What methods can I use to create a map layer?

How can I run spatial analyses in Builder?

How does the export mechanism from Builder works?

What methods can I use to create a map layer?

To add a data source to a map as a new layer you can either:

• Pick a table or tileset from one of your active connections to cloud data warehouses

• Add data resulting from applying a custom SQL Query. You can also leverage the SQL functions available in CARTO’s .

• Importing data from a local or remote file. Right now we currently support GeoJSON, Shapefile (in a zip package), and CSV files. We’re working to support more formats in the future.

How can I run spatial analyses in Builder?

To run spatial analysis in Builder, you can use the SQL Editor, which is accessible when adding a data source as a custom query. The SQL Editor allows you to execute SQL commands directly in your cloud data warehouse (e.g., BigQuery, Snowflake, etc.), taking advantage of the full capabilities of the platform, including functions and operations available there. Additionally, you can leverage UDFs from the Analytics Toolbxo for enhanced spatial analysis. While the SQL Editor is ideal for performing simple analysis or utilizing SQL Parameters, for more complex or multi-step analysis, we recommend using Workflows. Workflows enable you to perform detailed, step-by-step analysis and save the results as a materialized table, which can then be used as a source in Builder. This approach provides greater flexibility and scalability for more advanced spatial analysis tasks.

How does the export mechanism from Builder works?

The export mechanism in Builder leverages the built-in export functionality of the connected cloud data warehouse to handle and process data. This ensures efficient export of datasets, aligning with the performance optimization strategies of the underlying platform.

When using BigQuery specifically, the export process stores data in a Google Cloud Storage (GCS) bucket. For performance and scalability, BigQuery splits the exported data into multiple smaller files rather than a single large file. This behavior is expected and is a result of BigQuery's internal strategies to parallelize the export jobs for optimal performance.

Does Builder support GEOMETRYCOLLECTION geometry type?

No, Builder does not support GEOMETRYCOLLECTION geometry types. If your data contains geometry collections, you'll need to convert them to individual geometry components (Point, LineString, or Polygon) using SQL transformations before visualization. See the for workaround examples using ST_Dump.

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Unified access to Data Observatory subscriptions and improved subscription management

November 18th, 2025

Improvement Workspace

With this release, we’re making it simpler and more consistent for users to access and work with data from their Data Observatory subscriptions. Access to data has now been fully unified to always be via your own data warehouse connections. Additionally we've also improved the way Admin users can manage the organization's Data Observatory subscriptions from the Settings section in the CARTO Workspace.

• We’ve unified access to the data from Data Observatory subscriptions to always be rom the end-user data warehouse connections. As announced earlier this year, we have deprecated the Data Observatory tab in Data Explorer, Builder, and Workflows. This tab previously exposed subscriptions only through a small set of connections (i.e. CARTO Data Warehouse and BigQuery US multi-region). Since all subscriptions are now available directly via data warehouse connections, the tab has been removed to avoid confusion.

• The in Settings has been significantly improved. It now serves as the central place to manage your organization’s subscriptions, showing to which data warehouse each subscription has been transferred, and allowing users to request new transfers so the data is available directly in their data warehouses.

Starring data assets for quicker access

November 18th, 2025

Improvement Workspace

Users are now able to star items at any level in the Data Explorer, including connections, projects/databases/schemas, and the data tables themselves. Simply click on the star icon next to any item in the Data Explorer and then use the Starred only filter to show just your starred items.

This is especially helpful to users that have connections or data assets that are recurrently used in their maps and workflows. No more browsing the data tree until you find what you need!

Your starred items are now also easily accessible from the "Add data source" flow in CARTO Builder and from the data sources panel in CARTO Workflows.

To learn more about starring items and the Data Explorer in general, check out our .

Integrate CARTO maps anywhere with the new authenticated embeds and reactive map events

November 7th, 2025

Improvement Builder

Embedding maps from CARTO in other webpages and applications just became exponentially easier and more powerful thanks to two additions to our platform:

• New methods for seamless and secure private embedding: We added two new strategies to embed private maps securely, without having to publish the map or forcing the users to login in a different tab or browser. Developers can also re-use existing authorization in their applications. .

• Build bi-directional interactive experiences with our embedded events: Embedded maps from CARTO now send postMessage events every time something changes in the map. This allows the parent application to react, creating bi-directional interactive experiences when combined with our embed URL parameters. .

We're excited to see where you will embed your next CARTO map!

New map interaction tools for AI Agents

November 6th, 2025

New Builder

AI Agents can now interact directly with your maps through two new tools:

• Dynamic marker placement: Ask the AI Agent to mark specific locations, and it will instantly place markers on your map. Simply provide an address, place name, or coordinates—the agent handles geocoding and placement automatically.

• Spatial filtering by area: The AI Agent can define custom areas of interest to filter your data dynamically. When an area is set, all map widgets and layers update automatically to show only data within that region.

These tools enable your AI Agent to provide immediate visual context and perform focused analysis on specific geographic areas without manual configuration.

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Introducing Agentic GIS in CARTO: making spatial insights available to everyone

October 8th, 2025

New Builder

We are incredibly excited to announce new features that bring enterprise-grade geospatial agentic experiences to CARTO.

• Introducing AI Agents in Builder: (now in General Availability) provide a conversational interface in your maps where your end users can get instant and actionable geospatial insights through natural language.

• AI Agents can now query sources, generate layers and more: We've added a ton of exciting capabilities that allow agents to reason and perform geospatial analysis autonomously.

• Integrate Workflows as tools for your AI Agents: From building operational dashboards to running complex analyses, your AI Agent can be supercharged with your own custom workflows .

With CARTO you can now create and share access to powerful geospatial AI Agents tailored to your specific needs. Combine your custom prompt instructions with CARTO's built-in geospatial intelligence and your own workflows, and build trustworthy AI solutions that make complex geospatial analysis accessible to any user within your organization.

Get started today by .

And learn more about Agentic GIS in our !

Turn your AI Agents into geospatial experts with CARTO MCP Server

October 8th, 2025

New Workflows

CARTO now supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), a standard that enables AI Agents to interact with external tools and data sources. With the new CARTO MCP Server, organizations can now expose their own geospatial that any MCP-compliant agent can use.

This release allows GIS teams to design custom workflows in CARTO—defining inputs, outputs, and logic specific to their spatial problems—and make them available to AI Agents through the MCP Server. Each tool includes detailed metadata following the MCP specification, ensuring interoperability across agentic AI environments.

By combining Workflows and the MCP Server, organizations can empower AI Agents to perform advanced spatial analysis, automate geospatial decision-making, and connect AI-driven applications to their cloud data infrastructure.

The CARTO Workspace is the user interface for our next generation cloud-native Location Intelligence platform. It allows you to create stunning maps and perform spatial analytics at scale, with everything running directly on top of your cloud data warehouse(s). Learn how to make the most out of our Builder tool, Analytics Toolbox, Data Observatory, and other new features.

Check out the following pages for setting up your organization, getting acclimated to the workspace, and creating your first map:

• CARTO Workspace overview

• Creating your first map

Getting started with CARTO

CARTO is the only cloud-first spatial platform built for accelerated, modern GIS. It runs natively on top of your cloud data warehouse platform (e.g. Google BigQuery, Snowflake, AWS Redshift, etc.), providing easy access to highly scalable spatial analysis and visualization capabilities in the cloud — be it for analytics, app development, data engineering, and more.

For new CARTO , users can choose between four different regions. These correspond to four separate CARTO tenants, each located in a different geographical location:

• United States East

• Europe West (located in the EU)

• Asia Northeast (located in Japan)

The basemap selector, located below the zoom control, allows users to switch between available basemaps within their organization. This functionality enhances the visual context of maps, making them more adaptable to specific use cases and improving overall data exploration.

As an Editor, you have the flexibility to decide whether the basemap selector will be available in the public or shared versions of the map. This can be configured through the "Map settings for viewers," located at the top-right corner of the Builder interface.

