Create and Analyze Catchment Areas in Spotzi

Learn how to create catchment areas using the Drivetime app and use them to filter, analyze, and export location data. This guide will walk you through generating travel-time-based catchments for individual locations or entire layers, and using them to uncover location-specific insights.

Remco Dolman
77 steps
6 minutes

Spotzi

Creating a Catchment Area from a Point

Start by creating a dashboard with the locations or areas you would like to analyze. These locations can be OOH assets, store/business locations, or zip/postal codes. [How to create an asset dashboard using OOH Select.](https://scribehow.com/viewer/View_and_Filter_Inventory_with_Out-of-Home_Select__o3_NUlJGSmmqZjvH1ptu8A) [Import and Upload Custom Locations into Spotzi.](https://scribehow.com/viewer/Import_and_Upload_Custom_Locations_into_Spotzi__m_nieLIwRD2kBVzfvePkFA) [Creating a postal code dashboard using Spotzi's premium data.](https://scribehow.com/viewer/Create_a_Dashboard_using_Spotzis_Premium_Data__af8es--rQByx85lSsLjROw)

Click the Drivetime app button to begin creating catchment areas.

If you would like to create a catchment area around a single location on the map, select "Point on map" from the drivetime type options.

Select a travel time for your catchment area. This determines how far someone can travel from your selected point within the specified time limit before reaching the outer edge of the catchment area. You can also select a travel method (driving or walking).

Optionally select a departure date and time. The Drivetime app will use historical traffic patterns for that date and time when generating the catchment area. If no departure date or time is selected, the current date and time will be used by default.

Enter a name for the new catchment layer that will be created.

Click the location on the map where you would like the catchment area to be generated. This can be any location and does not need to be connected to an existing point on the map.

When you are happy with your selection, click Create Drivetime.

A new layer containing your catchment area will be created.

Filter Based on a Catchment Area

Navigate to the filter tab.

Select the "Spatial Overlap" filter and click "Edit". [More about using the Spatial Overlap filter](https://scribehow.com/viewer/Filter_Overview_Spatial_Overlap_Filter__dO6DZJg0Tn65jhn-2RjFBQ)

Click "Add overlap".

A window will appear prompting you to select the layer you want to use as the spatial overlap filter.

Select your catchment layer from the dropdown.

Click "Add overlap".

Ensure that the layer containing the locations you would like to filter is selected under "Filtered Layer". Click "Done".

Click "Apply".

Only locations that overlap with the selected catchment area will remain visible on the map.

If you are using a catchment area to filter postal codes, only postal codes that intersect with the catchment (fully or partially) will remain visible on the map.

Any widgets connected to the filtered layer will also update based on the filtered selection.

Comparing Multiple Catchment Areas Around a Point

You can continue creating additional catchment layers to compare results across multiple travel times.

Repeat the previous steps, but select a different travel time.

A new catchment layer will be created. Until you update the Spatial Overlap filter, this new layer will only be displayed on the map and will not affect your filtered results.

Navigate to the Spatial Overlap filter to change which catchment layer is being used for filtering.

Remove any existing overlap filters.

Click "Add overlap".

Select your new catchment layer from the dropdown.

Click "Add overlap".

Click "Done" and "Apply".

Only locations overlapping with the newly selected catchment area will remain visible on the map. If the new catchment area is larger than the previous one, it may include all previously visible locations as well as additional locations.

You can also use layer styling options to create a visual heatmap of multiple travel-time catchment areas around a single location. This can help illustrate the relationship between different travel times for audience, customer, or visitor analysis.

Deleting Catchment Layers

Navigate to the layers panel. Click the trash icon next to the layer you would like to remove.

Click "Remove". This will permanently delete your catchment layer. Any filters using this layer will also be removed.

Creating Catchment Areas from Points on a Layer

You can also create catchment areas for multiple locations at the same time. To do this, first add a layer containing the locations you would like to generate catchment areas for. Navigate to the Layers panel.

Click "Add layer".

Custom locations uploaded to Spotzi can be found under the "Management" tab. [How to import and upload custom locations in Spotzi.](https://scribehow.com/viewer/Import_and_Upload_Custom_Locations_into_Spotzi__m_nieLIwRD2kBVzfvePkFA)

Select the dataset containing the locations you would like to add to the map.

Click "Add layer".

A new layer containing your selected locations will be created.

Click the Drivetime app to begin creating catchment areas.

