Editing layers

Felt allows you to add data to layers, edit attributes in the table, and adjust the locations and geometries of existing data.

Data editing in Felt lets you modify features and add new features to existing layers in your maps. You can change feature attributes (like names, population values, or any other properties), adjust geometries by moving or reshaping features, and create entirely new features with custom attributes—all while seeing your changes reflected instantly in your map styling, labels, and statistics.

This page will walk through the available data editing workflows available in Felt today. All these workflows are only available to Admin and Editors in Enterprise plans, when viewing a map in edit mode.

This feature is only available to customers on the Enterprise plan. To upgrade, contact Sales.

Adding new features

Example

Create a new store location point with a monthly revenue of $8,000 that automatically inherits your layer's styling.

There are multiple ways to add a new feature to a layer:

• Use the pencil icon in the toolbar (steps using the toolbar are outlined below)

• Look for the pencil icon in table view

• Select Add feature... from the ... layer menu in the legend

Steps

1. Click on dropdown next to the the draw icon in the toolbar

   
2. Select the layer you want to add features to

3. Draw on the map - Click on the map to create your new feature

4. Add attributes - fill in any attribute values in the properties panel on the right

   
5. Click Done - Your new feature is added to the layer and styled automatically

Felt saves the last layer you edited in the toolbar—you will see the pencil icon has the layer's color on it . You can continue adding features to the existing layer by selecting the pencil icon directly.

Undo changes

Press Command-Z (Mac) or Control-Z (Windows) to undo recent edits while working in the map.

Editing geometries

Example

Resize a boundary or move a building location to reflect updated information.

There are multiple ways to edit a feature:

• Double-click on a feature

• Click on the pencil icon in the popup interaction

Steps

1. Select a feature - Double-click any feature on the map to enter edit mode

2. Modify the geometry - Use the same controls as element editing:

   1. Drag vertices to move them

   2. Right-click to add new vertices

   3. Right-click to delete vertices

   4. Drag the entire feature to reposition it

3. Click Done - Your geometry changes are saved

You can also enter edit mode by clicking a feature once and then clicking the pencil icon.

Undo changes

Press Command-Z (Mac) or Control-Z (Windows) to undo recent edits while working in the map.

Editing attributes

Example

Update a census tract's population from 8,000 to 11,000 and watch the color change immediately based on your symbology.

There are multiple ways to edit a feature:

• Double-click on a feature

• Click on the pencil icon in the popup interaction

• Double-click on a cell in the layer's table

Steps from the map

1. Double-click any feature on the map

2. In the properties panel, click into any attribute field

3. Update the value

4. Click Done

Steps from the table

1. Open the layer's data table

2. Double-click any cell in the table

3. Update the value

4. Press Enter or click outside the cell

Changes to attributes update your map styling, labels, and statistics dynamically as you make them.

Deleting features

Example

Cleaning up or updating a dataset to remove outdated or erroneous features.

There are multiple ways to edit a feature:

• Click on a feature and hit the Delete key

• Click on Delete from the the overflow menu ... in the popup interaction

• Right-click on a row in table view and select Delete

Steps from the map

1. Click any feature on the map

2. In the popup panel, click the ... menu

3. Select Delete from the menu

Steps from the table

1. Open the layer's data table

2. Right-click any cell for the feature you want to delete

3. Select Delete from the menu

Undo changes

Press Command-Z (Mac) or Control-Z (Windows) to undo recent edits while working in the map.

Mobile editing

With Felt's native mobile app, data editing is available on mobile devices with the same capabilities as desktop. Use tap gestures to select features and edit attributes through the properties panel.

More information on Felt's native mobile app can be found here and more information is coming soon!

Technical details

How edits are stored

When you edit a layer in Felt, you're editing the specific copy of that layer in your current map. Your edits don't affect the original data source or any other maps using that layer.

Collaborative editing

Multiple collaborators can edit the same map simultaneously. Each person's edits are saved to the layer in real-time, but you won't see each other's undo/redo history—only the final saved changes.