Once enabled, Viewers can switch between basemaps to modify the map’s context according to their specific needs.

Legends and layer lists are essential for geospatial data visualization, providing context, enhancing map interpretation, and enabling quick actions such as toggling visibility and zooming.

In the Legend tab within Builder, you can control how layers and their legends appear in the map layer list:

• Layer visibility: Toggle whether a layer is included in the map layer list for users to interact with.

• Legend visibility: Independently toggle whether a layer’s legend is displayed in the map layer list.

Can I license premium data with a trial or student account?

Are premium data subscriptions based on perpetual licenses?

Can I export the data from CARTO and use it on other platforms?

Can I license premium data with a trial, or student account?

No, premium data subscriptions are only available for Enterprise plans. For Trial and Student plans, you will only have access to data samples or public data products from the Data Observatory.

Individual plans do not get access to the Data Observatory. If you need to use it, you would need to upgrade to a Starter plan, or get in touch with [email protected]

Are premium data subscriptions based on perpetual licenses?

Premium subscriptions are offered on a Data-as-a-Service model based on yearly or multi-yearly licenses. Once the subscription expires and it is not renewed, the user needs to stop using and delete the associated datasets from the account.

Can I export the data from CARTO and use it on other platforms?

It will depend on the data provider and the type of license you have purchased for your premium data subscription. Some data providers offer different types of licenses if their data is going to be used only within a CARTO application or exported into other technologies.

What are the different deployment options for the CARTO platform?

Where can I find information about the requirements for deploying CARTO as Self-hosted?

How are updates and product releases managed in a Self-hosted deployment?

Where can I find information about deploying CARTO with Snowflake Container Services?

What are the different deployment options for the CARTO platform?

There are two different deployment options for the CARTO platform:

• CARTO Cloud: A fully managed deployment that CARTO hosts on our own cloud. When you use CARTO in our cloud, we manage configuration, updates, and versioning. This option is available in different regions that you can select when .

• Self-Hosted: With this option, you host your own CARTO tenant. That means it can be deployed in your virtual private cloud (VPC) or behind your virtual private network (VPN).

• (BETA) Snowflake Container Services: Fully deploy CARTO inside Snowflake by leveraging Snowflake Native Apps and Container Services.

Where can I find information about the requirements for deploying CARTO as Self-hosted?

Find links to the documentation and technical requirements .

How are updates and product releases managed in a Self-hosted deployment?

While in CARTO Cloud updates and product releases are continously added to the platform, if you’re self-hosting your own CARTO tenant, it will need to be updated periodically to enjoy the latest version of the platform.

The CARTO team publishes versioned releases on the public Self-hosted repositories that can be used to upgrade your deployment. Find the latest releases for and

Where can I find information about deploying CARTO with Snowflake Container Services?

Find links to the documentation .

My screen is stuck on the "Creating an Organization" page.

How can I join an existing organization on CARTO?

Can I be a member of multiple CARTO organizations?

I have previously used CARTO (including signing up for a free trial). Can I create a new organization or user with the same email?

Can I extend my free trial to longer than 14 days?

Can I start multiple free trials with CARTO?

My screen is stuck on the "Creating an Organization" page.

If you have never signed up for CARTO before, this can normally be fixed by clearing your browser’s cache. If you have previously used CARTO or created another CARTO organization - including a free trial - please see the FAQs below.

How can I join an existing organization on CARTO?

A CARTO user with an admin role from your organization will be able to add you to their organization through the CARTO Workspace via Settings > Users and Groups.

If you have a previous or existing CARTO login (including free trials) which are not attached to this organization, you will not be able to immediately join. In this instance, you should contact your customer success manager or [email protected] who can help you.

Can I be a member of multiple CARTO organizations?

You cannot join multiple CARTO organizations with the same email address. If you have a requirement like this, you should contact your customer success manager or [email protected] who can help you.

I have previously used CARTO (including signing up for a free trial). Can I create a new organization or user with the same email?

CARTO accounts are currently limited to one account per email, including historic accounts. If you have specific requirements around this, please contact your customer success manager or who can help you.

If you are attending a CARTO event where a free trial is a requirement, please contact the event organizers who will be able to coordinate this for you.

Can I extend my free trial to longer than 14 days?

In most cases free trials are limited to 14 days. Please fill in our form to discuss your requirements if you weren’t able to evaluate the platform within 14 days.

Can I start multiple free trials with CARTO?

Free trials are limited to one per user. Please fill in our form to discuss your requirements if you weren’t able to evaluate the platform with a single trial.

If you are attending a CARTO event where a free trial is a requirement, please contact the event organizers who will be able to coordinate this for you.

What cloud data warehouses can I use with CARTO?

What are the device/web browser requirements for CARTO?

When I connect to a data warehouse, do you copy or store any data?

What happens if I do not have any cloud data warehouse platform to connect?

Can I import geospatial files into CARTO’s new platform?

What are the Location Data Services (LDS) providers configured by default in a CARTO organization?

What cloud data warehouses can I use with CARTO?

CARTO's new platform is designed to give you a fully cloud native experience, allowing you to run CARTO on top of your leading cloud data warehouse platform of choice (i.e. Google BigQuery, Snowflake, AWS Redshift, Oracle, Databricks, and any PostgreSQL-based data warehouse platform).

What are the device/web browser requirements for CARTO?

CARTO is designed to work in all modern browsers that meet the following criteria:

• Complete support, including hardware acceleration, for

• A browser version not older than 2 years

This includes the latest stable versions of Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera, but other browsers using standard technology and meeting the criteria above should be compatible as well.

While CARTO should work in all browsers meeting the criteria above, the best performance and compatibility are expected with Chromium-based browsers.

Please note that the user's device must also have hardware that supports these features. A desktop device with a dedicated GPU and at least 8 GB of RAM is recommended.

When I connect to a data warehouse, do you copy or store any data?

No, your connection allow us to perform queries against your data on your behalf, and the results are either stored again in your data warehouse or rendered in the client, as visible maps. CARTO being fully cloud native means no storage needs, less security concerns and no need for data replication or complex ETL processing.

What happens if I do not have any cloud data warehouse platform to connect?

For users who do not have any cloud data warehouse platform to which they want to connect CARTO, we are offering cloud storage and computing resources in what we call the CARTO Data Warehouse. A CARTO Data Warehouse connection is offered by default with your CARTO subscription.

Can I import geospatial files into CARTO’s new platform?

Yes, at the moment you can import both local or remote (via URL) Shapefiles, CSV or GeoJSON files. You have more details available in the corresponding section of our .

What are the Location Data Services (LDS) providers configured by default in a CARTO organization?

CARTO offers access to Location Data Services (LDS) such as geocoding, isolines and routing by leveraging the APIs of 3rd party service providers. Since December 2023, by default, CARTO uses APIs for geocoding and routing, and for isolines.

CARTO retains the right to adjust the default configuration of these services at its sole discretion when deemed necessary. Other options to the default can be made available under special commercial and usage terms.

Formula Widget allows you to derive Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and metrics by performing operations directly from your source data.

Widget Data

When configuring the Formula Widget calculations, you have the flexibility to choose in the Data section from a provided aggregation list or to set a custom aggregation.

The provided aggregation list options include COUNT, AVG, MAX, MIN, and SUM, offering a range of commonly used operations. When using these aggregation options, you simply need to specify the field from your data source that you want to aggregate.

For more complex and custom calculations, you can select the custom aggregation option to create your own SQL Expression. With this option, you can use a wide range of SQL functions, operators and syntax using single or multiple columns from your data source.

Widget Display

From the Display options, you can set the format of the data displayed in the widget as well as adding notes which support to provide further context your widget.

Widget Behavior

Within the Behavior section, you can define how your widget operates by choosing between "Viewport" or "Global" modes. Additionally, you can make your widgets collapsible, allowing you to hide them when needed. Learn more about widget behavior .

Does CARTO provide a basemap service?

What is the pricing for CARTO basemaps? Is it free?

