How to organize field observations with POIs on Android

⏱ About 5 minutes · Applies to NomadTracks for Android

Keep observations together for a site visit, field course or trail survey. This example uses a manually placed demonstration point in Yosemite, with notes and an illustrative rating.

Android tutorial with English narration and optional English captions. Some pauses are shortened and screen actions sped up for clarity.

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Place and describe an observation

On the Live map, long-press the point you want to mark and create a POI. Give it a recognizable name and write what you observed in Notes.

Android POI editor with a Yosemite demonstration observation and notes

Choose a category, color and rating

Choose a category that fits the observation, a marker color and, if useful, a star rating. Tap Save. Here, Trailhead, green and four stars are demonstration choices.

Trailhead category, green marker and four-star rating in the Android POI editor

Create a survey folder

In POIs, tap + → New Subfolder Here. Name the folder for the site or visit.

Creating a Yosemite Field Survey folder

Move the observation

Long-press the POI in the list and choose Move to Folder…. Open the destination folder and tap Move Here.

Moving the observation into the Yosemite Field Survey folder

Filter the collection

Open the folder and tap Filter. Select a category or minimum rating, then tap Done. Clear the filters when you want the whole collection again.

Android POI filters for Trailhead and a minimum four-star rating

Choose an export format

Open the POI, choose More → Export/Share and select the format you need. GPX and GeoJSON are useful for exchanging geographic data; choose a POI Bundle when you need the app’s photos and metadata.

Android POI export choices: GPX, GeoJSON and POI Bundle with photos
Tip: Agree on category, color and rating meanings before a field course so everyone uses them consistently. A local folder organizes this device’s observations; it is not a shared team workspace.

FAQ

Can I place observations without using my current location?

Yes. Navigate to the desired area and long-press the map to choose a point manually.

Why is my POI missing from the list?

Check the folder you are viewing and clear active category, rating, date or visibility filters.

Will GPX include my photos?

Use a NomadTracks POI Bundle when you want to keep photos and app metadata together. GPX is for geographic data rather than a photo archive.

Related guides

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