Open the "Select Drivetime Type" dropdown and select Layer. This option creates a catchment area for every point currently visible in the selected layer.

Select the layer containing the locations you would like to create catchment areas for.

Enter a travel time. The same travel time will be applied to every catchment area generated from the selected layer.

Enter a name for your new catchment layer and click "Create Drivetime."

A message will appear showing how many drivetime credits are available and how many will be used by your request. Drivetime credits refresh each month. Click "Create Drivetime" to continue.

Catchment areas will be generated around every point in the selected layer.

Filter Based on a Catchment Layer

The process for filtering based on a layer containing multiple catchment areas is the same as filtering based on a single catchment area. Click the filter icon.

Navigate to the Spatial Overlap filter and click "Edit".

Click "Add overlap".

Select your catchment area layer and click "Add overlap".

Click "Done" and "Apply".

Only locations overlapping with the selected catchment layer will remain visible on the map. By default, the filter uses all catchment areas contained within the layer.

Select Specific Polygons in a Catchment Layer for Filtering

You can also choose specific catchment areas from a catchment layer instead of filtering based on all catchments at once. To do this, add a "Layer Data" filter to the catchment layer. Navigate to the "Layer Data" filter and click "Edit". [More information on using the layer data filter.](https://scribehow.com/viewer/Filter_Overview_Layer_Data_Filter__JcDQQTqAQ4aof3J5-Sr0Rg)

Any existing Layer Data filters applied to your dashboard will appear here. Click "Add filter."

A column selection window will appear. Select your catchment layer from the layer dropdown.

All attributes from the source layer are automatically copied to the generated catchment areas. This includes fields such as location names, addresses, IDs, and any other available attributes.

Select the column you would like to filter by. This could be a name, ID, or address field if you would like to select specific catchment areas. You can also filter by available network or market data to select groups of catchment areas at once.

A new Layer Data filter will be created using the selected column. If you selected a location name field, the filter values will include the names of all locations used to create the catchment areas. Select the locations you would like to analyze.

Click "Done" and "Apply".

Only the catchment areas associated with the selected locations will remain visible on the map. All other catchment areas will be hidden and excluded from Spatial Overlap filtering.

Rename your Layer Data Filters

You can rename Layer Data filters to make the filter panel easier to navigate. Click Edit on the Layer Data filter section that contains the filter you would like to rename.

Navigate to the filter you'd like to rename and click the slider icon.

You can update your filter title in this window.

Enter a new filter title. Click "Update".

Your filter title will be updated.

Make your Filters Public in a Shared Dashboard

People you share your dashboard with can use public filters to explore data for different locations and catchment areas. Click your dashboard name in the top-left corner to open the dashboard settings.

Under "Share", enable "Public Dashboard".

Enable "Show filters".

Copy the view-only link and send it to the people you would like to share the dashboard with. Anyone with the link can open the dashboard in a browser without signing in to a Spotzi account.

Viewers will be able to access the public filters, map, and dashboard widgets.

By default, the dashboard will display data for all available locations. Users can then select specific locations from the filter panel to view data for individual catchment areas. **Please Note:** Before sharing the dashboard, make sure no "Layer Data" filters are currently applied to the catchment layer. If specific location(s) are already selected when the dashboard is shared, viewers will not be able to change that selection.

After making a selection, viewers can click Apply.

The map and dashboard widgets will update to reflect the remaining overlapping locations.

Users can continue changing filter selections to compare data across different locations or networks.

Export your Results

Click Export in the top-right corner of the dashboard.

Select the layer you would like to export. Selecting your filtered location layer allows you to export only the locations that overlap with your current catchment area filters. Click "Download CSV."

A CSV file containing your filtered results will be downloaded. All original data columns from the exported layer will be included.

The export will also include relevant attributes from the catchment layer. This makes it possible to identify which locations overlap with each catchment area. You can use this information to build pivot tables or perform further analysis without exporting each catchment area separately.

Create and Analyze Catchment Areas in Spotzi

Remco Dolman
77 steps
6 minutes

Spotzi

Creating a Catchment Area from a Point

Click the Drivetime app button to begin creating catchment areas.

If you would like to create a catchment area around a single location on the map, select "Point on map" from the drivetime type options.

Enter a name for the new catchment layer that will be created.

Click the location on the map where you would like the catchment area to be generated. This can be any location and does not need to be connected to an existing point on the map.

When you are happy with your selection, click Create Drivetime.

A new layer containing your catchment area will be created.