How frequently does CARTO update its basemaps?

Can I use other basemaps in CARTO?

Does CARTO provide a basemap service?

Yes. We provide a basemap service using vector tiles, and we make them automatically available in all the components in the CARTO platform (Builder, Workflows, etc...), for all users.

Our basemaps are also compatible with Maplibre GL JS, so that .

The data for the CARTO basemaps is based on OpenStreetMap. Our basemaps are fully managed and powered by CARTO, including our own CDN, which makes them performant, scalable and customizable. Developers and users can choose between multiple , or even design their own styles following the OpenMapTiles specifications.

What is the pricing for CARTO basemaps? Is it free?

For commercial purposes, you will need an Enterprise license in order to use the CARTO Basemaps. To find out more about , & we’ll be able to discuss your use case with you.

For non-commercial purposes, our basemaps can be used for free in applications and visualizations by (full T&Cs available ).

Once you have a license or a grant, basemaps do not incur in additional costs, and you can use them as much as needed.

How frequently does CARTO update its basemaps?

At a minimum, CARTO updates the underlying data for its basemaps at least once a year, including new roads, labels, areas, and other data points. Most years we provide updates every 3 or 6 months so that data is fresh and up-to-date, but the schedule and frequency is not guaranteed.

Can I use other basemaps in CARTO?

Yes! While customers and grantees can automatically make use of our basemaps, you can use any other basemap service of your preference:

• CARTO provides out-of-the-box integration for .

• Admins can configure that will be available for their users in Builder

• Developers can integrate .

Data sources using spatial column storing quadbin identifiers and spatial type quadbin will be rendered as a Grid layer type. Grid layers uses quadbin to natively render features on the map in an aggregated manner.

Visualization

In the Visualization section, you can easily identify the type of layer your visualizing. Additionally, within the Advanced visualization options , you can access Zoom Visibility to define the range at which your layer should be visualized. This ensures that your lines are displayed at appropriate zoom levels, improving the clarity and relevance of your map.

Cell

When using Grid layer visualization type in Builder, data is aggregated as you zoom in and out on the map. In the Cell section, you can define the aggregation size to determine the level of granularity you prefer for your data aggregation.

Fill

In this section you can define Color that will be used to fill your point symbol. You can set a simple color or use a based on a given property to add depth and meaning to your lines. Additionally, you can adjust the fill opacity to your desired percentage for better visual effects.

When configuring either the color based on a property, you can access Advanced fill options to set the . This allows for a more granular and informative visualization.

Stroke

The stroke of your line layer can be customized in various ways to suit your visualization needs:

• Stroke Color: Set a simple color or use a color schema based on a given property to add depth and meaning to your lines. Additionally, you can adjust the stroke opacity to your desired percentage for better visual effects.

• Stroke Weight: Define the stroke weight as either a fixed value or based on a given property. You can modify the stroke weight using a simple slider when set to fixed, or by defining a weight range when configured by a property.

When configuring either the stroke color or stroke weight based on a property, you can access Advanced stroke options to set the color scale or weight scale. This allows for a more granular and informative visualization.

Height

You can enable height visualization to extrude the height of your grid layer. When this is enabled, make sure to change the map view to 3D so you can see the features on this view mode.

Set a fixed height or set the height value based on a given property. You use the slider to multiple the height value according to your need.

When configuring the height based on a property, you can access Advanced height options to set the height scale. Additionally, you can enable the Show wireframe option to visualize the stroke of the 3D objects.

To create an AI Agent, start with a map that represents your use case. Create a new map or adapt an existing one as needed.

Navigate to the AI tab to create your AI Agents (ensure CARTO AI is enabled in your organization). Click "Create AI Agent" to open the configuration dialog. Once you've provided at least the Use Case, you can begin testing your AI Agent.

Creating an AI Agent is an iterative process - you'll refine the map, adjust the Agent configuration, publish, and maintain your Agent to ensure all components work as expected.

Important considerations

Timeout limits:

• Synchronous Workflows MCP and query sources tools: 1 minute.

• Geocoding tool: 3 minutes.

• CARTO AI Service API: 5 minutes.

• Use asynchronous tools to overcome synchronous limitations.

Access considerations:

• Maps with QuerySources-enabled AI Agents cannot be made public.

• Enable QuerySources to access execute_query and add_source tools.

• When adding Workflows MCP Tools, you can inspect results from workflows.

The Map Preview feature is designed to provide an interactive experience of viewing and adjusting the map during the editing process. This ensures that all modifications are precisely reflected, allowing for a thorough review before making the map accessible to viewers.

Accessing map preview

1. Open the map you're currently editing or wish to review.

2. Find the "Preview" button, located in the top right of Builder interface.

3. Click on the "Preview" button to switch from editing mode to preview mode. This action allows you to view the map as an editor, with all current changes applied.

Using Preview Mode

Preview mode is designed to complement the editing process, offering:

• Publish updates : You can publish updates in Preview mode on the quick action or Sharing modal.

• Modify sharing settings: Directly in Preview mode, adjust map permissions to control the map's accessibility.

• Access sharing resources: Utilize resources in Preview mode to streamline the sharing process.

• Seamless mode transition: Easily toggle between Preview and Edit modes to continue refining your map without losing any changes.

This guide describes how to switch between different map view modes in Builder. There are two different map view modes, normal (flat) and 3D. The mode selected by default is the Normal map view.

To switch to 3D map view, click on 3D view from the “Map view” options.

Also, another cool functionality of CARTO Builder is the ability to have a dual map configuration to allow comparisons. We can switch to this mode by selecting Switch a dual map view from the “Map view” options.

You can always back to the single map configuration by clicking on Exit dual map view and selecting the panel you want to close, left or right.

Date Parameters define a default data range to be used in your query, with the start date and end date as placeholders. These parameters are always used in pairs, representing the start and end of a selected time period.

Date Parameter Settings

When creating a Date Parameter, you'll need to configure:

Values

Set the default start and end dates that will be pre-filled in the calendar. These do not restrict what users can select—users can adjust the dates freely.

Naming

• Display name: The name that will appear in the control UI.

• SQL name(s): The name to be used in the SQL query to be replaced by the starting and ending date of the selected period.

Using Date Parameters in your SQL Query

After creating the parameter, add it manually to your SQL query using its placeholders:

Once added, the date picker will appear int he right-side panel, allowing users to adjust the range and see the data source update in real time.

The Table Widget offers a clear, structured view of your dataset, enabling easy data exploration. You can search, highlight features by hovering, and zoom to specific features by clicking, all while seamlessly connecting the table to the map.

Widget Data

In the Data section, you can specify which properties to display in the Table view, allowing you to set labels and customizing the format as needed.

Widget Display

The Display section allows you to add notes that support for better clarity and customization. Within the widget, you can choose the number of rows displayed per page and use pagination to view additional data. Sorting can be applied to the columns in either ascending or descending order.

You can also configure whether the widget is collapsible and if it should be automatically hidden when the linked layer is not visible on the map.

Widget behavior

n the Behavior section, you can choose between two modes:

• Viewport Mode: Shows only features visible in the current map view. Both displayed data and search are limited to features within the viewport.

• Global Mode: Displays all features from the data source, allowing you to search and zoom to any feature, even if it’s outside the current map view.

Learn more about widget behavior .

What frameworks and libraries can I use for developing custom apps with CARTO?

Are “CARTO for deck.gl” and “CARTO for React” compatible with the new version of the platform?

What frameworks and libraries can I use for developing custom apps with CARTO?

You can use any framework or visualization library because CARTO is based on industry-standards. If there is not a hard requirement, we recommend using deck.gl for visualization and CARTO for React for creating apps that extend the platform functionality.

Are “CARTO for deck.gl” and “CARTO for React” compatible with the new version of the platform?

Yes, you can use both tools with the previous and the new version of the platform.

Does CARTO provide an SDK for the development of Mobile applications?

