ## 13. Make stars and circles equally opaque After importing, close this dialog and open Create Dots → More appearance options. Set Fill opacity to 100% for solid circles, stars and the other shapes together. Adjust Line opacity separately. These are collection-wide settings, not extra spreadsheet columns. Save afterwards; see Dot transparency for the controls. [Open this step](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=advanced-dots#advanced-dots--opacity) ## Related guides - [Create Dots: postcode locations](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=dots) - [Colour postcodes inside dots](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=dots-postcodes) - [Get a spreadsheet ready for import](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=import-checklist) - [Dot transparency, outlines & dashes](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=dot-style) - [Give the assistant an image, PDF or spreadsheet](https://www.gbmaps.com/mcs/map-help.php?topic=assistant-files)