Filter Based on a Catchment Area

Navigate to the filter tab.

Select the "Spatial Overlap" filter and click "Edit". [More about using the Spatial Overlap filter](https://scribehow.com/viewer/Filter_Overview_Spatial_Overlap_Filter__dO6DZJg0Tn65jhn-2RjFBQ)

Click "Add overlap".

A window will appear prompting you to select the layer you want to use as the spatial overlap filter.

Select your catchment layer from the dropdown.

Click "Add overlap".

Ensure that the layer containing the locations you would like to filter is selected under "Filtered Layer". Click "Done".

Click "Apply".

Only locations that overlap with the selected catchment area will remain visible on the map.

If you are using a catchment area to filter postal codes, only postal codes that intersect with the catchment (fully or partially) will remain visible on the map.

Any widgets connected to the filtered layer will also update based on the filtered selection.

Comparing Multiple Catchment Areas Around a Point

You can continue creating additional catchment layers to compare results across multiple travel times.

Repeat the previous steps, but select a different travel time.

A new catchment layer will be created. Until you update the Spatial Overlap filter, this new layer will only be displayed on the map and will not affect your filtered results.

Navigate to the Spatial Overlap filter to change which catchment layer is being used for filtering.

Remove any existing overlap filters.

Click "Add overlap".

Select your new catchment layer from the dropdown.

Click "Add overlap".

Click "Done" and "Apply".

Deleting Catchment Layers

Navigate to the layers panel. Click the trash icon next to the layer you would like to remove.

Click "Remove". This will permanently delete your catchment layer. Any filters using this layer will also be removed.

Creating Catchment Areas from Points on a Layer

Click "Add layer".

Select the dataset containing the locations you would like to add to the map.

Click "Add layer".

A new layer containing your selected locations will be created.

Click the Drivetime app to begin creating catchment areas.

Open the "Select Drivetime Type" dropdown and select Layer. This option creates a catchment area for every point currently visible in the selected layer.

Select the layer containing the locations you would like to create catchment areas for.

Enter a travel time. The same travel time will be applied to every catchment area generated from the selected layer.

Enter a name for your new catchment layer and click "Create Drivetime."

A message will appear showing how many drivetime credits are available and how many will be used by your request. Drivetime credits refresh each month. Click "Create Drivetime" to continue.

Catchment areas will be generated around every point in the selected layer.

Filter Based on a Catchment Layer

The process for filtering based on a layer containing multiple catchment areas is the same as filtering based on a single catchment area. Click the filter icon.

Navigate to the Spatial Overlap filter and click "Edit".

Click "Add overlap".

Select your catchment area layer and click "Add overlap".

Click "Done" and "Apply".

Only locations overlapping with the selected catchment layer will remain visible on the map. By default, the filter uses all catchment areas contained within the layer.

Select Specific Polygons in a Catchment Layer for Filtering

Any existing Layer Data filters applied to your dashboard will appear here. Click "Add filter."

A column selection window will appear. Select your catchment layer from the layer dropdown.

All attributes from the source layer are automatically copied to the generated catchment areas. This includes fields such as location names, addresses, IDs, and any other available attributes.

Click "Done" and "Apply".

Only the catchment areas associated with the selected locations will remain visible on the map. All other catchment areas will be hidden and excluded from Spatial Overlap filtering.

Rename your Layer Data Filters

You can rename Layer Data filters to make the filter panel easier to navigate. Click Edit on the Layer Data filter section that contains the filter you would like to rename.

Navigate to the filter you'd like to rename and click the slider icon.

You can update your filter title in this window.

Enter a new filter title. Click "Update".

Your filter title will be updated.

Make your Filters Public in a Shared Dashboard

Under "Share", enable "Public Dashboard".

Enable "Show filters".

Copy the view-only link and send it to the people you would like to share the dashboard with. Anyone with the link can open the dashboard in a browser without signing in to a Spotzi account.

Viewers will be able to access the public filters, map, and dashboard widgets.

After making a selection, viewers can click Apply.

The map and dashboard widgets will update to reflect the remaining overlapping locations.

Users can continue changing filter selections to compare data across different locations or networks.

Export your Results

Click Export in the top-right corner of the dashboard.

Select the layer you would like to export. Selecting your filtered location layer allows you to export only the locations that overlap with your current catchment area filters. Click "Download CSV."

A CSV file containing your filtered results will be downloaded. All original data columns from the exported layer will be included.