CARTO does not currently offer an SDK for the development of mobile apps as a component of our cloud native platform. In order to develop mobile applications with geospatial data, we recommend using the relevant SDK of your cloud vendor, or from products such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, Mapbox or Maplibre.

Particularly for the visualization of small datasets with spatial data (< 30MB), all SDKs will support visualization of GeoJSON files (e.g. ), and CARTO’s can be the technology to serve them.

The Mobile SDK in the previous version of the CARTO platform will not be further developed, and we don’t recommend starting new projects with it.

The CARTO Workspace includes functionalities for creating and publishing maps in a simple manner, using the CARTO map tool: Builder.

Builder is designed to allow technical and non-technical audiences to visualize, explore, and filter large amount of location data in your browser.

This guide will teach you how to create a map in the CARTO Builder, and perform data analysis by adding data to a map, adding filters, and more.

In the Maps section of the Workspace, you will see the list of your current maps. If you haven’t created a map yet, you will see the following page:

To create a new map, click Create your first map. This will open the CARTO map tool: Builder.

CARTO Builder contains many features that guide you through the process of creating a map, changing the styling, and selecting how your data appears. Use the following task list as guide for some of the main CARTO Builder features:

• Add your data

• Style your maps

• Set widgets

• Customize your map views

• Add SQL parameters

• Apply a mask to your map and filter out your data

• Publish and share your maps

Cluster point aggregation allows you to dynamically group and display your point data as clusters, even when working with large-scale datasets. This type of visualization is ideal for simplifying complex data, identifying concentration patterns, and gaining insights by visualizing data density in a more digestible format.

Visualization

In the Visualization section you can specify the Opacity setting at layer source. Additionally, within the Advanced visualization options , you can access Zoom Visibility to define the range at which your layer should be visualized.

Symbol

In this section, you can define the cluster radius range and adjust the symbol’s aggregation size. This allows you to control the level of detail in the clustering—lower values result in more detailed, granular clusters.

Fill

Define the Color that will be used to fill your cluster. You can set a simple color or use a based on a given property to add depth and meaning to your lines. Additionally, you can adjust the fill opacity to your desired percentage for better visual effects.

When configuring either the color based on a property, you can access Advanced fill options to set the . This allows for a more granular and informative visualization.

Stroke

In the Stroke section, you can customize the stroke color and adjust its opacity. Additionally, you can set the stroke weight to match your visualization needs.

Label

Labels for cluster layers allow you to display the number of aggregated points within each cluster. You can customize both the text color and the halo (outline) color to fit your visualization needs.

In CARTO Builder, the Point layer visualization option allows you to render and style point features on your map. This layer type offers various advanced styling options to enhance the visual representation of your data such as creating heatmap or grid visualizations dynamically from your original source.

Visualization

Within the Advanced visualization options , you can access Zoom Visibility to define the range at which your layer should be visualized. This ensures that your lines are displayed at appropriate zoom levels, improving the clarity and relevance of your map.

If your data source contains identical geometries with varying attributes (e.g., weather stations, admin regions or buildings), you can use the Aggregate by geometry functionality to aggregate your layer based on a distinct spatial column. .

Stroke

The stroke of your line layer can be customized in various ways to suit your visualization needs:

• Stroke Color: Set a simple color or use a color schema based on a given property to add depth and meaning to your lines. Additionally, you can adjust the stroke opacity to your desired percentage for better visual effects.

• Stroke Weight: Define the stroke weight as either a fixed value or based on a given property. You can modify the stroke weight using a simple slider when set to fixed, or by defining a weight range when configured by a property.

When configuring either the stroke color or stroke weight based on a property, you can access Advanced stroke options to set the color scale or weight scale. This allows for a more granular and informative visualization.

You can use the Zoom to layer functionality in Builder to zoom your map to display all the features of a layer. This helps you quickly locate your layer, speeding up your exploration journey.

Accessing zoom to layer

The Zoom to Layer feature can be accessed from the Layer Card and Layer Panel for Editors, and from the legend for both Editors and Viewers.

If your layer features have been filtered by Widgets or SQL Parameters, the zoom will always account for this filtering, allowing you to easily focus on the selected features.

Switching layer visibility

The eye icon in the Layer Card, Layer Panel, and Legend allows users to easily toggle layers on or off. For maps with many layers, the "Show only this/Show all layers" functionality is particularly useful. It enables you to switch off all other layers or make them all visible if only one layer is currently displayed.

As an Editor user, you have the flexibility to determine wether SQL Parameters controls will be accessible in the public or shared version of the map. You can manage this from the "Map settings for viewers" section located at the top right of Builder interface.

Viewer users can then specify parameter values using the Parameters control interface found on the right panel. This enables them to adjust the underlying data according to their unique needs.

A Category Widget summarize and compare categorical data using proportional bar lengths to represent values. The longer the horizontal bar, the greater the value it represents.

Widget Data

When configuring the Category Widget, you can either perform a simple COUNT operation over your define category field or you can perform an aggregated operation using AVG, MAX,

Data sources with a spatial column storing H3 identifiers and a spatial type of H3 are rendered as an H3 layer type in CARTO Builder. H3 layers leverage the H3 cell ids to efficiently render features on the map in an aggregated format, enabling seamless visualization of large-scale spatial datasets.

Visualization

In the Visualization section, you can easily identify the type of layer your visualizing. Additionally, within the Advanced visualization options , you can access Zoom Visibility to define the range at which your layer should be visualized. This ensures that your lines are displayed at appropriate zoom levels, improving the clarity and relevance of your map.

H3 point aggregation allows you to dynamically visualize your point data as an aggregated hexagonal bins, leveraging CARTO's native support for H3 spatial indexes. This type of visualization is ideal for simplifying large datasets, improving performance by reducing rendering complexity, and identifying patterns and trends within the data.

In this guide, we'll walk through the process of creating your first CARTO organization. This will be the first step to start creating stunning maps and perform spatial analytics at scale, with everything running directly on top of your cloud data warehouse.

1. Account sign up

   • Go to the page.

   • Enter your email address and password. You can also sign up with your existing Google account by clicking Continue with Google

CARTO AI Agents provide a powerful conversational interface that allows anyone, regardless of technical expertise, to ask questions in natural language and receive instant, actionable insights. This marks a fundamental shift beyond dashboards to a dynamic, intuitive way of exploring your geospatial data.

With CARTO, you can create and publish powerful geospatial AI Agents tailored to your specific needs. By combining your custom prompt instructions with CARTO's built-in tools and your own MCP tools, you can build trustworthy solutions that make complex geospatial analysis accessible to any user within your organization.

What is an AI Agent?

An AI Agent is a sophisticated system powered by a large language model (LLM) that goes beyond simple chat. It autonomously interacts with your data and a robust set of tools to solve complex geospatial tasks, reasoning through problems to deliver actionable, data-driven insights.

Grid point aggregation allows you to dynamically visualize your point data as an aggregated grid, leveraging CARTO's native support for spatial indexes. This type of visualization is ideal for simplifying large datasets, improving performance by reducing rendering complexity, and identifying patterns and trends within the data.

Visualization

In the Visualization section, you can easily identify the type of layer your visualizing. Additionally, within the Advanced visualization options , you can access Zoom Visibility to define the range at which your layer should be visualized. This ensures that your lines are displayed at appropriate zoom levels, improving the clarity and relevance of your map.

A Pie Widget offers a visual representation of categorical data as a circular chart, where each category is depicted as a slice of the pie. The size of each slice corresponds to its relative value within the whole dataset, making it a valuable tool for illustrating proportions and comparisons within the total data set.

Widget Data

When configuring the Pie Widget, you can either perform a simple COUNT operation over your define category field or you can perform an aggregated operation using AVG, MAX

Save a snapshot of your interactive Builder dashboard by downloading it as a PDF. This feature lets you export a screenshot of your map along with any necessary legends, the map description, widgets, and parameters. Once saved as a PDF, you can easily share the file offline, email it, or use it in any other way you utilize PDF files.

