Description: Upload a PDF site map, draw controls and features on it, build a legend, and export the marked-up map.
Overview
The site map tool lets you mark up a site plan the way you would on paper — drawing silt fence, inlets, washout zones and anything else you track — but the markup stays with the site and can be updated any time.
It's a drawing tool, not a GIS system. You upload your own PDF site plan and annotate it.
Before You Begin
You need a role that can edit site maps: Inspector, Backup Inspector, or Editor at site or organization level.
You need your site plan as a PDF file.
Opening the Map Tool
Open the site.
Under Documentation, click Site Maps.
📝 The map tool opens in a new browser tab. It's a separate part of ComplianceGo. If nothing seems to happen, check for a new tab — and make sure your browser isn't blocking pop-ups for ComplianceGo.
You'll land on a page with two sections:
Recent Maps — every map already on this site, each with a thumbnail and the date it was last saved.
New Map — where you upload a new one.
Uploading Your Site Plan
In the New Map box, either drag your file onto Drop your PDF files here, or click Choose PDF files from Your Device and pick it.
You can select more than one PDF at once — each becomes its own map.
The map takes its name from the PDF's file name.
Opening a Map to Edit It
Click a map's thumbnail under Recent Maps.
📝 This opens in another new tab. You'll now have your site open in one tab and the map editor in another.
The editor shows your site plan with the drawing toolbar across the top, and two floating panels on the right — Action Items and Legend.
Drawing on the Map
Click the orange + button at the far left of the toolbar. The drawing tools open down the left side.
Pick a tool, then draw on the map.
The tools are the same on every site and for every organization — unlike most lists in ComplianceGo, this one isn't configurable:
Group | Tools |
Shapes | Square, Circle, Oval, Triangle, Trapezoid, Hex, Octagon, Star, Cylinder |
Lines | Arrow, Dashed, Jagged, Snake |
Other | Text, Fill, Action Item |
Two toolbar controls change how you draw:
Stroke Width — set the line thickness before you draw.
Grab / the hand icon — switch to panning so you can move around the map without drawing.
Use the − and + buttons to zoom. The current zoom shows as a percentage.
The toolbar has undo and redo arrows.
Attaching an Action Item to the Map
You can pin a corrective action to the exact spot on the map where it's needed.
In the Action Items panel, click Add Action Item.
Place it on the map where the problem is.
The action item appears as a marker at the point you placed it, visible to anyone who opens the map.
Using the Legend
The Legend panel lists every item type you've drawn, with its symbol and how many of each are on the map — for example Silt Fence (1) or Inlet (2).
The legend builds itself from what you draw. If the panel says No Legend Items, nothing has been added to the map yet.
Three toolbar toggles control what the map shows:
Toggle | What it does |
Show Legend | Show or hide the legend panel |
Show Inactive Map Items | Show items that have been marked inactive |
Show Closed Action Items | Show action items that have already been closed |
Exporting the Map
Click Export in the top right.
This produces a PDF of the marked-up map with its legend.
When you're done, click Close Window to return to the site.
What Happens Next
Your markup is saved to the site and stays with it. The map is versioned, so the site keeps a record of how it changed over time.
To see that history, open the site and run the Map History Report from the Reports section.
FAQ
Q: I clicked Site Maps and nothing happened.
A: The map tool opens in a new browser tab, and your browser is probably blocking it. Allow pop-ups for ComplianceGo, then try again.
Q: My site plan won't upload.
A: Only PDF files are accepted. ComplianceGo tells you which files it skipped — Only PDF files are accepted — skipped: followed by the file names. Convert your plan to PDF and upload it again.
Q: The map has the wrong name.
A: A map takes its name from the PDF file name. Rename the PDF and re-upload it.
Q: I can't draw — the map just moves when I drag.
A: The Grab / hand tool is selected, which pans instead of drawing. Click the orange + and choose a drawing tool.
Q: The legend is empty.
A: Nothing has been drawn yet — the legend builds itself from what's on the map. Draw an item and it fills in automatically.
Q: Action items I know exist aren't showing on the map.
A: They're closed, and closed items are hidden by default. Turn on Show Closed Action Items.
Q: Can I see how the map looked previously?
A: Yes. Maps are versioned — open the site and run the Map History Report from the Reports section.
Related articles
Understanding Inspection Statuses
Scheduling a Recurring Inspection
Tracking Permits and Expiration Dates