Layer copying behavior

When you copy a layer, you copy all edits that have been made to it up to that point. However, the copied layer becomes independent—any further edits to either the original or the copy won't affect the other.

Complex geometries

You can edit features with complex geometries (like multi-polygons or polygons with holes), moving or adjusting the existing parts. However, you currently cannot create new complex geometries from scratch.

API and SDK

The REST API and JavaScript SDK currently don't support data editing. The JavaScript SDK is view-only and doesn't reflect editing capabilities. API references to "elements" refer to annotations, not data layers.

Tips and best practices

Add features quickly with the toolbar

Felt saves the last layer you edited in the toolbar—you will see the pencil icon has the layer's color on it . You can continue adding features to the existing layer by selecting the pencil icon directly.

Control who can edit

Pay attention to who has edit access to your maps. Anyone who can edit the map can modify the underlying data.

Use layer copying as checkpoints

Since there's no edit history beyond the in-app undo stack, create copies of your layer at important milestones. This gives you a way to checkpoint your work:

• Make edits to your layer

• When you reach a stable state, copy the layer

• Continue editing the original

• If you need to revert, delete the edited version and work from your copy

Create playground versions

If you want to experiment with data without affecting your main map, copy the layer first and work on the copy. You can always delete experimental versions or keep them if the changes work out.

Consider your workflow

Think about layer copying as version control for your map data. Build up changes incrementally and create copies when you want to preserve a particular state.

Frequently asked questions

Who can edit data layers in Felt?

Admins and editors in Enterprise plans can edit layers on maps.

When should I use Layers instead of Annotations (formerly Elements) for editing data on the map?

For most workflows, editing data layers in Felt is the better choice. Annotations work well for quick markup and very small datasets. Here's when to use each:

Layer editing is best for:

• Datasets with more than 100 features

• Using table view to see and edit all your data at once

• Advanced styling options (categorical symbology, graduated colors, zoom-based visibility, label control, etc.)

• Better map performance through tiling (especially important for large datasets)

• The ability to export and reuse your data across multiple maps

• Enterprise plans in Felt

Annotations are best for:

• Quick visual markup for presentations or comments

• Simple styling for a handful of features

• Lightweight additions that don't need structured data management

• Free and Team plans in Felt

You can convert annotations to a data layer to get started with editable layers. Right-click your group of annotations and select Actions → Convert to layer to unlock full layer functionality.

Can I undo changes after I've saved them?

You can use the undo stack (Command-Z or Control-Z) for recent changes, but once you've closed the map or cleared your browser, those changes are permanent. Create layer copies as checkpoints if you need the ability to revert to previous states.

Do my edits affect other maps using this data?

No. When you edit a layer, you're editing only the copy in your current map. Other maps using the same original data source remain unchanged.

If I edit a layer, do those changes appear in other maps?

No. Edits are specific to the layer instance in your current map and don't propagate to other maps using the same data source. Each map has its own independent version of the layer.

Can multiple people edit at the same time?

Yes. All collaborators with edit access can modify the map simultaneously, and changes save in real-time. However, you won't see each other's undo history—only the final saved changes.

Why don't my statistics/symbology update immediately when I make large changes?

Most changes reflect instantly, but in some cases (like when you exceed the current range of a numeric style), updates may take time to process. Symbology and statistics are recalculated nightly for all layers.

Can I edit data I've imported from cloud sources or live layers?

Yes. Once data is in Felt, you can edit it regardless of the original source. However, edits only apply to the Felt version—they don't sync back to your original files or databases.

Is there a permanent edit history?

Not right now. You can use the undo stack (Command-Z or Control-Z) for recent changes, but once you've closed the map or cleared your browser, those changes are permanent. Create layer copies as checkpoints if you need the ability to revert to previous states.

Can I create empty layers from scratch?

For now, we recommend creating template dataset using annotations, and then converting that annotation to a layer. The ability to create an empty layer from scratch is coming really soon.

The current workflows we support require adding data to Felt as a layer first (by uploading a file, adding existing data, or converting an annotation to a layer). Then you can edit it or add new features to those layers.