Heatmap point aggregation allows you to dynamically display your point data as a heatmap visualization, even when working with large-scale data. This type of visualization is ideal for simplifying complex datasets, identify hotspot patterns and gain insights from your data.

Visualization

In the Visualization section you can specify the Opacity setting at layer source. Additionally, within the Advanced visualization options , you can access Zoom Visibility to define the range at which your layer should be visualized.

When creating a new workflow, I cannot see the data sources available in my connection - what may be happening?

This may be because the data warehouse connection associated with the workflow does not have the required permissions to run Workflows in the data warehouse, such as the permission of creating schemas in the Workflows temp. location (configured in the advanced options of the connection card). Please choose or create another connection with data owner permissions or modify the permissions in the current connection and try again. If the issue persists, please contact our support team at [email protected].

In CARTO Builder, the Point layer visualization option allows you to render and style point features on your map. This layer type offers various advanced styling options to enhance the visual representation of your data such as creating heatmap or grid visualizations dynamically from your original source.

Visualization

Within the Advanced visualization options , you can access Zoom Visibility to define the range at which your layer should be visualized. This ensures that your lines are displayed at appropriate zoom levels, improving the clarity and relevance of your map.

The Range Widget enables precise data filtering, allowing you to define specific numerical ranges.

Widget Data

In the Data section, select a numeric field from your source dataset that you want to analyze.

Raster data is composed of grids of pixels, where each pixel contains a value representing specific information, such as temperature, elevation, or vegetation indices. These datasets can represent continuous surfaces or sparse data with defined no-data regions. The CARTO platform provides seamless tools for importing, analyzing and visualizing raster sources directly in your data warehouse.

Visualizing rasters

To visualize raster sources, they must first be stored in your data warehouse using the CARTO raster loader. This tool ensures your raster files are properly uploaded and formatted for seamless integration with the CARTO platform. .

To optimize performance, raster sources should include overviews—lower-resolution versions of the raster data—enabling efficient visualization at different zoom levels. Additionally, if your raster source contains a

You can find a step-by-step in the CARTO for Developers documentation:

Here you will learn the basic concepts required to create a public web application using CARTO, compatible with any Javascript Development Framework. With CARTO you don't need to be a geospatial expert to develop a geospatial application, so if you're a web developer you shouldn't have any issues following this guide.

After completing this guide you will be familiar with the following concepts:

• Scaffolding your application.

• Adding a

The map description feature enriches your map by adding contextual details. This makes it easier for all viewers, even those unfamiliar with the subject, to understand and utilize the map's information effectively.

This feature supports , enabling you to incorporate headers, text formatting, links, images, and more. This added layer of customization enhances clarity and provides better insights into the displayed data, assumptions, and even guidelines for interpretation.

To add a description to your map, complete the following steps:

1. Find the map description icon located at the top-right corner of the header .

Pre-generated tilesets are sources with tiles that have been previously generated using either the or . Both the creation and storage of these tilesets occur in the data warehouse. This type of data source is ideal for managing very large, static datasets. They are efficient, cost-effective, and provide high-performance visualization.

Visualizing pre-generated tilesets

Builder supports the visualization of the four types of pre-generated tilesets:

Text parameters are replaced by an array of strings in your query. They are ideal for filtering data by category names or text-based identifiers—such as product types or admin regions.

Text Parameter Settings

When creating a text parameter, you'll configure:

What is CARTO’s Analytics Toolbox?

How can I use the functions available in the Analytics Toolbox?

Can I use the Analytics Toolbox from the CARTO Data Warehouse connection?

In the Analytics Toolbox for BigQuery, are there differences when using it from different GCP regions?

What is CARTO’s Analytics Toolbox?

CARTO’s Analytics Toolbox is a set of UDFs and Store Procedures to unlock Spatial Analytics directly on top of your cloud data warehouse platform. It is organized in a set of modules based on the functionality they offer.

How can I use the functions available in the Analytics Toolbox?

You can use the functions in the Analytics Toolbox via CARTO Builder, SQL Notebooks, and directly in the console of your cloud data warehouse platform.

To learn how to get access to the toolbox please visit the Documentation page for the:

• (also valid for the CARTO Data Warehouse)

In CARTO Builder, you can use the Analytics Toolbox functions in your custom SQL queries when to your map.

Can I use the Analytics Toolbox from the CARTO Data Warehouse connection?

Yes, you can. CARTO Data Warehouse connection works under the hood as a connection to Google BigQuery in the same region in which you have provisioned your CARTO organization account. Follow the same guides and reference for the to use this functionality from your CARTO Data Warehouse connection.

In the Analytics Toolbox for BigQuery, are there differences when using it from different GCP regions?

Yes, there are. The projects in which we install the Analytics Toolbox functions vary depending on the . In this you can find the BigQuery Project name for the Analytics Toolbox depending on the cloud region to which you have created a connection between CARTO and BigQuery.

For BigQuery connections in US and EU regions, we recommend to use the Analytics Toolbox we have enabled in US multi-region (project name: carto-un) and EU multi-region (project name: carto-un-eu)

Note that this also applies if you want to leverage the Analytics Toolbox from your CARTO Data Warehouse connection.

Builder supports simple features stored as geometry or geography in cloud data warehouses. These simple features are defined as a standard which specifies digital storage of geographical data, usually point, line or polygon, storing both spatial and non-spatial features.

This table shows the current type of simple features (geometry or geography) supported on each data warehouse:

Visualizing simple features

Builder ensures performance experience when rendering simple features on a map as data is loaded progressively via vector tiles. The data for these tiles is extracted by pushing down SQL queries to the data warehouse, and they are requested as you zoom in and out or pan the map.

Note these queries in Builder are cached. To understand more how caching works and different methods to keep your data fleshed, check this link in our .

Find more information about performance consideration for this data source type in .

Builder now enables you to modify the location or connection of your data sources easily using the 'Change data source’ option available in the source card. This functionality ensures that map configurations remain consistent as long as the updated data sources maintain the same field names and types. For any components where a property cannot be identified, the map component will revert to its default settings.

How to change the source location and/or connection

• Table Data Sources:

  • Navigate to the source card panel and click on the three dots menu.

  • Select the ‘Change data source’ option and locate the new data source.

  • Once the new dataset is identified, click 'Change source'.

• SQL Query Data Sources:

  • Access the three dots menu in the source card panel to update the connection.

  • Alternatively, in the SQL Editor panel, click on the connection information in the top-right corner to modify it.

  • Select your desired connection and click

Impact of changing data source

If the new data source contains the same fields with matching names and types, the map will retain its existing configuration, and no changes are expected. However, if some properties used in the map are missing in the updated data source, the following behavior should be expected:

Styling and Interactions:

• If a property used in interactions (e.g., hover or click actions) is missing in the new data source, those interactions will be removed.

• If a property used for layer styling (e.g., coloring by a column) is no longer available, the layer will revert to the default style.

Widgets:

• Widgets linked to missing properties will remain visible, and their configurations will be preserved.

• As an Editor, you can manually select a new column from the dropdown menu in the widget configuration panel or remove the widget entirely if no replacement column exists.

SQL Parameters:

• The updated connection must have access to the tables referred to in your custom SQL query. If not, you’ll need to update the query to refer to the relevant table locations.

• For SQL Parameters, ensure that the updated query is still valid so that parameter controls continue to work as expected.

Numeric parameters are replaced by a single or a pair of numeric values in your query. They are a good choice if you need to filter your data by specific range or calculate analysis based on numeric values.

Numeric Parameter Settings

When creating a numeric parameter, there are a few settings to be defined:

Values

Choose your preferred slider and scale type, be it simple or range for slider type, and discrete or continuous for scale, to optimize data collection according to your needs.

• Simple Slider: Allows for the selection of a single numeric value.

  • Min Value: The smallest value a user can select.

  • Default Value: The initial value that is presented when the parameter is first used.

• Range Slider: Enables the selection of a pair of numeric values, defining a range.

  • Min Value: The smallest value within the range a user can select.

  • Max Value: The largest value within the range a user can select.

• Scale: Determines the selection scope and type on a slider, which can be either continuous or discrete.

  • Continuous: Allows unrestricted selection of any value within a defined range.

  • Discrete: Permits selection from specific values within a range, controlled by a "Step Increment" that defines the interval between selectable values.

Naming

• Display name: The name that will appear in the control UI.

• SQL name(s): The name(s) to be used in the SQL query to be replaced by the control UI value(s).

Using Numeric Parameters in your SQL Query

Once the parameter is created, we should manually add it (using its SQL name) to one or more of your SQL Query data sources.

Simple Slider

After adding the parameter to your SQL query data sources, the control UI will appear in the right-side panel, allowing users to define a custom numeric value:

Range Slider

After adding the parameter to your SQL query data sources, the control UI will appear in the right-side panel, allowing users to define the min and max pair of numeric values:

The CARTO platform natively supports spatial indexes, enabling you to leverage their capabilities when working with large-scale data directly in your data warehouse. Spatial indexes are excellent for large-scale analytics and visualization. Using Builder, you can create stunning and powerful visualizations by connecting directly to these types of sources. The supported spatial index formats are quadbins and H3.

Based on Discrete Global Grid (DGG) systems, spatial indexes reference each cell of the grid. Think of a spatial index as an id that always makes reference to the same portion of the surface on Earth.

• This portion of the Earth is called a cell.

• The shape of the cell depends on the type of index. For example, H3 uses hexagons; while Quadbin uses square.

• The size of the cell depends on the resolution. The higher the resolution, the smaller the size of the cell.

DGG systems are hierarchical, which means that every cell contains a constant number of smaller cells at a higher resolution:

Advantages of working with spatial indexes

One of the advantages of working with spatial indexes is that operating with them in data warehouses is way more efficient and cost-effective than computing geometries. They are also smaller in size and help saving storage and reducing the volume of transferred data.

When working with spatial indexes, Builder will dynamically aggregate your data into cells at a meaningful resolution depending on the current map zoom level. See the animation below for an example:

Visualizing spatial index sources

Your spatial index source must contain a column storing the spatial index identifier. Below is an example table containing h3 indexes, with some additional columns that contain aggregated socio-demographic data for each hexagon:

The h3 column contains the indexes for H3 cells at level 10. That’s what we call the native resolution of the data.

When you load a source in Builder, data is aggregated dynamically as you zoom in an out. This aggregation will be generated on the fly, using SQL queries that are pushed from CARTO into the data warehouse.

When visualizing a spatial index source in Builder, you can control the aggregation size, to define how granular you'd like the aggregation to be when navigating through the map as part of the layer styling configuration. Learn more in this section.

To understand more about performance and processing cost optimizations that should be applied to this specific source type, check .

You can collaborate with other users and work on the same maps. This is useful for publicly embedded maps where any teammate could fix or improve an issue, and also for joint research projects with other analysts.

To allow collaboration in your maps, open the Shared map settings and enable the Collaboration setting: "Allow other editors to edit this map"

After you enable this setting, all editors with access to this map will also be able to edit it. For example:

• If the map is shared with the organization (or if it's public) then all editors in your organization will be able to edit the map

• If the map is "Managers" then only editors that also belong to the group "Managers" will be able to edit the map.

Collaboration is asynchronous. If two users try to open the map at the same time, a pop-up will appear to decide who will take control of the map at that moment. If the current editor is away from the keyboard, the new editor can take control of the map in 30 seconds.

The current editor can also choose to deny the take over, remaining in control of the map until the map is closed.

A basemap is a crucial component of any map, providing essential context, spatial features, and the visual foundation for your creations. CARTO Builder supports three different type of basemaps: CARTO, Google Maps and Custom.

CARTO basemaps

Select CARTO in the menu to see different basemap options. They include:

• Voyager: Basemap with colors to clearly differentiate natural and cultural features.

• Positron: Light basemap with dark-colored text.

• Dark Matter: Dark basemap with light-colored text.

You can manage the CARTO basemap layers to hide and show water, buildings, roads, and more.

Google Maps basemaps

Select Google Maps in the menu to see different basemap options. They include:

• Roadmap: Displays the default road map view.

• Satellite: Displays Google Earth satellite images.

• Hybrid: Displays satellite imagery with overlays of road names, city names, and other labels.

• Terrain: Displays a physical map based on terrain information.

Custom basemaps

CARTO supports custom basemaps set up at the organization level by Admin users. When custom basemaps are available, they will be displayed under the Custom tab section of basemaps.

To learn more about how you can upload custom basemaps to the CARTO platform and the supported formats, check . For a step-by-step guide on custom basemaps, check out in the Academy.

Using Builder you can calculate point-to-point distances using the Measure tool. This tool is ideal to determine the direct distance between two locations on the map.

To use the Measure tool, complete the following steps:

• Open a Builder map.

• Locate the Measure tool icon located at the top of the map interface .

• Click on the Measure tool to activate it.

• Select your preferred unit: imperial or metric.

• Click on your starting point on the map, then continue to click along the line you wish to measure. You can add multiple nodes to trace the exact path or route.

• To complete your measurement, either double-click on the final point or press Enter.

The tool will then display the total distance, allowing you to easily measure distances for a variety of applications.

Moving the map while measuring

If you need to measure something that extends beyond the current view of the map, like a long street, you can move the map while measuring. Simply press and hold the mouse button and drag the map to adjust your view. Continue your measurement seamlessly, and the tool will keep a running total of the distance. To finish, just double-click.

These guides will help you get started with CARTO. They're easy to follow with detailed steps, and will help you kickstart your project with your own connections, maps, workflows, and applications.

The Histogram Widget visually summarize the distribution of a continuous numeric variable by measuring the frequency at which certain values appear in the dataset.

The x-axis of the Histogram Widget has been split into buckets. For each bucket, a bar is drawn where the width of the bar represents the range of the bucket, and the height of the bar represents the number of features that fall into that range.

Widget Data

In the Data section of the widget configuration, select a continuous numeric field. It's advisable to select a numeric variable with a continuous distribution for optimal results.

Widget Display

In the Display options section, you can customize the number of buckets, which helps you control the granularity of your data representation. Additionally, you can also customize the limit values of your data that can be useful if you are looking to filter some features out your visualization.

In the display section, you can also use formatting to choose the unit of metrics displayed on the y-axis. Additionally, you can add notes that support .

Widget Behavior

Within the "Behavior" section, you can define how your widget operates: choose between "Viewport" or "Global" modes. Additionally, you can make your widgets collapsible, allowing you to hide them when needed.

You can also enable or disable the widget’s filtering capability using the cross-filtering toggle icon. When enabled, the widget can filter itself and other components connected to the same data source or across multiple sources if they share the same property.

Learn more about widget behavior .

In Builder, widgets empower users to dynamically explore data, leading to rich visualizations. They also serve to filter data based on the map viewport and interconnected widgets.

Below are the current type of Widgets available to customize your visualization and enable a richer interaction with your data:

• : Shows aggregated numerical data as a single metric.

• : Segments data into distinct categories displaying aggregated metrics.

In CARTO Builder, the Raster layer visualization option allows you to render and style raster data such as such as deforestation patterns, land classifications, or flood risk models, directly on your map.

Visualization

Within the Advanced Visualization Options , you can control the opacity of your raster layer, allowing you to blend it seamlessly with other layers on your map for improved visual clarity.

You can also use Visibility by zoom level to define the range of zoom levels at which your layer will be displayed. This ensures your map remains relevant by showing layers only at the appropriate scales.

In CARTO Builder, the Point layer visualization option allows you to render and style point features on your map. This layer type offers various advanced styling options to enhance the visual representation of your data such as creating heatmap or grid visualizations dynamically from your original source.

Visualization

You have different visualization options when it comes to point data. Using this functionality, we allow users to dynamically aggregate the original source to:

When managing Builder maps, you have two primary pathways: directly through the Builder interface or via the map card in the Maps section of your workspace.

Within these options, users may encounter two distinct actions, which may be available or restricted based on their assigned roles: and

Duplicating maps

To duplicate an existing map from the Workspace:

Comments allow users to collaborate by attaching notes directly to specific locations on the map. Whether you're reviewing analysis, coordinating planning, or gathering feedback from teammates, comments keep the conversation tied to the data—exactly where it matters.

Each comment supports:

• Threaded replies

• @mentions to notify specific users

The Feature Selection tool allows you to apply a mask to the map, filtering out the features that lie outside of it. This filtering also affects the data showed in widgets, which turns the Feature Selection tool into a powerful device to quickly find insights in your geospatial data.

This guide describes how to start using this fantastic tool and get the most out of your maps.

You can explore this new tool by clicking on the button on the upper right corner of the map.

There are different selection modes supporting different kinds of shape. The mode selected by default is Polygon.

Click on one of the selection modes to activate the tool and start drawing and filtering. The blue icon means that the tool is activated.

The map settings for viewers allows you to control different aspects of the application when accessed by end-users. This includes settings for interactivity, navigation, display options, and notifications. To access these settings, simply click the icon located next to the 'Preview' on the top right of Builder's interface.

AI:

• AI Agent: Enable users to get insights using natural language with an AI Agent. .

Interactivity:

Maintaining accurate analytics in your map visualizations depends greatly on the freshness of your data. This section will delve into how Builder ensures your data remains current and will detail the options you have for refreshing your data sources.

Caching and data freshness

Builder makes it straightforward to manage data freshness right from the initial map load. Data caching is enabled by default, varying by data type and warehouse provider, but you have the liberty to set specific freshness intervals for your map's data sources.

Default freshness settings

Builder interactions allow you to configure various UI options to display the attributes associated with a layer. Interactions are disabled by default but can be enabled for each individual layer using the toggle button. Once enabled, you can choose from the following options:

• Click: Users can extract insights by clicking on a feature rendered on the map.

• Hover: Users can extract insights by hovering over a feature on the map.

Highlighting

For vector sources, features that are clicked or hovered over will be highlighted in a distinct style, provided the source includes a column named geoid (serving as a unique identifier) or is of a spatial index type.

Interaction styles

Interactions can be displayed in two formats:

• Pop-up windows: Click and hoover-type interactions can be styled in various themes, such as light, dark ,etc.

• Info panel: Click-type interactions can also appears in the right-side panel with a default style.

Configuring properties

Interactions can be customized either manually or through custom HTML code, with support for properties in vector layers and both properties and custom expressions in raster layers:

• Adding Properties Manually: For vector layers, users can set labels and customize formats for their properties. For raster layers, users can configure bands (properties) and also define custom expressions to enhance data visualization and analysis.

• Using HTML Custom Code: This method offers flexibility for both vector and raster layers. While vector layers allow users to design tailored interaction layouts using properties, raster layers support both properties and custom expressions for advanced configurations.

Interactions make it easy to explore and understand your map data by showing details about features. You can use pop-ups, which appear next to a selected or hovered feature, or info panels, which display detailed information on the right side of the map.

Types of Interactions

There are two primary types of interactions available:

1. Click Interactions: Retrieve information when you click on a feature in the map.

2. Hover Interactions: Display information when you hover over a feature in the map.

Click-type interactions

Non-aggregated layers

• How it works: Information is retrieved directly from the server when you click on points, lines, or polygons.

• Highlighting: Features are automatically highlighted when clicked.

Aggregated layers

• How it works: Information is calculated on your computer for aggregated data (e.g., spatial indexes, cluster, etc.).

• Aggregation operation: You’ll need to specify how data is aggregated (e.g., totals, averages).

Hover-type Interactions

Non-aggregated layers

• How it works: Information is retrieved on your computer for individual points, lines, or polygons when you hover over them.

• Highlighting: Requires a unique identifier column named geoidto enable highlighting.

• Limitations:

Aggregated layers

• How it works: Information is calculated on your computer for grouped data when you hover over it.

• Aggregation operation: You’ll need to specify how data is aggregated (e.g., totals, averages).

Customizing interaction interface

You can use the menu to choose between a pop-up window (displayed next to the feature on the map) or an info panel (added to the right-side panel).

You can add attributes by including them as a list or customize pop-ups to meet your specific requirements using HTML. With HTML customization, you can add images, modify styles, and more to create tailored user experiences.

Editors can share their maps with teammates or the public using Builder's sharing feature. To do so, click either the Share button on the top right of the map Builder, or select Share from the three-dot menu next to a map in the workspace. The available sharing options are:

• Private: Only you can view and edit the map.

• Organization: The map will be visible to users in your organization.

  • Entire Organization: The map will be visible to all users within your organization.

  • Specific groups: The map will be visible only to specific groups of users in your organization ( for more information).

  • Specific users: The map will be visible only to specific users within your organization.

• Public: Anyone with the map link can view it.

Once a map is shared, Editors can enable to let other Editors edit the map, and they can set specific to direct Viewers to specific map views, layers, or geographic areas.

Sharing maps with specific users

When the Specific users share option is selected, Editors can choose individual users to grant access to the map. These users will receive an email notification when the Share button is clicked, informing them that the map has been shared with them.

Access can be revoked at any time by clicking the three-dot menu next to a user's name and selecting Revoke access. From the same menu, Editors can also choose to resend the notification email.

Password protected maps

Public maps can be set to require a password before they can be viewed. To enable this, simply tick the password protection checkbox in the share modal of a public map, set a new password and click Save This password can be changed or removed at any time.

Once this is set, anyone trying to access the map will be required to enter the password to view the map.

Sharing resources

Once the map is accessible by others, you can access the following sharing resources:

• Copy map link: Quickly share your map by copying its direct link. You can access this resource from the main Sharing modal or as a quick action.

• Embed this map: Seamlessly integrate your map into websites or applications with the provided embed code snippet available in the Sharing modal. .

• Develop a custom app: Use the Map ID available in the Sharing modal to craft a custom application.

Publishing updates for shared and public maps

Once you've shared your map with your organization, groups, or made it public, you can manage its updates to ensure that any ongoing edits enhance rather than disrupt the viewing experience.

To publish your recent modifications, use the "Publish updates" option. This is conveniently located as a quick action near the Share button or within the main sharing modal. This feature allows for swift publication of updates.

Upon publishing, the system ensures that all viewers access the most current version of the map. For editors, the modal will display the date of the most recent update, providing clear insight into the timeliness of the shared information.

SQL Parameters are dynamic placeholders that can be used in any SQL Query data source in Builder. They let users interactively adjust inputs—like filters, buffer sizes, or index scores—so that maps respond to specific questions and uncover tailored insights.

Once created, parameters must be manually linked to one or more SQL sources. Users then interact with them through the Parameters tab in the right-side panel. These inputs dynamically update the SQL query behind the map.

SQL Parameter Types

SQL Parameters are categorized based on the format of input values:

• : Set a default date range users can adjust to filter results over time. E.g., analyze data for a specific month or quarter.

• : Select specific categories to filter or group data. E.g., choose POI types like 'Supermarket' or 'Restaurant'.

• : Define a numeric input or range to filter or drive calculations. E.g., control a buffer radius or signal threshold.

Using SQL Parameters

Add a SQL Query data source

Parameters can only be added once at least one SQL Query source is available.

• Go to "Add source from..."

• Choose "Custom SQL query"

• Select CARTO Data Warehouse

• Paste this example:

Create and configure a text parameter

Once we have the data rendered in the map, we'll add a that helps us select between fires that happened during the day or the night.

• Click 'Create a SQL Parameter'

• Select 'Text Parameter'

• In the 'Values', click on 'Add from source'. Select your data source and pick the daynight column.

Create and configure a date parameter

Now, let's add a to filter fires by its date:

• Click on 'Create a SQL parameter'

• Select 'Date parameter'

• Set a default range using the calendar for both start and end dates.

• Give it a display name, like 'Date'. The SQL names gets automatically generated as

Open the SQL panel and add the parameters to your query, like:

The parameters {{date_from}} and {{date_to}} will be replaced by the dates selected in the calendar. The calendar allow users to select any desired date.

Create and configure a numeric parameter

Next, we'll incorporate a range slider to introduce a . It will allow users to focus on fires based on their brightness temperature to identify the most intense fires.

• Click on 'Create a SQL parameter'

• Select 'Numeric parameter'

• In the 'Values' section, select Range Slider and enter the 'Min Value' and 'Max Value' within the range a user will be able to select.

Open the SQL Panel and add the parameters to your query, like:

Time Series Widget allows you to identify insights and patterns from your data over a period of time. To use it, ensure your data source includes a valid timestamp.

Widget data

When configuring a Time Series Widget, you have the flexibility to choose from a provided aggregation list that includes COUNT, AVG, MAX, MIN, and SUM to define the metric to be displayed in the widget.

For more complex and custom calculations, you can select the custom aggregation option to create your own SQL Expression. With this option, you can use a wide range of SQL functions, operators and syntax using single or multiple columns from your data source.

Multiple series can be visualized in the widget to compare trends. You can create multiple series using one of the following options: "Split by" and "Add metrics"

• Split by: To split a single series into multiple segments, simply specify a "Split by" category field. For instance, in a dataset tracking traffic accidents, you define your primary metric as the "COUNT" of records and use the "Split by" category column as "accident_severity". The widget will then present the "COUNT" of each unique accident severity category as separate series.

• Add metrics: If you want to incorporate more data dimensions into your visualization, utilize the "Add metrics" option. For example, in a traffic accident dataset, you can define your initial metric as the "SUM" of cycles affected at accident spots. Subsequently, you can add another metric to calculate the "SUM" of motorcycles affected. The resultant widget will display two distinct series: one representing the sum of cycles and the other representing the sum of motorcycles for each specified time interval.

Widget display

Temporal data is organized into discrete time intervals along the x-axis of the widget. By default, an interval size is automatically selected, but you have the flexibility to manually adjust it as needed.

You can empower users to animate moving geometry features by adding animation controls. You can click the clock icon to adjust speeds: 0.5x, 1x, 2x, or 3x.

In the display section, you can also use formatting to choose the unit of metrics displayed on the y-axis. Additionally, you can add notes that support .

Widget behavior

Within the "Behavior" section, you can define how your widget operates: choose between "Viewport" or "Global" modes. Additionally, you can make your widgets collapsible, allowing you to hide them when needed.

You can also enable or disable the widget’s filtering capability using the cross-filtering toggle icon. When enabled, the widget can filter itself and other components connected to the same data source or across multiple sources if they share the same property.

Learn more about widget behavior .

Best practices to work with temporal data

When dealing with temporal data sources, we advocate the following best practices:

• Large temporal data: When working with large temporal data, consider aggregating your data to a higher temporal granularity and using Time Series Widget in combination with Date SQL Parameter. These recommendations can help reduce the volume of data and enhance performance

• Static geometries: If you are working with static geometry whose attributes change over time, we recommend you aggregate your source grouping by geometry to avoid displaying duplicated geometries on the map. You can also leverage the "Date" type of SQL Parameter to dynamically define the date range of your source.

• Animation: Animation is primarily recommended for geometries that exhibit movement over time. If you are interested on animation for static geometry whose attributes vary over time please .

One way to find a location on a map is to search for it. For that, you can pan and zoom until you find what you want, but using specific tools for this purpose is often faster and more precise.

Search for locations

The Search Location bar present in the map offers a convenient method to search for locations using latitude longitude coordinates (lat,lon) or addresses and visualize them on the map.

To use the Search Location bar, complete the following steps:

1. Open a Builder map.

2. Locate the Search Location bar positioned at the top left corner of the map .

3. Click on the Search Location bar and type the complete address or coordinates (lat,lon) you want to search for.

4. Press Enter when you finish typing the location.

The map display zooms to the location of the search result and a blue marker at the specific location appears.

Focus map on user's device location

Focus on User's Device Location allows the map to automatically zoom in and center the view on your current location, providing you with a convenient and immediate view of your surroundings.

To find your location on the map, complete the following steps:

1. Open the Builder Map application you want to view.

2. Locate the Focus on User's Device Location button positioned in the lower left corner of the map .

3. Click the Focus on User's Device Location button.

The map will use your device's location services to determine your current position. Once your location is determined, the map view will automatically zoom in and center on your current position. You will see a blue icon indicating your location on the map.

You can follow the below steps to activate location settings for the most popular web browsers:

• Google Chrome: In Chrome, users can enable or disable location services by going to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Location. From there, users can turn location services on or off for all websites or specific websites.

• Firefox: In Firefox, users can control location services by going to Preferences > Privacy & Security > Permissions > Location. From there, users can choose to block or allow location services for all websites or specific websites.

• Safari: In Safari, users can control location services by going to Safari > Preferences > Websites > Location. From there, users can choose to allow or deny location services for all websites or specific websites.

Getting specific coordinates

To get the coordinates of a specific point on the map, simply right-click on the desired location. A menu will appear, allowing you to copy the coordinates of the point you clicked.

With Builder, you can easily export your map data as CSV file(s). This functionality respects all the filters you set using the feature selection tool, widgets, or SQL parameters. The resulting CSV file includes detailed attributes and, if applicable, a geometry column.

Exporting data as an Editor

The export viewport data button is located as a quick action next to the Share button, at the right top corner. It should be enabled as long as there are exportable data sources in Builder.

How to export:

1. Click the 'Export data' button. This considers the current viewport extent and any applied filters.

2. In the export window, select the layers you wish to export.

3. Each selected layer generates a job in the activity panel. You can monitor export progress here while continuing your work.

4. Once an export job is complete, click on the layer in the activity panel to download the CSV file(s).

Upon reviewal the output CSV file, you can visualize the detailed attributes included the geometry column if applicable. The output are the features within the viewport extent considering the filters if applicable for feature selection tool, widgets and parameters.

Enabling export for Viewers

To allow viewers of your map to export data:

1. Navigate to the 'Map settings for viewers' button located next to the 'Preview' button.

2. Turn on 'Export viewport data', to enable viewers using the export viewport data functionality.

3. Publish your changes.

Exporting data as Viewer

Viewers can export data following these steps:

1. Click the export icon located at the top left corner.

2. Choose the layer(s) to download from the modal window.

3. Each layer's export creates a job for tracking. Monitor the progress in the dedicated section.

4. Upon completion, click on the layer export job and download the CSV file(s).

Territory Balancing and Location Allocation components in Workflows

September 30th, 2025

New Workflows

CARTO's new for Workflows has been built to power location allocation and territory balancing directly within CARTO and your data warehouse, this extension helps analysts and planners create fair, efficient, and data-driven territory strategies.

When you log in to your CARTO user account, you will be presented with your Workspace. The Workspace allows you to access all components of the CARTO platform via a single interface. It will allow you to manage connections to your data warehouse(s), explore your data, subscribe to Data Observatory datasets, develop spatial applications, and run visualizations and spatial analysis through our tools Builder and Workflows.

Homepage

The first time that you access the Workspace, you will see a Welcome banner with links providing quick access to different actions to get you started with CARTO, like creating your first connection or your first map and workflow, or starting with your spatial analysis in an easy guided way from our editable pre-built demo maps and demo workflows.

CARTO Builder allows you to add sources by connecting directly with your data warehouses, ensuring security and data governance. Once a source is added, the related layer associated with the source is also rendered on the map. From this point, you can start styling your layer, adding widgets, and creating your interactive application.

Data sources types

Builder currently support the following data sources types:

• : Unaggregated features using standard geometry (point, line or polygon) and attributes, ready to use in Builder.